Christmas horror is a subgenre that has found comfortable success. Its popularity began with Gremlins, with more slasher-centric entries such as Black Christmas even being remade in recent years, and now we of course have Terrifier 3 horrifying people in the cinema. This fits in more with the sub-subgenre killer Santa movies, which are for the most part rather terrible. And All Through the House, a Robert Zemeckis-directed episode in the very early days of the excellent horror anthology Tales from the Crypt, is legitimately unsettling.
Tales From the Crypt S01 E02 – And All Through the House
Lethal Weapon’s Mary Ellen Trainor plays a wife who has had enough of her husband, played by Marshall Bell, and murders him in the hopes of taking his life insurance with her new lover. Problem is, as she attempts to get rid of the body, she is attacked by an escaped mental patient, who happens to be dressed as Santa Claus and targets women. All the while the wife’s daughter is struggling to sleep in her bed upstairs because of the excitement of being visited by Santa on Christmas. The struggles outside soon lead to the daughter believing her wish has come true….
Like I said, legitimately unsettling. Especially if you are a parent, but then again, you’re not meant to like this particular parent in the first place. As the situation quickly flips from murder coverup to child rescue, suddenly you have no choice but to root for the murderous madam. The dark humour that proceeds the events are amusing but never distract from what is a terrifying premise.
And All Through the House was originally adapted from 1954’s Vault of Horror comic #35, and has appeared under the guise of Tales from the Crypt before, with Joan Collins playing Trainor’s role in the 1972 movie. Fans of American Horror Story may have also caught a part adaption in the season eight episode “Traitor”, in which Joan Collins stars again.
It must be said here that the performances are perfect all around. Larry Drake is very unsettling as the Santa-clad killer, particularly in the final scene without performing any violent act. It’s all over the top but in the spirit of the show and remains one of its best episodes, although only its second. It might not be one for Christmas cheer, but And All Through the House will be a treat for any Christmas horror fans.