10 Great Christmas Horror Movies You Probably Haven't Seen

In between directing Murder, She Wrote, Mission: Impossible, and Kung Fu, John Llewellyn Moxey put together a slasher called Home for the Holidays (most definitely not to be confused with the Jodie Foster comedy of the same name).

In this made-for-tv horror, an ailing aristocrat called Benjamin beckons his four estranged daughters to return home for Christmas and murder his new wife, whom he believes is poisoning him. The women are dubious of their father's outrageous claims at first, but change their tune when they're suddenly hounded by a pitchfork-wielding maniac.

The script may be bog-standard, but Home for the Holidays is elevated by the ensemble's performances - especially from a pre-fame Jessica Walters and Sally Field. Even when the killing begins, the film still highlights the deep-rooted conflicts of the family, making Home for the Holidays feel more like a drama than a horror. This works in the story's favour, since viewers get deeply invested in the siblings' heated arguments, making it more shocking when someone winds up drowned or impaled.

At only 73 minutes long, Home for the Holidays is an absolute treat for anyone who's looking for a short-and-sweet Christmas horror.