If there’s one thing that genre filmmaking is good for, it’s being able to turn just about anything into a horror movie. Especially when you consider the surprising amount of horror movies that have been centered on Christmas over the years. 2017 brings us yet another Christmas slasher flick and, this time, someone has managed to turn The Elf on the Shelf into a horror movie withThe Elf.
Now, in fairness, they can’t call the doll inThe Elfan “Elf on the Shelf,” since that is a copyrighted thing, but this movie is clearly playing on what has become a holiday season staple in many homes.The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Traditionstarted as a children’s holiday book and has gone on to become a major Christmas fixture. The logline for the movie boasts confidently about the movie, saying, “IfPennywisewarmed the cockles of your heart, and if you feel Chucky is the gift that keeps on giving, reward yourself with some quality time with The Elf!” This movie will in no way be on par withIT, or evenCult of Chucky, but the concept alone at least makes this first teaser trailer worth a watch and makes this movie one of the more interesting2017 horror moviescoming out.
InThe Elf, Nick is haunted by night terrors stemming from a tragic murder he saw when he was young. After inheriting an old toy shop, he discovers a cursed elf doll sealed inside an ancient chest with a naughty list of his family’s names written on it. He soon discovers that the elf was an evil conduit meant to unleash a supernatural killing spree during theChristmas Holidaysby whoever set it free.
The footage itself definitely looks like alow-budget horror movie, but it certainly evokes someLeprechaunandChild’s Playvibes, with the added bonus of a Christmas setting. The movie comes from the mind of Justin Price, who serves as the writer/director forThe Elf. The trailer is unquestionably cheesy, but this could be worth a watch with some friends this holiday season, after you’ve had a few cups of eggnog anyway. The movie stars Natassia Halabi, Les Best, and Joseph Daniel Ellis.
Could we be looking at the next, bloodyChristmas cult classic? Will this be the newBlack Christmas? Probably not, but that could make for a fun, if ridiculous, double feature. If you’re feeling eager to see more ofThe Elf, the movie arrives on digital platforms starting November 7. If you feel compelled to own the movie for yourself,The Elfis set for release on Blu-ray/DVD on December 5. So be sure to put it on your Christmas list. You can check out the first trailer forThe Elf, courtesy ofBloody Disgusting, for yourself below.
