A review based on the Blu Ray version
Added 3/16/2010
There are plenty of reviews on this movie already so I won't get into the movie itself. But I will say that it is a good slasher movie. For me Black Christmas is a creepy movie. Why? This movie came out in 74 and a lot of the spookiness comes from the fact that the movie is old. The camera techniques used give the movie an eerieness that can't be found in newer movies. But enough about that. The blu ray version vs. the dvd version. I purchased the blu ray version of black christmas because it was cheaper than the dvd version. Go figure, right? So the extras on the two versions are the same. So it comes down to picture quality. And that is where this movie falls short. Since it was shot in like 73 it was on old film. Not ever with the expectations of high definition. The problem is that the blu ray is so clear that it shows all the imperfections in the movie and you end up getting a slight grain on the screen. It really isn't a big deal, but I wasn't expecting much anyway because of how old it is. So the bottom line is which one is better. I would buy which ever one is cheaper because you are not gaining much with the blu ray version.
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Aspect ratio?
Added 3/12/2010
This is a 1.78:1 movie, or 16.9 as we now know it. But the BD is 1.66:1? Who the hell comes up with these idiot ideas?! I swear I could kill for less.
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The forerunner of Halloween, Friday the 13th, and Scream!
Added 1/10/2010
A sorority house becomes home base for a mentally disturbed murderer around the holidays, unknown to its few remaining inhabitants. Deaths naturally ensue and disrupt the girls' already troubled lives, while the local police lieutenant does his best to unravel the mystery and make Christmas safe again in the college town.
The late Bob Clark's OTHER Christmas movie, 1974's "Black Christmas", has been credited for being the inspiration for films such as Halloween, When a Stranger Calls, and the like, with its girl-stalking madman and ominous phone calls, but this one has an ending unlike those we usually see in such films. It's the kind of ending you love or you hate, but very unique to be sure. The ensemble cast is fantastic, with Romeo and Juliet's Olivia Hussey as the star sorority girl, Keir Dullea as her troubled musician boyfriend, Margot Kidder as a sorority sister with a wild streak, Andrea Martin as another sister of the row, and John Saxon as determined Lt. Fuller. I wouldn't call "Black Christmas" a gory film, but it's still got some really disturbing deaths in it. The plot is clearly not very complicated, but the details given to the events can certainly make it seem more intense. Over all, a very satisfying film if you are able to like the unexpected ending, and much better than the recent remake, which I can't even remember anymore, despite having some of my favorite girls in the cast.
This Blu-Ray release for "Black Christmas" has been panned quite a bit already. There are no commentaries and the audio for the surround sound is said to be out of synch (not sure since I watched it in mono). Plus, there are complaints about a grainy picture, but for a film like this, that's to be expected. Over all, it looks good and there are still some nice extras, despite not having a commentary. Both an English and a French trailer for the film are included, as well as a nice, short featurette and a post rerelease Q&A session. Also included are found clips with alternate audio (2 of them) and interviews with three of the film's stars, Hussey, Kidder, and Art Hindle (who played boyfriend to one of the sorority sisters). If you're a fan of this film, the Blu-Ray is still well worth getting, and if you've never seen it, be sure to check it out for a genuinely creepy killer and a very different holiday viewing experience!
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great classic movie , slightly grainy transfer, no voice
Added 1/4/2010
This is the classic 'black christmas" the new version just couldn't hold a candle to this one at all. This one had the excellent talents of director Bob Clark (rip), actresses Margot Kidder, Olivia hussy, andrea martin , excellent acting from john saxon, art hindle and the rest of the supporting cast too. It has a eerie movie that still shines all these years later and it's was highly influential to what would come later. It's not as gory as movies that in five years time would be unleashed on the world; but it's still atmospheric and creepy as hell. This isn't a superfast moving slasher flick , it has strong character buildup and is not a body county movie either. Those types of movies are fine though. The transfer needed some work but I had no synch problems at all. The vocals matched completely and are not a problem. The films natural grain is really brought forth and the print needed some color restoration work particularily on black scenes. Still there are no lines, cuts or specks. But in comparison to many horror movies from that era that look spiced and diced this print is very decent. Some grain and off coloring is nothing in comparison to the hideously destroyed prints that many dvd's have of movies released from the seventies. All in all I would recommend this blu ray version if you accept that the hd process is going to bring out the grain really highly. It does this on any movie though; even 24 season 7 in dark scenes on blu ray the grainy film effect is amplified. However I am glad I got to see this classic horror movie on blu.
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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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A review based on the Blu Ray version
Added 3/16/2010
There are plenty of reviews on this movie already so I won't get into the movie itself. But I will say that it is a good slasher movie. For me Black Christmas is a creepy movie. Why? This movie came out in 74 and a lot of the spookiness comes from the fact that the movie is old. The camera techniques used give the movie an eerieness that can't be found in newer movies. But enough about that. The blu ray version vs. the dvd version. I purchased the blu ray version of black christmas because it was cheaper than the dvd version. Go figure, right? So the extras on the two versions are the same. So it comes down to picture quality. And that is where this movie falls short. Since it was shot in like 73 it was on old film. Not ever with the expectations of high definition. The problem is that the blu ray is so clear that it shows all the imperfections in the movie and you end up getting a slight grain on the screen. It really isn't a big deal, but I wasn't expecting much anyway because of how old it is. So the bottom line is which one is better. I would buy which ever one is cheaper because you are not gaining much with the blu ray version.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Aspect ratio?
Added 3/12/2010
This is a 1.78:1 movie, or 16.9 as we now know it. But the BD is 1.66:1? Who the hell comes up with these idiot ideas?! I swear I could kill for less.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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The forerunner of Halloween, Friday the 13th, and Scream!
Added 1/10/2010
A sorority house becomes home base for a mentally disturbed murderer around the holidays, unknown to its few remaining inhabitants. Deaths naturally ensue and disrupt the girls' already troubled lives, while the local police lieutenant does his best to unravel the mystery and make Christmas safe again in the college town.
The late Bob Clark's OTHER Christmas movie, 1974's "Black Christmas", has been credited for being the inspiration for films such as Halloween, When a Stranger Calls, and the like, with its girl-stalking madman and ominous phone calls, but this one has an ending unlike those we usually see in such films. It's the kind of ending you love or you hate, but very unique to be sure. The ensemble cast is fantastic, with Romeo and Juliet's Olivia Hussey as the star sorority girl, Keir Dullea as her troubled musician boyfriend, Margot Kidder as a sorority sister with a wild streak, Andrea Martin as another sister of the row, and John Saxon as determined Lt. Fuller. I wouldn't call "Black Christmas" a gory film, but it's still got some really disturbing deaths in it. The plot is clearly not very complicated, but the details given to the events can certainly make it seem more intense. Over all, a very satisfying film if you are able to like the unexpected ending, and much better than the recent remake, which I can't even remember anymore, despite having some of my favorite girls in the cast.
This Blu-Ray release for "Black Christmas" has been panned quite a bit already. There are no commentaries and the audio for the surround sound is said to be out of synch (not sure since I watched it in mono). Plus, there are complaints about a grainy picture, but for a film like this, that's to be expected. Over all, it looks good and there are still some nice extras, despite not having a commentary. Both an English and a French trailer for the film are included, as well as a nice, short featurette and a post rerelease Q&A session. Also included are found clips with alternate audio (2 of them) and interviews with three of the film's stars, Hussey, Kidder, and Art Hindle (who played boyfriend to one of the sorority sisters). If you're a fan of this film, the Blu-Ray is still well worth getting, and if you've never seen it, be sure to check it out for a genuinely creepy killer and a very different holiday viewing experience!
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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