Starring: Syd Brown, Leslie Carlson, Marcia Diamond, Keir Dullea, James Edmond Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Binding: DVD Format: Color, DVD-Video, Full Screen, NTSC Label: Eclectic DVD Dist. Number of Items: 1 Release Date: November 06, 2001 Running Time: 98 minutes Theatrical Release Date: December 20, 1974
Description: Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, a creature was stirring...In Bedford, several unsuspecting people are about to receive Season’s Greetings - of terror!
Amazon.com: You may never have heard of this neglected 1974 gem, but you've probably seen one of its many imitators. Olivia Hussey and Margot Kidder (also look for Andrea Martin of SCTV fame) star as two residents of a sorority house that is emptying out as Christmas approaches. The atmosphere is jolly and carefree, except for an ongoing series of menacing telephone calls, and, oh yes, we've just seen someone climb into the attic with apparent ill intent. Kidder does some scene-stealing as the bad girl, Hussey illustrates one of the downsides to having beautiful long '70s hair, and Keir Dullea does a nice turn as the creepy boyfriend. Director Robert Clark knows that the unseen is far scarier than what can be seen and he ratchets up the tension beautifully, making good use of ominous shadows, and putting in nice touches like replacing the sound of a distraught woman's scream with the piercing ring of yet another ominous phone call. This is a terrific, well-made little movie that is genuinely sleep-with-the-lights-on scary. Don't miss it. --Ali Davis
Not The Best Slasher I've Seen... Don't get me wrong, if you've read my reviews before, you'd know I love horror films, but this one is sorta boring at some parts. I actually saw the remake of Black Christmas before I saw this, maybe that's why I don't like it as much. In other words, I'm saying I like the remake better than the original. Usually, it's the other way around. It does have some good parts; like the killing scenes, and it has the classic look of the 70's. People are always saying this is the original slasher and HALLOWEEN isn't, but that doesn't matter to me. It doesn't matter which is the original slasher, because I love HALLOWEEN better. Maybe one day, I'll give this movie a 2nd chance. If you love classic slashers, maybe you'll like BLACK CHRISTMAS!!!
Film making at it's best! This 74'er jem - along with a few other movies - has influenced a whole generation of slasher flicks. Way ahead of it's time, one can clearly point out that the makers of films like When a stranger calls (78'), Halloween (78'), Friday the 13th (80') and all the Sleepaway Camp trash that followed with another few thousand mediocre to bad productions.
Director Bob Clarke has co-started a genre, however did so marvellously without much violence or any gore. Instead he relied on a solid script, some witty film edits, obscene phone calls that will make your skin crawl, a somber, abstract soundtrack and a few pretty watchable actor performances. With Margot Kidder as a delightful chronically drunk foulmouth, 2001 Space Odissey veteran Keir Dullea as a modern classical musician and John Saxon in his usual detective role...minus his usual cheesy factor, I'm sure fans of the genre will be enjoying this treat. Needless to say that some of the imagery I shall not forget all that quickly.
I say: Two thumbs and the hair on the back of my neck UP!
Saw Black Christmas Back In The Day... ...in a theater and it scarred me tremendously. As an adult, nothing special. Some good creepy moments, but over all very typical 70's horror movie. There is noticable camera work (subjective angle shots by the psycho killer) that was adopted by John Carpenter four years later in Halloween. Halloween is two stars superior to this movie. Can I recommend it? Only if you are a huge fan of horror from all time periods and do not expect too much from this film. Don't get me wrong. Its not a bad movie, just not as great as many of the reviews I see glorifying it. You will have to decide on your own about whether its worth a purchase or not. It does not have the re-watchability factor like Halloween does. Its not the ending on either film, but the journey along the way that brings you back again and again or not. I just didn't think this journey was worth much of a second time around.
Work Of Art ! 5 Stars This movie is pre Halloween by Four years and is really the standard by which all films of it's kind should be judged. Very Very Scary ! This little film has everything going for it... The 2007 Black Xmas Sucks and should never be watched.
TERRIFYING terrifying slasher film. the scariest and most intelligent of the genre. the voice of that maniac over the phone crawls under your skin. careful about reading too much info from reviews and other sources about this movie. the plot can easily be ruined. now available in a new special edition release! time to upgrade.
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