HERE COMES SATAN CLAUS!

From the weirdos who brought you Slasher Summer Camp, join us for a special celebration of Christmas horror. We’ve selected four films that indulge in the darker side of the season, with Santa slashers, fearsome folklore, and chilling killers. What’s more, our helpful worker elves will be at your service throughout the day to make sure that you’re having fun and obeying the rules of our great and terrible master from the North Pole. (He knows if you’ve been naughty or nice. He always knows.) The films:

Don’t Open Till Christmas (1984)

Rare Exports (2010)

Black Christmas (1975)

Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2 (1987)

In between films, you can:

* Marvel at our grotesque grotto

* Visit Santa's throne of judgement

* Get a commemorative photo 

* Watch some truly weird Christmas video clips and vintage trailers

* Enjoy festive treats at our cafe and bar

The full schedule: 

2:00pm: Doors open

2:30pm: Don’t Open Till Christmas (Edmund Purdom, UK, 1984, 86 mins, Cert: 18)

Directed by Edmund Purdom (The Fifth Cord, Pieces) in association with legendary exploitation producer Dick Randall, this film is a sleazy, grimy snapshot of early 80s London. It’s a week until Christmas, and a string of gruesome murders of men wearing Santa Claus outfits has the media in a frenzy and the police at their wits’ end. Who is the killer, and what do they have against old Saint Nick? (English soundtrack, presented with English captions. Content notes here.)

4:30pm: Rare Exports (Jalmari Helander, Finland, 2010, 84 mins, Cert: 15)

Far up north in the snowy mountains of Finland, just on the border with Russia, lies the ancient mountain of Korvantunuri: the legendary home of Father Christmas. When a multinational corporation starts excavating the mountain, it unleashes something ancient and terrifying--and local children who have been naughty start to go missing. With fantastic performances from its young leads, it’s equal parts gruesome and heartwarming, presenting a darkly funny twist on the Santa Claus myth. (Finnish/English soundtrack with English subtitles. Content notes here.)

6:00pm: DINNER BREAK: We will have savoury snacks available, but if you need something more substantial, we’ll have a map of the area showing where you can grab a quick bite. You’re welcome to bring food back to eat in our cafe, but please do not bring any hot food into the cinema. 

7:00pm: Black Christmas (Bob Clark, Canada, 1975, 98 mins, Cert: 18)

Often cited as an important predecessor of the slasher genre (and remade several times), the original Black Christmas is one of our all-time favourite horror films. A series of strange and obscene phone calls unsettles the young women of a sorority house as they prepare for the Christmas holidays. Before long, the house’s inhabitants are getting picked off one at a time by a deranged killer. Brilliant, complex, and genuinely disturbing, don’t miss this absolute classic of Christmas horror. WHERE’S AGNES? (English soundtrack, presented with English captions. Content notes here.)

9:20pm: Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2 (Charles E. Sellier, Jr., USA, 1987, 88 mins, Cert: 18)

Billy might be gone, but now it's Ricky's time to shine! Don't worry if you haven't seen Silent Night, Deadly Night - this one tells the entire plot of the first film in flashback, with a staggering 40 minutes of footage that condenses the movie to just the best bits. Also featuring an incredible performance from Eric Freeman (and his eyebrows) as the murderous Ricky. Make sure to stick around for this cult classic of “bad” movies - you don’t want to miss GARBAGE DAY! (English soundtrack, presented with English captions. Content notes here.)

HAIL SANTA

A special thank you to the American Genre Film Archive, Vinegar Syndrome, and Arrow Films.