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The Festive Fans are off to the “nicest place in the world”, a nation that looks like Christmas itself, with its pine forests, captivating snowfalls, and Hallmark worthy quaint little towns.  The people there are so friendly that the place is bursting with joy.  They even claim Santa as an official citizen.  Yes, that’s right, we are off to our neighbor to the north, Canada, to explore the other parts of the country outside of Quebec.  There’s a certain gentleness to it, a politeness that feels downright festive. Even their flag is red and white.

It’s also ironic that we are watching the Canadian film Black Christmas, one of the first and most influential slasher films ever made.  It is directed by Bob Clark, the same filmmaker who also gave the world another Christmas classic, A Christmas Story.  In 1974, Clark made this stylish horror film about a killer stalking a sorority house during the holidays. It introduced elements that later became popular tropes likes showing the point-of-view of the killer, featuring a male stalker targeting young women with the “final girl” left who is strong and defiant, and the famous line that the "calls are coming from inside the house".  In addition, it has a chilling ambiguous ending where the killer's identity and motive are left unknown. 

And it takes place in Canada — the unlikeliest backdrop for yuletide joy and terror.  It is so at odds with the cozy cheer of the host country, but it is also deeply Canadian.  There’s something perfectly absurd about both films being shot in a country known globally for its niceness.  

Black Christmas is the first of our two “Creepmas in October” films, because there’s something irresistibly entertaining about Christmas horror movies.  After a year of mostly feel-good stories, the Festive Fans like to turn the season of goodwill on its head with a refreshing scary twist.  We want some ordinary holiday cheer mixed with dark humor and creeping dread. From yuletide laughter to bloodcurdling screams, it can feel a bit cathartic. 

Watching Black Christmas and its ilk feels a bit like sneaking a bite of moose tongue at the holiday table— shocking, nauseating, but oddly satisfying.  Join us now in the land of Hallmark Christmas movies with charming main streets and crazed killers, snowy landscapes and silent stalkers. We explore this land of Christmas to learn about its festive customs and holidays because Canadians are stereotyped for their generosity — qualities that echo the heart of the holiday season.  It is a country that either feels like Christmas year-round or where holiday cheer goes to die.  You decide.

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