Black Christmas - A Movie Review

It’s Christmas, but I have the Halloween vibe.

Black Christmas is a 1974 film. A group of sorority girls is stalked by a stranger sending cryptic calls. In the midst of enjoying their holiday break, people disappear left and right. Jess must get to the bottom of the situation.

Nobody knew at the time of its release that Black Christmas would be a horror movie legend of its time. I watched Black Christmas for the first time. Horror movies are a very different experience when you watch them alone. The film was different from what I was expecting. Black Christmas is one of the first films to enforce a dark trope.

Olivia Hussey made an excellent and strong leading character. I’m surprised that Jess is not talked about more in the category of final girls in horror films. Not letting anyone talk down to her, Jess is an example to many of how you should always keep fighting. She was a hero ahead of her time, willing to do things on her own.

Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder, John Saxon, Marion Waldman, and Andrea Martin appear in Black Christmas as various characters. The film includes strong acting performances. Based on everyone’s qualities, I was suspicious of everyone.

Mrs. MacHenry was one of my favorites. Surprisingly, Black Christmas had more comical moments than I had anticipated. That’s what all horror films need. We need a break from the horror to have a laugh.

Bob Clark’s direction on Black Christmas doesn’t get enough recognition. Production and the story for Black Christmas were kept simple, relying on camera angles and the unnerving atmosphere. Clark built up the characters so that we knew them. The story is vaguer instead of over-explaining things in detail. It would have ruined the ambiguity.

Based on the script, the original intent was to make the murders more graphic. Clark paid attention to how he detailed the horror in Black Christmas. Most of the murders occurred offscreen. That’s what I liked most about it. In contrast to horror films today, nothing about this film is over to the top in its presentation of horror.

Similar to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), its horror is subtle. More horror films need to do this. We don’t have to be aware of every activity going on.

Camera angles were inventive. When POV shots are used extensively, that makes you uneasy. Who are we following? Viewers are not just the audience in Black Christmas. We are also characters afraid for our lives.

I would never have realized that Black Christmas had a small budget. To make scenes involving phone calls more authentic, dialogue on the other end of the phone was added in post-production. However, the actresses were still talking to Clark on the other end.

Black Christmas is a genuinely creepy film. I was on edge during the climax. The gripping soundtrack plays an effective role in that. I watched this movie alone. One scene that I was startled by was an eye peaking through a cracked door. I kept my bedroom door closed that night.

When it was first released, Black Christmas was not a success. Over time, the film has gained a large cult classic. Black Christmas is an example of horror. I recommend this film to anyone who is studying filmmaking. It incorporates clever tactics.

I have heard about the remakes of Black Christmas. As I have read, they have failed to copy the nature of the original. If you’re looking for horror films for your Christmas season, give Black Christmas a watch.