| I'm Dreaming of a Black Christmas by Nancy Jackson |
| This 1974 cult classic still stands the test of time for being THE innovative slasher movie. Canadian director Bob Clark – director of zombie movies Deathdream and Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things, along with Porky’s, and the famed A Christmas Story (you’ll shoot your eye out kid) – started a trend that many horror films have borrowed from. Shot in Toronto, Ontario, this low budget horror flick of a killer stalking a girl’s sorority house can still deliver the scares. The classic poster and cover depicting a girl suffocating with a plastic bag wrapped around her head, sets the right mood for the rest of the movie. Not needing to rely on gore or blood, it’s the ambience and eerie musical score that keeps your heart rate up. Let’s face it; a horror movie gets your blood pumping extra hard when given a memorable score – can we say Halloween? I don’t care where I am or what I’m doing; if I hear that theme I have goose bumps crawling up my arm. Speaking of Halloween, the idea behind it had been considered as a possible collaboration between John Carpenter and Bob Clark, but the deal fell through and Carpenter went solo. The movie did however retain some key elements from Black Christmas such as the camera being seen through the eyes of the killer and that he appears luminous yet can be so hidden you don’t realize he’s in the same house – let alone the same room with you. Believe it or not, the acting was well done by such actors as Olivia Hussey(Romeo & Juliet), Margot Kidder(Superman), John Saxon(Nightmare on Elm Street), Andrea Martin(SCTV), and Keir Dullea(2001 Space Odyssey). Marion Waldman played a somewhat fun and charismatic character, though Bob Clark had originally wanted the role to go to Bette Davis. A few other interesting tidbits about this movie: there was another ending but Clark pulled it at the last minute, Malcolm McDowell turned down the role as the disturbed boyfriend played by Dullea, and Dullea spent only three days filming while his character made up a rather large part in the movie. Olivia Hussey was by far my favorite character because she played the part in a convincing manner. Kidder showed off a very saucy side, which made her entertaining, and Saxon was as realistic as ever in the role of a police chief. If you haven’t seen Black Christmas, you should really give it a try. It was ahead of its time with the edgy atmosphere and the sensational camera angles. Sometimes the sorority house loomed large and never ending, while other times it seemed cramped and claustrophobic. The basic premise of the movie is a psychotic killer stalks a sorority house, hides out in the attic, and makes some chilling telephone calls. He becomes known as the “moaner” and produces some terrifying vocals, maniacal shrieks, and other strange sounds that truly are disturbing. You have to remember this was back in the seventies where the ability to track a call wasn’t available to the extent we have today. There were many controversies that surrounded this film in the eyes of the public after it first debuted. One was the use of vulgar language. In some of the obscene phone calls, the words used were quite perverse and offensive, especially to women. Another controversy came about because Hussey’s character is pregnant and plans to have an abortion. Her upset boyfriend claims she is discarding the baby as if “removing a wart” which of course set off a score of mixed views and complaints. Yet another controversy stemmed from piecing together what the killer said in his many voices and warbled cries. If you pay careful attention, there is a hint at an incestuous relationship with the killer’s sister and what unethical event may have transpired from there. And finally, the ending itself was somewhat controversial in how it was left. This is where you decide for yourself whether you are looking for solid resolution in a movie or enjoy solid suspense. What is bothersome about this movie is that it’s not some monster that just never seems to go away; it’s a person, a mentally deranged psycho, with some unknown or perhaps known reason for going around killing these women. This could be a neighbor, a friend, it could very well be someone you know who just goes off their rocker. The phone calls gave me the shivers as did the now infamous line “Ma’am, we’ve traced the call and it’s coming from inside the house.” Sorry but how scary would that be if it happened to you? It’s not about the blood and special effects side of horror; it’s the mood that is conjured up and the shadows in the distance. It’s the moments that lead up to something, or sometimes nothing, but you still jump nonetheless. What good is it if the police are outside with the place surrounded and you are locked up nice and tight in your home when the killer is inside – with you? And the eyeball in the doorway…yeah…that’s just creepy. After seeing countless slasher flicks…I must say Black Christmas still holds up…though many may find it somewhat campy and comedic now. There is humor, but it comes at a time where you should also prepare yourself for the disturbing scenes. Yes there are some far-fetched elements, but that isn’t rare in movies today. You can just sit back and hold your breath, or grip the arm of your companion. The best way to enjoy this (besides late at night in the dark) is to strip away all you’ve seen recently and remember this was filmed back in 1974, when it was a fresh new idea, and paved the way for much of what you’ve seen since. This film and its ideals deserve a lot of respect. So go have yourself a very merry Black Christmas, it’s my gift to you. |
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