Black Christmas (original)
Review by Peter Syslo

BLACK CHRISTMAS (1974) is a film that I feel is right in that era which divided traditional and modern filmmaking. The days of the “John Wayne” type of film, with the clear division of good/evil and solid moral foundation, were fading fast. BLACK CHRISTMAS, like THE EXORCIST(1973), is more than just a horror film – the movie takes all traditions, all that society holds sacred, and shakes the hell out of the beliefs and turns the normal world upside down. But, isn’t that the true definition of horror? I feel that this film really gets down to that true essence; and it’s funny, coming from the same man that gave us PORKY’S and A CHRISTMAS STORY, years later.

BLACK CHRISTMAS is produced and directed by the late Bob Clark and it is written by Roy Moore. It stars Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, a pre-SUPERMAN Margot Kidder, John Saxon, and Andrea Martin (who actually stars as the house mother in the remake). The storyline is beautifully simple: a crazed killer, named “Billy” stalks a group of sorority girls, in their house, at Christmas time. Now, this film is arguably a direct influence on HALLOWEEN (1978) and you could actually see it in the camera shots from the killer’s point-of-view, in the way that Billy stalks and hides, and by the way that Billy “toys” with his victims. John Carpenter seems to be “iffy” on that influence factor, based on differing interviews, but I do see it and I think that Carpenter really took it to a new level and perfected it, with HALLOWEEN.

As I said before, this film is more than just a “run of the mill” horror movie. I didn’t quite catch all of this, the first time that I saw the film, but it is a scathing commentary on tradition and on the duality of society. What I mean by duality is that, things look fine and people are OK on the outside, but on the inside, everything is just crappy. You see it in the very essence of the film; the sorority house is beautiful in its appearance but then you have a killer creeping around in closets and the attic; you have a house mother who is like, “everything is fine and moralistic” to a missing girl’s father and then he catches her cursing up a storm; and you also have college “sweethearts” who are really arguing over an abortion and the future of their relationship. All of this ties in with the idea of turning tradition on its ea r: this all happens at Christmas – people should be happy and joyous but they aren’t; the house mother and a sorority girl are both drunks; the police force is a bunch of bumbling idiots and you can’t rely on them to save you; parents are basically clueless to who their kids really are; marriage is constricting and having a child is a choice that can be reversed; and lastly, the people who are closest to you can be the most dangerous to you. All pretty heavy stuff for 1974.

Regarding the other aspects of the film, the movie is well shot, with contrast between cold, point-of-view killer shots and the warmth of the Christmas time atmosphere; it is actually a creepy balance. The music is also a disturbing mix of caroling and minimalist ideas – it is used sparingly but really does enhance the film. The kills are not that gory but they are violent, especially considering the time period – a girl is suffocated by a plastic bag, a girl is stabbed while she is sleeping, etc. The stalking/hiding is pretty effective, the obscene phone calls are classic and quotable, and the kills are surprising the first time that you see it; you never really see the killer in full view – he is kind of like “the shape” in HALLOWEEN. Overall, the acting is really good and believable, with interesting dialogue (not the idiotic ado lescent dialogue we hear in films, today).

Cutting to the chase: I really like BLACK CHRISTMAS. It is a classic and it does deserve some greater recognition. While I do feel that HALLOWEEN is an even better film, is scarier, and is more enjoyable, BLACK CHRISTMAS holds its own as one of the first modern, influential slasher films. Also, BLACK CHRISTMAS is pretty much the Christmas horror film – it is sort of a pre-cursor to the holiday-themed horror craze of the 1980s. So, Bob Clark was really an innovative filmmaker, mixing classic themes with modern irreverence and it is sad to say goodbye to a legend. I think that any slasher fan would enjoy this film, even though it is slower moving/more dramatic than what you may be used to. But, if you enjoy classics, especially from the 1970s, you should give this film a try – it helped usher in a new age in horror.