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| Black Christmas |
Black Christmas
Reviewed by BombA
Directed by : Bob Clark III
year : 1974
Tagline : If this movie doesn't make your skin crawl... It's On Too Tight!
Cast
Olivia Hussey .... Jess Bradford
Keir Dullea .... Peter Smythe
Margot Kidder .... Barb Coard
John Saxon .... Lieutenant Kennet Fuller
Marian Waldman .... Mrs. MacHenry
Andrea Martin (I) .... Phyl Carlson
James Edmond .... Mr. Harrison
Doug McGrath (I) .... Sergeant Nash (as Douglas McGrath)
Art Hindle .... Chris Hayden
Lynne Griffin .... Clare Harrison
Michael Rapport .... Patrick
Leslie Carlson .... Graham (as Les Carlson)
Black Christmas is one of the originals. Made in 1974, this film set a lot of the groundwork for slasher films that we see today, as well as slasher films we have seen for the past almost 30 years since Black Christmas came out.
Black Christmas starts out as many slasher films do; around a holiday when people are clearing out of a college town. It is important to note though that this movie was an innovator of this concept, and should be treated as such, because it is far removed from other less inspired holiday movies. Anyway, this movie starts off at a Christmas party some sorority girls are having before some of them head home for the holidays. Just as they were going to hoist up housemother Mrs. MacHenry for her famous 180-second keg stand they get a creepy phone call, which pretty much ruins the festive mood of the party. Apparently this isn't the first call they've gotten from the creepy-caller. I'd like to point out here that the phone calls in this movie are actually really creepy. They aren't the "supposed to be creepy" phone calls that you'd see in movies like Scream. These ones are legitimately creepy. Now moving along, the token virgin-esque member of the sorority makes a fuss and runs off to her room. She will soon be killed by a deranged slasher and we will not be hearing any of her fussy-ness again. Now this is one aspect of this film that obviously had no influence on future horror films, as everybody knows that it's the virgin-esque-fussy girl who is supposed to live and become the heroine. Anyway moving along, several "disappearances" around the town and in the sorority house in general take place and John Saxon is left with the rather thorny problem of solving this mess. Now one would think that since John Saxon had already kicked Bolo Yeungs ass (in Enter the Dragon) by this point in his career, getting rid of this pesky murderer would come easily. But alas one would have to be a moron to think that, since in Enter the Dragon he was playing a completely different character. Silly logic aside, Saxon has his hands full, and so does the killer as there are many more girls to kill, and many phone calls to make.
Anyway what makes this movie different from the standard fare of horror slasher movies is the execution. This movie is brilliantly directed by Bob Clark III, who was much more successful than his predecessors; Bob Clark: First Blood, or Bob Clark 2: Electric Boogaloo. Interestingly enough 10 years after the making of Black Christmas, Bob Clark III directed a slightly different take on yuletide festivities, in a little movie about a certain Ralphy who really really really wants a b.b. Gun. Perhaps the reader has seen it. Anyway Clark version 3.0 also directed the first 2 Porky's movies. Resume combing aside, Black Christmas is truly one of the best slasher films I have seen. It can actually be fairly nerve-racking in many parts and provides the viewer with some pretty terrifying moments.
This movie also has some effective humor. What is important about this movie is that the humor is understated, and they don't beat you ever the head with it. Particularly amusing, is the boozing housemother Mrs. MacHenry. Apparently Mrs. MacHenry has something of a talent for finding stashed booze, and then of course guzzling it down herself. Originally the role of the old boozehound was supposed to go to the legendary Bette Davis. This movie also features a rather unhappy Santa, and an over-bearing father, both of which should provide the viewer with some chuckles.
Now this movie really set the standard in a lot of ways, and seems to be very influential in the realm of slasher flicks. It makes some of the best use of the "killers-eyes" POV shot that I have ever seen. Arguments exist as to whether or not this film originated that technique (my guess would be no), but either way it makes outstanding use of that visual. Also this movie really does keep you guessing up till the end, literally. There are so many great shots in this film; one must wonder why it never got the same regard as classic horror as other movies like Texas Chainsaw Massacre or Halloween did.
Other influences this movie must have had on future films; heavy breathing psycho, female heroine having to stop the killer at the end, creepy phone calls (coming from inside the house!!), using nearby objects as improvised weaponry, among other things. Now to my knowledge, this is the first slasher movie to have a holiday theme/title. Following would be thousands, and they are still coming out now. Right now some crew, somewhere is probably filming Arbor Day massacre.
This movie has very few downsides, one involving an incredibly lame joke about felatio, and the other involving a rather unbelievable death sequence. Another thing holding this flick back is the fact that it is so ripped-off/influential that a few of the sequences seem predictable, but try to keep in mind while viewing that this movie came out in 1974, and other than Texas Chainsaw Massacre, few films pre-date it. (Even TCM only came out a few months before B.C. was released)
All in all this movie kicked rear, and should be seen by all who enjoy this genre. Though it is under appreciated, it will still go down as one of the most influential slasher flicks. My favorite parts of the movie were the outstanding direction, super-creepy atmosphere, and the bit of unresolved mystery at the end. Also the acting is, for the most part, passable, which for the genre is almost as good as it gets. Black Christmas should provide you, the viewer, with a good scare or two when watched in the right environment.
This movie has also gone by the title "Silent Night, Evil Night," and "Stranger in the House," which I felt was rather forthcoming. I think that Black Christmas is by far the best of the titles. Interestingly enough, Bob Clark III was originally supposed to team up with a certain John Carpenter to make a sequel to this movie called "Halloween," but it didn't happen, and Carpenter went off a few years later and made it by himself. I wonder how that turned out? 