As a seasoned horror enthusiast who has spent countless nights huddled under the covers, watching every chilling flick that graces the silver screen, I can wholeheartedly say that Bob Clark’s 1974 masterpiece, Black Christmas, is a must-watch for any connoisseur of the genre. While the heartwarming charm of A Christmas Story might have captured the hearts of millions, Black Christmas stands as a chilling reminder of the darker side of the holiday season.
It’s truly exciting when a film becomes a cherished “Christmas classic,” and Bob Clark’s 1983 movie, “A Christmas Story” certainly fits that bill. Notably, it sparked the tradition of airing continuously for 24 hours every December. What makes this even more remarkable is that, way back in 1974, Clark had already ventured into holiday terrors with “Black Christmas“, a chilling horror film that still holds a significant place in the genre’s history. While “A Christmas Story” may have a broader cultural impact, many horror enthusiasts consider “Black Christmas” a groundbreaking movie whose influence is still strongly felt today.
Black Christmas
John Carpenter and Debra Hill’s 1978 movie “Halloween” is frequently recognized for starting the trend of ’80s slasher films, a claim that largely holds water because of the movie’s financial success, which boosted its popularity. The killing spree of masked character Michael Myers may have established some common themes in the subgenre, but “Black Christmas” (alongside the 1960 film “Peeping Tom”) is often regarded as the quintessential slasher movie.
A significant aspect of the movie “Black Christmas” lies in its employment of scenes seen from the killer’s perspective. This technique, also employed by Steven Spielberg for the shark’s POV in “Jaws,” significantly enhances the film’s impact. By placing the viewers in the role of the killer, Clark creates a sense of unease, as we witness how a menacing presence can hide in plain sight and remain unnoticed. This immersion is so powerful that it makes us feel like we want to warn the on-screen characters to flee, as we feel so deeply involved in the scene that it feels like we’re part of their environment.
One significant aspect that sets Black Christmas apart is the enigma surrounding its murderer. Unlike in Halloween, viewers are left guessing who the killer is and what drives him, with even the moniker “Billy” being an informal reference among cast and crew rather than an official title within the movie itself. In contrast, Michael Myers’ stalking of a seemingly ordinary suburban setting in Halloween was chilling, but at least his identity was known to both characters and audience. The lack of insight into the killer in Black Christmas only heightens the terror of his killings, as director Clark purposefully used multiple actors to create the killer’s shadow, preventing audiences from fully understanding his physical appearance.
In the 2006 adaptation, the story focused on revealing more about the murderer, starting with a sequence where Billy breaks free from the mental institution he was confined in for slaughtering his family as a youth, returning to his old home that had been transformed into a sorority house. Conversely, the 2019 adaptation also involved a sorority house being under threat around the holiday season; however, the fear source wasn’t solely based on real-world perils and incorporated a fraternity engaging in mysterious activities related to the occult and supernatural.
The initial film drew inspiration from actual murder cases and the urban myth about a babysitter receiving threatening phone calls, with authorities later revealing that the calls were originating from within the house itself. This chilling premise left viewers shaken, as they struggled to distinguish between fiction and reality. Despite its haunting elements, the movie also offers lighter scenes, primarily due to Margot Kidder’s character, Barb.
Black Christmas transcends typical horror films not just by its chilling themes, but also through its deep dive into reproductive autonomy and pervasive sexism within institutions. A significant plotline revolves around sorority sister Jess (Olivia Hussey), who discloses to her boyfriend Peter (Keir Dullea) that she’s pregnant. Despite his initial excitement, Jess makes it clear she intends to terminate the pregnancy, which triggers a fury in Peter. This underscores her right to make such decisions and portrays Peter’s escalating attempts to control the situation as irrational. The movie ends with a chilling scene where Jess is cornered by an unseen killer in the sorority house’s basement, and when Peter enters the basement, authorities and Jess assume him to be the killer. Furthermore, the sorority sisters continually seek help from local police regarding disturbing phone calls they receive, but their pleas fall on deaf ears, with the police department neglecting to investigate until it’s too late.
While “A Christmas Story” is a heartwarming, family-friendly movie and “Black Christmas” is a suspenseful horror film that offers a different kind of thrill, watching both together highlights the versatility of Clark’s acting skills. This double feature would be an engaging choice for fans who appreciate the slasher subgenre.
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2024-12-07 20:10