This holiday season, we at Psycho Drive-In would like to introduce you to the good, the bad, and ugly of not just any Holiday Films, but the Holiday Films you may have forgotten, overlooked, or just didn’t realize were Holiday Films. There’s no Rankin-Bass, no Miracles on any streets, no traditional happy family gathering fare. Instead there’s a lot of blood, violence, some terrorists, monsters, and even aliens. Plus more than a couple of bizarre Anti-Santas to go around. Twelve days, twelve films, twelve opportunities to amuse and disturb your families this holiday season.
On the Tenth Day of Christmas, Kit Miller gives to you, Treevenge (2008).
Ahh, 2008. I remember it like it was just six years ago. A time of change, 2008 is memorable for the election of the United State’s first black president, the approval of the production and distribution of food from cloned animals, and someone finally beating the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. But one thing that has stood the test of time is the Christmas tree.
Every Christmas season, people across the world partake in the popular tradition of decorating a Christmas tree with ornaments, candy canes, lights and other various festive decorations. I, myself, made the transition to a fake Christmas tree like so many other people a while ago, but some folks still go the old fashioned route and buy a real tree; some may even cut down the tree themselves. While I still love the idea of a real Christmas tree, writer and director Jason Eisener’s (Hobo with a Shotgun, ABCs of Death, V/H/S 2) horrific approach to the once jolly tradition in the 2008 short film Treevenge is enough to make me keep my beautifully harmless fake tree.
The film begins with a group of lumberjacks going into the forest to chop down some trees. The trees are shown to be able to communicate with one another through an adorably innocent chirping language, similar to Gizmo from Gremlins and the Ewoks from Star Wars, that humans can neither understand nor hear. The lumberjacks go on a massacre: chopping down the screaming trees and stomping on the saplings. Once they are done, they ship the trees off to tree lots where families can pick out their perfect Christmas tree. The short film follows multiple trees on their journey to becoming some family’s Christmas tree. For a good majority of the film, the theme is quite festive and merry with only a few narrative thoughts from the “enslaved” trees. But once Christmas morning arrives, all Hell breaks loose.
The first victims are a family of four. While son and daughter excitedly gaze upon the presents under the tree, dad grabs the camera to film the joyful occasion and mom looks on lovingly. As the daughter goes to open her first present, the family’s Christmas tree suddenly snatches her up. The other family members scream and gaze on in horror as the little girl is impaled and torn apart by the branches of the tree. From this point on, view discretion is highly advised.
Maybe it’s the sacrilegious aspect of it all or maybe I’m more of a wimp than I thought, but this film was tough to watch. I will not describe every gory scene that happened because I cannot do them justice by just describing them in words and I had to close my eyes for some parts. The trees basically do whatever the lumberjacks did to them to the citizens of a small town. If you at least need a comparison though, think of the Walking Dead. You know… crushed heads, limbs being torn apart, blood everywhere, bodily organs spilling out, etc. If that kind of thing is up your ally, go ahead and watch it, just know what you’re getting yourself in to. If that isn’t really your thing and you still want to watch it… well… you’ve been warned. In terms of a horror film, it’s awesome and truly encompasses the definition of horror. In terms of a holiday film, there may be some better, more holiday-ish ones out there.
Overall, don’t make the mistake I did when I first watched this short film at eleven o’clock at night. Be careful which horror movies you choose to watch this holiday season and stay safe!