Nightmare on 34th Street – Movie Review
Director: James Crow
Writer: James Crow (Screenplay)
Cast
- Lucy Pinder (Me, Myself and Di)
- Gillian Broderick (Mary Had a Little Lamb)
- Ewen MacIntosh (The Lobster)
- Jon-Paul Gates (The Howling)
- Olivia Hespe (Nemesis)
Plot: One cold Christmas a strange Santa arrives to visit Peter and tell him 4 Christmas horror stories.
Runtime: 2 Hour 9 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Verdict on Nightmare on 34th Street
Mr Red
Mr Red follows a family that gets a visit from three serial killers on Christmas Eve. The killers eliminate the family before the youngest member meets what she thinks in Santa. However, the aftermath is even more disturbing, where the next family moves in.
This is a nice opening to the anthology. It is short, outrageous and prepares us for the uncertainty we are going to face. The twisted concept lets us know we are going into the darkest corners of the horror world.
(3/5)
Krampus
Krampus follows a single mother Louise (Pinder) struggles to make ends meet over Christmas. One of her children Luke discovers a secret about Krampus. However, that night sees a visit from an evil spirit of Krampus for a message for the family.
This one brings one of the known Christmas villains Krampus to life in a new and twisted manner. It is filled with shock and twists along the way. This is going to prepare us for the next chapter of the twisted horror stories. (4/5)
The Ventriloquist That Stole Christmas
The Ventriloquist That Stole Christmas starts when ventriloquist Henry is trying to continue his show. However, his act with Dr White the snowman is getting received badly. His wife leaves him and his past with his successful father is overshadowing him. With the pressure piling up on Henry, the question is more about how he will deal with the pressure.
This is a twisted tale that feels like it could be one of the few that gets a fully extended feature film out. That doesn’t stop it from being effective in shock value and a Christmas flavor to the tormented ventriloquist role. (4/5)
12 Kills of Christmas
12 Kills of Christmas follows a tormented young man who was once part of a church choir. He is searching for the priest who ran the church at the time, learning of his medical conditions. The priest in question is now suffering from dementia which controls his life, forcing him to need constant care. However, his past is going to come and haunt him, as the fears of the carollers remain over him.
This is more of a religious Christmas horror, that brings plenty of horror to the table. It uses elements of real-life horrors, before going into a much more twisted series of events. This ends up being the story with the most twists and turns along the way that add to the bigger shock value involved. (4/5)
His Story
His Story follows a Christmas Santa who finds himself replaced by an underqualified younger Santa. What follows is Santa going on a rampage against the people he believes have wronged him. It takes Christmas to a darker place as the rampage continues to get worse.
This is the story that gets tied into the wraparound and is the final story from the visiting Santa. It gives us one of the best of the series as it deals with the real problems facing someone in life. A Santa that goes on a rampage brings laughs and feels the most effective of them all. (4/5)
Where to Watch
Released 5th December
JustWatch
Final Thoughts –Nightmare on 34th Street is a fun feast of twisted festival horror tales.
