EFFECTIVE, BUT FLAWED SHOCKER!
Added 11/3/2009
I know I will probably get blasted for giving this film only 4 stars,but it is not perfect as so many have claimed. The story starts out very promising and gives us a very eerie setting. The acting is above average, but there are numerous scenes of silly chatter that slow the film down. The film really gets going towards the end, but some plot holes kept me from being totally immersed in the horror. One in particular How did Peter know Jess was in the basement?...and why did he break the window for that matter. I know why the director had this happen, but it makes no sense at all. That aside, the film does have a creepy quality and the ending is particularly chilling. I recorded this off of an HD channel, so I'm not sure how the DVD transfer is or anything about the new release. It is a well made chiller, but hardly the best horror film ever made in my eyes. I give it props for being an early film of this nature, but the script could have used a little tweaking.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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The first slasher movie
Added 3/21/2009
Many people think that Halloween was the first slasher movie, but Black Christmas was made four years earlier and is the first proper slasher movie that was made. There were a few gore movies in the sixties which featured death scenes throughout and of course "Psycho" and "Twitch of the Death Nerve" was made in 1972, but none of these movies properly followed the slasher movie forumla untill Black Christmas. So I think that this movie deserves credit for being (arguably) the first one of its kind out there.
A bunch of girls (aged somewhere between 18 and 22) in a college sorority house receive series of prank phone calls, which arent so much threatening as disturbing and then start getting killed off. These phone calls are the scariest part of the movie, in my opinion, the are REALLY creepy and disturbing. The movie relies on suspence and its creepiness rather than violence and the deaths (of which there are only a few) have almost no gore. Another element which adds to the suspence of the movie is that we know from very early on in the movie that the killer was in the house with the girls so one of them could be killed at any time.
The Good things about the movie are that the phone calls are genuinely creepy and there is quite a lot of suspence throughout, and it was the first movie of its kind.
The Bad things are that therent arent many death scenes or much gore in the movie and also, even before the girls start to dissappear, all of the charactors seem to be clinically depressed, in a few scenes the main protagonist, Jess, looks as though she may burst into tears (although to be fair we later find out that she is planning on having an abortion) which made me feel sorry for them. The end is rather confusing too - it might just be me thing thick but after finishing the movie Im still not really sure who the killer was.
Overall quite a good slasher which I would reccomend viewing because of its at-the-time origionality and because its very creepy and suspenceful. Deffinately worth a watch.
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How "Simple yet Effective" Was Done
Added 3/2/2009
Black Christmas has always sat on my list of must-see movies. Granted, I saw the remake when it originally came out, and that peaked my interest just a bit, yet I still never got around to it. It wasn't until a friend of mine whose critical mind I respect told me to finally sit and watch it that I did just that.
I was pleasantly surprised. It is the total and complete opposite of it's remake. There is no outlandish gore, no silly incoherent back story, no ... well, the only thing to two have in common are the title, the setting, and some character names.
Most know the story; a sorority house is constantly plagued with sexually crazed & threatening phone calls from "Billy." Not thinking much about them, they go on about their daily routines. It's not until a few sisters begin disappearing that they take note of what's going on.
It was stated in the films extras and in many reviews of the film that classic slashes such as Halloween & When A Stranger Calls took many vices from this film. Black Christmas is the start-all of the slasher genre. I'd say that it a respectful title for the film.
I was actually surprised that there were a few moments when I jumped at a scare or two (possibly three), and that some of Billy's phone antics actually gave me chills. It's been a while that movie has been able to do that. It's silly to think that Bob Clark, director, went on to be the one to direct Baby Geniuses 2. He handled all aspects of his film with grace, and showed what a true horror film should be right up until the ominous ending. And thankfully, writer Roy Moore didn't give us a motive as to Billy's doings. Billy was just a figure whose identity is never given nor shown (making him an even creepier substance) and whose motives are never thrown into our face. He's just there, and one had hope he isn't.
The performances here aren't Grade A performances, but they worked. Olivia Hussey is a beauty. She's about as real as one can get (Laurie Strode competitor? Possibly). Her "Hello"s did nerve me a bit. She got so demanding when she answers the phone, even if she doesn't know if it's Billy. Margot Kidder is amazing, and the lines she had are classic. Marian Waldman (rest in peace) - Mrs. Mac - is just as classic. The alone moments with Ms. Mac had me loving the lady each time. And seeing John Saxon in a police jackets gets me every time. The rest of the cast (oh, Andrea Martin, I love you and your slight fro') deliver exactly what needed to be delivered.
It sort of saddens me that I'm having to compare the original to the remake as opposed to having to compare the remake to the original, but I believe it has made me appreciate the original so much more.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Still Gives Me Chills
Added 1/26/2009
For me this is the scariest movie of all time! I remember how bad it freaked me out when I first saw it back in the 80's. This one still gives me the chills and even though I own it and have seen it a buch of times it's still the only movie I will not watch alone.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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And all through the house, not a creature was stirring... except maybe Billy
Added 12/29/2008
Black Christmas is a fun, old slasher pic. One that eschews most of the slasher film formulas for the better (not surprising since this was done before there was a 'slasher film' genre). The characters behave realisticly and they respond to threats in ways that won't make you angry.
The movie has a nicely creepy opening and a terrific half hour of an ending. The problem is that there's forty minutes or so in the middle that is sorta draggy. It isn't wasted time or anything, but maybe shoul have been paced better.
Still, 'Billy' is genuinely scary. The obscene calls will make your flesh crawl and that 'eye behind the door' shot really haunts me. Easily worth watching (and the remake isn't as bad as you've heard either).
3 out of 3 people found this helpful.
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EFFECTIVE, BUT FLAWED SHOCKER!
Added 11/3/2009
I know I will probably get blasted for giving this film only 4 stars,but it is not perfect as so many have claimed. The story starts out very promising and gives us a very eerie setting. The acting is above average, but there are numerous scenes of silly chatter that slow the film down. The film really gets going towards the end, but some plot holes kept me from being totally immersed in the horror. One in particular How did Peter know Jess was in the basement?...and why did he break the window for that matter. I know why the director had this happen, but it makes no sense at all. That aside, the film does have a creepy quality and the ending is particularly chilling. I recorded this off of an HD channel, so I'm not sure how the DVD transfer is or anything about the new release. It is a well made chiller, but hardly the best horror film ever made in my eyes. I give it props for being an early film of this nature, but the script could have used a little tweaking.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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The first slasher movie
Added 3/21/2009
Many people think that Halloween was the first slasher movie, but Black Christmas was made four years earlier and is the first proper slasher movie that was made. There were a few gore movies in the sixties which featured death scenes throughout and of course "Psycho" and "Twitch of the Death Nerve" was made in 1972, but none of these movies properly followed the slasher movie forumla untill Black Christmas. So I think that this movie deserves credit for being (arguably) the first one of its kind out there.
A bunch of girls (aged somewhere between 18 and 22) in a college sorority house receive series of prank phone calls, which arent so much threatening as disturbing and then start getting killed off. These phone calls are the scariest part of the movie, in my opinion, the are REALLY creepy and disturbing. The movie relies on suspence and its creepiness rather than violence and the deaths (of which there are only a few) have almost no gore. Another element which adds to the suspence of the movie is that we know from very early on in the movie that the killer was in the house with the girls so one of them could be killed at any time.
The Good things about the movie are that the phone calls are genuinely creepy and there is quite a lot of suspence throughout, and it was the first movie of its kind.
The Bad things are that therent arent many death scenes or much gore in the movie and also, even before the girls start to dissappear, all of the charactors seem to be clinically depressed, in a few scenes the main protagonist, Jess, looks as though she may burst into tears (although to be fair we later find out that she is planning on having an abortion) which made me feel sorry for them. The end is rather confusing too - it might just be me thing thick but after finishing the movie Im still not really sure who the killer was.
Overall quite a good slasher which I would reccomend viewing because of its at-the-time origionality and because its very creepy and suspenceful. Deffinately worth a watch.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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How "Simple yet Effective" Was Done
Added 3/2/2009
Black Christmas has always sat on my list of must-see movies. Granted, I saw the remake when it originally came out, and that peaked my interest just a bit, yet I still never got around to it. It wasn't until a friend of mine whose critical mind I respect told me to finally sit and watch it that I did just that.
I was pleasantly surprised. It is the total and complete opposite of it's remake. There is no outlandish gore, no silly incoherent back story, no ... well, the only thing to two have in common are the title, the setting, and some character names.
Most know the story; a sorority house is constantly plagued with sexually crazed & threatening phone calls from "Billy." Not thinking much about them, they go on about their daily routines. It's not until a few sisters begin disappearing that they take note of what's going on.
It was stated in the films extras and in many reviews of the film that classic slashes such as Halloween & When A Stranger Calls took many vices from this film. Black Christmas is the start-all of the slasher genre. I'd say that it a respectful title for the film.
I was actually surprised that there were a few moments when I jumped at a scare or two (possibly three), and that some of Billy's phone antics actually gave me chills. It's been a while that movie has been able to do that. It's silly to think that Bob Clark, director, went on to be the one to direct Baby Geniuses 2. He handled all aspects of his film with grace, and showed what a true horror film should be right up until the ominous ending. And thankfully, writer Roy Moore didn't give us a motive as to Billy's doings. Billy was just a figure whose identity is never given nor shown (making him an even creepier substance) and whose motives are never thrown into our face. He's just there, and one had hope he isn't.
The performances here aren't Grade A performances, but they worked. Olivia Hussey is a beauty. She's about as real as one can get (Laurie Strode competitor? Possibly). Her "Hello"s did nerve me a bit. She got so demanding when she answers the phone, even if she doesn't know if it's Billy. Margot Kidder is amazing, and the lines she had are classic. Marian Waldman (rest in peace) - Mrs. Mac - is just as classic. The alone moments with Ms. Mac had me loving the lady each time. And seeing John Saxon in a police jackets gets me every time. The rest of the cast (oh, Andrea Martin, I love you and your slight fro') deliver exactly what needed to be delivered.
It sort of saddens me that I'm having to compare the original to the remake as opposed to having to compare the remake to the original, but I believe it has made me appreciate the original so much more.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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