[Demdike@Cult Labs]

A Christmas Horror Story. (2015)

Four interwoven stories that take place on Christmas Eve, as told by one festive radio host as played by William Shatner.

Similar in style to Trick r' Treat (2008) but less interesting and more shambolic. The four stories on offer, Santa and the zombie elves and the family terrorized by the Krampus aside, it's all a little bit dull.

There's little to no atmosphere due to the film jumping between stories all the time. In fact it was downright annoying to get into what was happening with Santa for example then be thrown straight into some irritating youths making a shaky cam film inside an abandoned school.

I do kind of recommend it though as the Santa / Krampus tales are a lot of fun.

The Smashing Bird I Used to Know (1969)

Also known as School for Unclaimed Girls, The Smashing Bird... is a terrific drama from the prolific Robert Hartford-Davis, a director who seems lost in British film history but made some of the finest horror this country has known in The Black Torment (1964), Corruption (1968) and The Fiend (1972).

Released by Odeon / Screenbound as the oddly titled Girls of Shame under their Slap and Tickle banner, this film is nothing like their usual saucy comedies at all. It is in fact a gripping film about attempted rape, psychological trauma with some social commentary and sexploitation thrown in.

The plot about a school girl who suffers mental trauma from witnessing her father killed whilst with her on a merry-go-round (don't laugh it's quite brutal) and is then near raped by her mothers new scoundrel lover before she knives him to death and is sent to a girls remand home where she's subjected to 'Franco'isms' (Those who know Jess Franco films will know of what i speak) from the other girls.

It's really nicely played by some well known actors including the slimy Patrick Mower, Dennis Waterman, Derek Fowlds, Lesley Ann-Down, Maureen Lipman and the unknown to me, Madeline Hinde, as the put upon girl. Hartford-Davis' film is never dull as genres collide and so far it is one of the best i've seen this Christmas time.

Highly Recommended.