A Recut Trailer For 'Elf' Poses The Holiday Classic As A Thriller

Christmas may have come and gone, but family is forever.

Elf is one of my all-time favorite holiday movies, right up there with A Christmas Carol and Die Hard. Though I’m not the biggest fan of Will Ferrell’s work, this film has always stood out as an exception, with the 6’4” Ferrell playing one of Santa’s elves to hilarious results.

But what if the film was more of a thriller? Less holly-jolly and more “holy shit?”

The folks at CineFix have recut the trailer for Elf to sell it as a suspenseful tale, rather than a seasonal one, and it is a riot to think of how the movie would play out had that been the case. The spin is that Buddy (Ferrell) is a mysterious man-child, having been captured and tortured by Saint Nicholas and his crew. Now that he’s escaped, he looks to have a relationship with his father (James Caan). The final shot, in which Walter tucks Buddy in, then is embraced by his estranged son, is played up as a gotcha moment that had me laughing all the way.

Upon further research (read: reading the description of the video), the recut is from 2016, but this is too entertaining not to talk about, even if the holidays are largely past us.

Watch the hilarious recut below.

#CINEFIX #ELF