The 1980s, 1990s and 2000s brought us some terrific Christmas films. But what is the best Christmas film of the three decades? Home Alone? Bad Santa? The Santa Clause? Elf?

Christmas was well represented in the 1980s. From horror to fantasy to offbeat black comedy to outlandish slapstick. Oh, and Die Hard!

There’s another side to a Christmas sat in front of the telly. The Dark Side. Pitch black film noir, offbeat comedy, sadistic horror. Killer snowmen, drunk Santa’s, capitalist in-fighting, sex fetishes and rampant orgies, terrorists, lunatics, Christmas tree robbers, murderers hiding in the attic, marriage breakdowns and the curse of the mother-in-law. No songs in sight, no talking animals (do Gremlins count?), and maybe no happy ending. There is another way to enjoy the holidays. This is the top 10 alternative Christmas films list.