Home for the Holidays
An ailing man summons his four daughters home for Christmas and asks them to kill his new wife, who he suspects is poisoning him.
Why it matters
A grim proto-slasher buried in ’70s holiday gloom, mixing family dysfunction with a creeping sense of dread that predates genre tropes.
- Early blueprint for slasher mechanics—isolated setting, stormy weather, and a killer’s paranoia setting the stage.
- A powerhouse cast led by Walter Brennan and Sally Field anchors the unsettling family dynamics.
- Subtle, methodical pacing favors mood over gore, offering a slow-burn that rewards patience.
- For fans of classic psychological horror who appreciate how slashers evolved from intimate, character-driven unease.
Director
Cast
Horror DNA
Gore
0
Slow Burn
50
Psychological
29
Supernatural
0
Creature
0
Disturbing
17
Fun Factor
17
Cerebral
0
Survival
66
Slasher
