Slasher movies typically feature a mentally disturbed killer who systematically hunts and kills a group of people, often leaving one woman standing – known as the ‘final girl.’ This trope, seen in films from Scream’s Sidney Prescott to Terrifier‘s Sienna Shaw, has been a hallmark of the genre for decades. While Halloween with Jamie Lee Curtis’ Laurie Strode popularized the idea, a different horror movie actually originated the ‘final girl’ concept, and it’s now available to watch for free.
Fans of Tubi can now watch Black Christmas, a groundbreaking 1974 horror film directed by Bob Clark. This movie is notable for introducing Jess Bradford, often considered the first “final girl” in horror. Set at a university sorority house during the days leading up to Christmas, the story follows a group of sisters who are terrorized by threatening phone calls and a relentless killer.
Black Christmas Built the Foundation for the Slasher Genre
Before films like Halloween, Friday the 13th, and Scream, there was Black Christmas. Released in 1974, this movie was a major influence on the slasher genre, establishing many of the elements fans recognize today. It featured a masked killer terrorizing people in a specific location and is credited with popularizing the ‘final girl’ trope – with Jess Bradford from Black Christmas and Sally Hardesty from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre both debuting in this role on the same day.
The “final girl” – the last woman standing in a slasher film – has become a defining feature of the genre and has changed over time. The character of Jess, in particular, feels surprisingly modern. While Halloween established the typical final girl as shy and innocent, Jess was a strong, complicated woman who was pregnant and considering an abortion. This defied the common slasher trope where characters are punished for sexual activity, and it was a bold choice for the era.
Beyond its impact on the horror genre, Black Christmas is simply a well-made film. It remains genuinely scary even today, skillfully building tension through a creepy atmosphere and unsettling camera angles. Critics and audiences alike generally agree it’s a strong film—it currently has a 71% rating from critics and a 76% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. This is a significant contrast to the 2006 remake, which received much lower scores of 14% from critics and 38% from audiences.
Other Horror Movies Now on Tubi
Tubi continues to deliver the scares with several new horror movies added to its free streaming library in November. Viewers can now enjoy titles like Child’s Play (1988), Ghost Ship, House of Wax (2005), Jason X, Terrifier 3, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003), and Trick ‘R Treat, all without a subscription.
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2025-11-30 21:14