Sounds like pure marketing hype (ala the "Saw 3" ambulance emergencies), nevertheless Dimension Films is understandably milking it for all its worth.
According to <a href="http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=entertainmentNews&storyID=2006-12-14T223646Z_01_N14222697_RTRUKOC_0_US-LIFE-BLACKCHRISTMAS.xml&archived=False">Reuters</a> religious groups have condemned the timing of the release of the studio's R-rated slasher movie "Black Christmas" as tasteless and offensive.
The film, a remake of the cult hit from 1974 about a group of female students being terrorized by a killer stalking their sorority house during Christmas, hits cinemas on Christmas Day.
Whilst other horror films have been released at the same time (ala "Wolf Creek" last year), the upset is just as much about the use of Christmas elements in the plot as it is about the day of release.
Jennifer Giroux, co-founder of Operation Just Say Merry Christmas who's charter is to reclaim the season for Christians, says "It's not enough to ignore and omit Christmas, but now it has to be offended, insulted and desecrated. Our most sacred holiday, actually a holy day, is being assaulted".
In a statement, Dimension says "There is a long tradition of releasing horror movies during the holiday season as counter-programming to the more regular yuletide fare".
