Monday, December 1st, 2025
Gruß vom Krampus! In honor of Krampusnacht this coming Friday (12/5), Sacrilegious Cinema: Menagerie of Madness sets out some blood-soaked offerings to exalt a celebration Monday, December 1st to keep this Devil at bay! This devious dyad incorporates a chimera of holiday horror and dark comedy, with both features initially conceived as more gruesome only to receive a mischievous makeover in order to cast a wider net of viewers, serving as clever caricatures of their more saintly seasonal predecessors, this duo shares the spotlight with a mob of monsters of various sizes to incite the Yuletide senses. Don’t miss this perilous pair at Hot Wax Ybor. 
At 8PM, come out to commemorate Krampus, peer into his snow globe, and behold a tale of one among many of households who dare to challenge the spirit of Christmas in Michael Dougherty’s take on this fearsome Alpine monster (with a fusion of other European Yuletide terrors echoed by his accompanying henchmen) in KRAMPUS (2015). Will you, too, fall victim to the legendary demon and his minions?
Brought to audiences by the same mastermind behind the exemplary Halloween cult classic TRICK R TREAT (2007), director and writer Michael Dougherty tries his hand at Christmas horror, branching out within the holiday family tree to a mountain of success. Dougherty aims to make Krampus (2015) a contemporary fable on morality as a rebuttal to Disney’s sanitation of macabre Brothers Grimm fairytales, warping them from their original grisly condition to censor the more unsettling aspects of said stories, restoring them in part to their initial condition, keeping the scares in tact whilst infusing a blend of impish delight to soften its brutality.
Originally slated to take the route of a typical horror flick wherein people within the neighborhood get picked off one by one, but chose instead to present it as a typical Christmas film— though taking a dark, twisted
turn by resurrecting a folkloric fiqure associated with the season. Dougherty did not wish to reduce Krampus as an unbeatable entity but rather, something ominously playful, explaining why the film employs a more whimsical tone as opposed to straight forward horror, deeming it more accessible to a broader audience, indoctrinating a larger demographic into the realm of Krampuslauf and the Wild Hunt. 
Then, at 10PM, journey to Kingston Falls, Pennsylvania, following Billy Peltzer on the holidays when he is bestowed with a special pet called a ‘mogwai’ (named Gizmo) as a Christmas gift. However, this present comes with parameters of which Billy inadvertently breaks to dire consequences— no bright lights, no water, and no food after midnight. Such mishaps invoke a hideous transformation into the frightful form of GREMLINS (1984), an iteration of the aforementioned notorious for their destructive behavior. As matters go haywire, Billy and company must find a way to defeat this deadly horde of troublemakers as they wreak havoc upon the sleepy town.
Directed by renowned horror aficionado Joe Dante of previous genre victories Piranha (1978) and The Howling (1981), Gremlins yields an amalgamation of fear and fun in this wacky creature feature penned by screenwriter Chris Columbus, churning out a staple amidst holiday flicks, reigning as the pinnacle of 80’s cinema in its tongue and cheek appeal and inherent nostalgic charm, being fondly remembered as a time capsule from the era. Helmed by acclaimed producer Steven Spielberg and rounded out by a solid cast equipped with Zach Gilligan, Phoebe Cates, Corey Feldman, Dick Miller and Hoyt Axton, Gremlins cements within the ranks of instant classics, embedding itself in pop culture and spawning a sequel in its midst with the immense box office triumph. Gremlins tightropes the line between grotesque mayhem and vicious humor, bordering on ‘family friendly’ while retaining enough spunk to push the envelope in its controversial satirical themes laced in consumerism and cultural misappropriation, detailing the chaos native to the territory.
Join me for an examination of the famous folklore frightening Germanic families for ages and its cultural impact, with unique insight steeped in my heritage and upbringing to supplement the showing and stay for a seasonal classic to usher in the holiday cheer and take a deeper look into the layers of the esteemed motion picture.
FREE popcorn included with a mandatory purchase- no cover charge with a 1 drink (or snack) minimum from the bar.