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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RQlikX4vvw[/youtube]
A Christmas movie we watched for the first time last year is now an essential holiday tradition in our family. The film contains no overly sweet sentiment, although there are plenty of characters wearing sweaters without a trace of irony. It's actually an unexpectedly entertaining horror movie made in Finland.
Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale
This 2010 subtitled movie takes place in a rural, working poor area of northern Finland where ten-year-old Pietari lives with his widowed father. Pietari and a friend spy on a secretive mining operation near the Russian border, trying to figure out why the workers are blasting apart a hill. It's rumored the place is where the original Santa Claus is buried. When he's told that Santa doesn't exist, Pietari looks into the legends. He finds that the old stories portray Santa as an angry being who wreaks vengeance, even tossing naughty children in a boiling cauldron.
Pietari's father, who makes a living hunting and butchering reindeer, discovers that a large herd has already been massacred. Other frightening things begin happening in the area as well. Pietari begs adults to consider that an evil Santa is responsible, but no one takes him seriously even when the town's children start to disappear. It's only when a dangerous old man appears that they swing into action. It may be too late.
For viewers old enough to enjoy lots of Santa-related mayhem, this movie is the perfect antidote to crassly commercial holiday fare. It's stark, unusual, and quietly menacing. Pay close attention and you'll notice homage is given to all sorts of American films. But I'm pretty sure the herd of naked old guys is a cinematic first.
