Cool, that´s a good example. I find it very important that even though, I´m such a small channel, one of my rules is: When I recommend anything or anyone and I put a link, it´s important for me to check every now and then, if the information is still accurate. I did that when "Barbarian" changed his name into "Barbarous King" and I think there was at leasr one more example, where I linked some trailer or music video or so and it had been taken down from the original source. So I quickly searched it again and changed the link. And it´s still up there. I just can´t imagine, hating anything more than getting something recommended and then you just find out, that there is nothing and that nobody cared...
The fact that the phone calls arent just ramblings, but Billy reenacting the murder of his infant sister is both terrifying and a brilliant way of establishing his back story.
That shot of Billy's wide eyeball in the crack of the doorway will forever CREEP ME OUT 😭😭😭 I truly could'nt sleep for a solid 2 days after I first saw it 😂
He gives his back story in the phone calls. He keeps saying Agnes don't tell mommy what we did and then he's the mother telling him Billy where is Agnes? What have you done with the baby? later you see him put a doll into the dead girl's hand while she's on the rocking chair like it's the baby his mother was looking for. He did something terrible to his sister as a child and was probably sent off to an asylum by his parents and kept reliving that. This was John Carpenter's favorite movie and in Halloween Michael Myers kills his sister and later escapes from a mental asylum to come back on Halloween. When Carpenter asked the maker of Black Christmas about a sequel he said if I were to make a sequel I would make Billy escape from a mental asylum on Halloween.
Great Canadian horror film! Makes me proud to be Canadian. John Saxon (who passed away this past July) is one of my favorite actors. The movie was inspired by the crimes of serial killer Wayne Boden, who killed three women in Montreal over the holiday season of 1969 and early 1970. He then moved to Calgary where he claimed one more victim before being apprehended. He died in prison.
Near the end, the reveal, the eyeball scene.. Him running down the stairs, grabbing her by the hair.. Her getting away and him banging on that door while yelling maniacally.. One of the greatest sequences in horror history. Awesome movie.
This is the greatest slasher film ever. I love Freddy, Halloween, and Friday the 13th but this movie genuinely felt creepy. The acting is so organic from the conversations to small details that make it feel like real people. It's amazing, and heavily underrated still.
I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed this movie. The ending left such a pit in my stomach and really freaked me out that the killer is still out there.
To big horror fans, this movie is well known. It's a cult classic. But y'all are right: it's not brought up as much as Halloween and Friday the 13th are. In other words, Black Christmas isn't mainstream. Fun fact: the director of this movie is the same director of the Christmas comedy A Christmas Story.
In 1974 Black Christmas was a pioneering genre film. If you've seen a slasher film, almost any slasher film, you've likely seen the tropes that Black Christmas created.
it was no more pioneering than the brady bunch - it all starts at the very least in 1960 starting with "psycho" , "peeping tom" "the sinister urge" and Frances "eyes without a face" aka "the horror chamber of dr faustus",, 1963's "blood feast" and 1966's "the undertaker and his pals", 1970's "carnival of blood", 1971's "bay of blood" and 1973's "torso" are all classic slasher films
Bob Clark (the director) told John Carpenter that he had considered a sequel where "Billy" escapes from a mental asylum, gets a mask, and the goes on a slasher spree at Halloween, titled Black Halloween. Clark told this to Carpenter a year before Carpenter made Halloween (when they were working together on The Hills Have Eyes). So, there's that.
This film disturbed me when I first saw it. Something about not knowing who the killer was and why he was so disturbed made it more unsettling. The way he switches voices and sometimes seems to speak in two voices at once is just fucking freaky.
The film that officially launched the slasher genre and directly inspired John Carpenter to make Halloween! And the first film in history to use the line "the call is coming from inside the house!" So glad you guys finally reacted to this one
SO MUCH RESPECT for you guys! This movie scared the crap out of me when I watched it on cable late at night as a kid!!! This to me is one of the most dread-filled and well-acted slashers in history! The remakes completely lost sight of the original vision! I love this channel!
This is one of my greatest fears: waking up to find a stranger just standing over my bed. The shots of Billy are so unsettling, this one really got under my skin when I first watched it
For me, Black Christmas does what The Shining, and TCM, do like very few other horror films, it really unsettles a viewer while being a technical masterwork. If you watch this again pay attention to the choices made of camera placement, angles, editing, sound design and lighting. It’s hard to pick up on without repeated viewings because the story is so creepy and intense. Black Christmas is in my top 10 favourite horrors of all time AND my top 10 best horrors ever made of all time. It’s a Canadian film and I first saw it when I was in 1977 when I was 12. Other excellent Canadian horrors include The Changeling (with George C. Scott) and the original My Bloody Valentine. Black Christmas is probably the movie I’ve watched more than anything else in my life because I watch it almost every Christmas. I’m 58 years old and have yet to see turtles doing it for three days straight and believe you me, I’ve been keeping an eye out for it. Thanks for making videos eh.
Black Christmas is excellent. After it came out, Bob Clark (dir.) was at a party and John Carpenter was there. JC was a big fan of the movie and was trying to talk Clark into a sequel but he wasn’t interested. Carpenter asked him what he would do if he was going to make a sequel and he said that he would probably have the same killer escape from an institution on a different holiday like Halloween and kill babysitters but he wasn’t going to do it because it would be essentially the same movie. That is in a Bob Clark interview somewhere on TH-cam if you look.
This is a really well done movie. Me and a friend saw it saw this at the drive-in theater when we were 12 (we hopped the fence ) I think it's still invokes fear and dread and horror. Are those phone calls not some of the most disturbing and creepy things ever ? It also does not rely on music so much like most of the genre that followed. I think the ambient sound in some scenes make it feel more real, and the camera work was stellar. Great movie, great reactions guys!
Legend has it that this was Elvis Presley's favorite horror movie and his tradition was to watch it every Christmas. Further rumors say that his family kept the tradition alive and watched it in his memory.
Black Christmas was directed by Canadian filmmaker Bob Clark, who also directed Porkys and the seasonal classic, A Christmas Story. That's hard to believe for some since they're such different genres of film. Clark contributed a seminal horror movie, comedy and Christmas movie. All three movies are favorites of mine. John Saxon played the policeman who also appeared in Nightmare on Elm St. and Margot Kidder, who was Lois Lane in the 1980s Superman films, was also one of the sorority girls in Black Christmas. [edited for spelling]
Don't forget Olivia Hussey who was Juliet in Franco Zefferelli's Romeo and Juliet from 1968 AND the TV movie version of IT! AND Keir Dullea from 2001: A Space Odyssey.
This is one of my all-time favorite horrors - scary, intelligent, unpredictable. Many people say that Scream (1996) copied the whole "phone call" scene. I think they are partially right but the phone call moment was introduced in Black Sabbath (1963) & Silent Night, Bloody Night (1972) though
I actually like how y'all rate the movies and have different lists for the difference genres. And I know I say it all the time but the ending when y'all are just discussing the movie is my favorite part! Merry Christmas!!
Black Christmas (1974) is a beautifully crafted film. The character development, the humor, the suspense, and the believability in the scenario make for a creepy film. It's very powerful with the fact that they tackled women's rights with Jess' abortion and how women report things to the police only for them to be ignored and not taken seriously. Jess' boyfriend accuses her of being selfish when in fact she is the most unselfish person. She cares about her friends and the little girl who went missing and never complains about her own issues. You actually care about these characters and I love the slow burn of it all. The film is definitely one of the firsts of its kind. A solid 9/10 from me.
I would argue this movie doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. This movie came before Halloween and Friday the 13th and started the whole “killer POV” shot. Still incredibly scary.
Love this movie. Fun facts: Bob Clark, the director, also directed another (very different) Christmas classic, A Christmas Story. Andrea Martin, who played Phyllis, also played the house mother in the 2006 remake. Olivia Hussey (Jess) has said in interviews that comedy legend Steve Martin told her this was one of his favorite movies.
The British girl is Olivia Hussey who’s known for her performance as Juliet in the 60s adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. Probably the best version put to film.
I quite literally screamed when I saw that y’all reacted to this movie. This isn’t just my favorite horror movie of all time, but is also one of my favorite films of all time period. Thank you, guys, for finally seeing this amazing film!
So this movie actually influenced John carpenter to make Halloween. The reason the beginning of Halloween starts with first person view is directly because he was in love with how black Christmas did first person filming
I agree with you guys that ending the film with the killer’s identity still a mystery increases the creep factor. Some people would probably call it a cheat, but I liked the ambiguous ending with the mystery killer calling before he visits his next victim (Jess).
Because this is the first slasher movie it took place before the Slasher boom of the 80s. Where killers like Michael Myers, Jason, and Freddy all are more famous because you see them and then they had tons of sequels. Black Christmas, you never find out the killer and there weren’t sequels. So that’s why it’s not as known. And like you noted, it’s not fast paced, there aren’t many jump scares, and it’s not gory. It’s meant to be creepy and unsettling. Very different to what modern audiences are used to now and before things in slasher movies became tropes. It’s very good though. Just different than what you’re used to now.
actually its not the first slasher film --1960 pyscho is arguably the first with 1963 "blood feast" and 1966 undertaker and his pals in the debate and- 1971 "bay of blood" and 1973 "torso" are in the conversation too
@@Shoofyou10 theres probably 12 to 20 films before it so no - your point doesnt stand - its just another slasher film - almost a complete copy of carnival of blood
@@youdontknowme9279 they were asking why this didn’t seem as iconic or well known as movies like Friday the 13th or Halloween or nightmare on elm street. And my point was that because this movie was before the big mainstream 80s slasher boom, didn’t have a recognizable villain like a Jason, Michael, or Freddy and didn’t spawn a bunch of sequels and that’s why it doesn’t seem as popular amongst the mainstream. That was my point. And yes, those things are all true and my point does stand regardless of the exact number of slashers that happened before it. I’m not really sure what you’re arguing. My point was not to that it was the first slasher movie. Only that it was before the mainstream crazy and the tropes really started to kick in
The only flaw with the story is that the police don't search the attic at the end. Considering Clare and the house mother are still missing, the first thing they would have done is cleared the entire house instead of leaving it to the state police, regardless of how busy they are with all the bodies.
A Canadian classic that started the slasher genre and does it right. Doesn't show you too much. Nothing is scarier than what you can create in your own mind. And the director also did the Christmas classic about a kid who wants a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas.
This is in my top 10 list of all time movies.. I know just about every word.. Thanks for the review.. I hope it starts getting the recognition it deserves..
Love your reaction to the stairs scene, as someone who watched a lot of horror movies growing up and came to Black Christmas late, the way they shot that really jolted me first time I seen it.
This movie is like a mix between Psycho and a very cruel Agatha Christie story. It is for a very good reason that is often claimed to be the father of the slasher ftnre with Halloween, albeit it does not feature the usual tropes associated with the grnre except for a final girl who is the most clever, kind and resourseful of the girl group (but she aint a virgin).
When you really take notice of this film, it's actually really terrifying, I love this film Seeing Louis Lane drunk in this is really sad actually. I like the number rating system.
I think what sets you guys apart from some other channels I've seen, is your analytical deconstruction of the film mixed with the genuine joy and satisfaction during viewing. Happy Holidays!
The piano guys eyes are blue! The killer’s eyes at the door was brown! That’s why the close up was to the piano guy, to show people that his eye color wasn’t the same as the one behind the door 🕵🏻
Fun fact - Elvis Presley watched this movie every Christmas! Definitely one of my favorite horror films. I watched it for the first time this year & it creeped me out! Couldn’t get his bizarre voice out of my head & even had nightmares as a result. I relish the invasive narrative & clever cinematography too. A must watch!
FYI: in addition to John Saxon, this film also featured other actors who starred in famous films: Olivia Hussey "Romeo and Juliet", Keir Dullea "2001: A Space Odyssey", Margot Kidder "Superman" and Andrea Martin, SCTV Second City TV and "Hedwig and the Angry Inch"
I’ve been so desensitized by movies and games and true crime over the years that very few things scare me or creep me out but that girl rocking the chair with the doll and plastic wrap around her face creeped me out
It's easy to be cynical about the situation of the movie... But Olivia Hussey's talent shines through when she is in the dilemma of leaving or trying to save Phill and Barb. I can't wait till you guys re-watch it.
The inspiration this movie had on Halloween is so blatant; though I think Halloween refined what this movie did. I agree that the middle did drag and was starting to lose me, but the final thirty-forty minutes made it so worth it. Plus, it was very chilling throughout. A really good film, overall.
11:39 I couldn´t agree more, even if I tried. Love you SO much for saying that, because because of that, Black Christmas 1974 turned out to be my favorite horror film OF ALL TIME !!!!
@@ezelldaniels6064 Yeah, I still gotta watch the 2006 version. I think it has one of my favorite actresses in it, Michelle Trachtenberg, who I love from Buffy and especially Eurotrip, which most people haven´t seen.
@@ezelldaniels6064 But speaking of the 2019 version, have you seen this?: th-cam.com/video/xlyirA8SdQU/w-d-xo.html SO god damn funny.... lol (hope the guys allow me to post a link here, it is safe!)
@@ezelldaniels60642006 is not good at all what do u meannn. Im trying to reconcile appreciating the original and appreciating either of the remakes. To me, that doesn’t make sense 😂 (obviously I’m exaggerating, but the 2006 one represents everything terrible about 2000s horror, stupid shallow characters, everyone is pointless and only serves to be eye candy, pointless gore, unnecessary shock value through p3do inc3st r@pe, that movie just fucking stinks. At least the 2019 left the original story alone and didn’t just shit all over it. It was dumb as rocks but it didn’t ruin the original characters like the 2006 one)
Seriously one of the creepier horror movies and a legendary start off for modern slashers, and yes, it did coin ''the call is coming from inside the house.''
Many horror aficionados, like myself, rank this film right up there with "Halloween", and John Carpenter credits it with inspiring MUCH of his 1978 classic. Also, fun fact: Bob Clark also directed another holiday classic: "A Christmas Story"!!
I ran across this movie one day and it blew me away. The phone calls are so creepy and the actors are great. Christmas Carol with Alistair simms is my favorite Christmas movie.
Oh my, it just hit me, Jess (Olivia Hussy) played the Virgin Mary in Jesus of Nazareth. She also starred in Romeo and Juliet at 15. Pretty interesting career. P.S. the Dad in Nightmare on Elm Street (John Saxon) plays a huge part in Bruce Lee's "Enter the Dragon", He was a Black Belt in Karate, so he was really good at martial arts. (RIP 2020)
"The calls are coming from inside the house!"-gimmick was quite new in 1974. It was only known as an urban legend about a babysitter which later was made into 'When a Stranger Calls' (1979). And obviously, 'Black Christmas' inspired 'Halloween' which also ends with the killer getting away. I still think 'Black Christmas' is more effective than both 'Halloween' and 'When a Stranger Calls' as well as 'New York Ripper' which also took elements from this film. Favourite Christmas horror film for me is 'Jacob's Ladder' even though you hardly notice the Christmas theme (Santa appears though). It's just such a great film.
Both remakes are VERY different. The 2006 goes much more into the backstory of Billy & Agnes, which is mostly pieced together in the original by what the personalities say on the phone. The newest one is the one that is very much more separate from the original, and much more delving into supernatural themes.....
Personally, I think you can get a better sense of how much someone liked/disliked a movie by the following rating system (or something similar): 1. A new go-to favorite 😎 2. Would prob rewatch 😃 3. Glad I saw it 🙂 4. Not bad but not for me 😐 5. Does not hold up ☹️ 6. It’s bad, y’all 😬
I just watched your reaction again and as far as Jess going upstairs to get Barb and Phyl.. It occurred to me that Jess only knows a caller is in the house.. Nobody knows of any murders (in the house) yet..
It doesn't get the credit it deserves because it's Canadian. I think you guys should just go back and change a score in a case like this. I watched this "back in the day" with my girlfriend when she was babysitting overnight. I couldn't stay with her and felt pretty guilty leaving her after seeing this as it scared both of us shitless! Especially those fucked up phone calls. The director is Bob Clarke who made another famous Christmas movie that is actually a Christmas moving. It's really amazing to see the difference in the 2.
I loved this version of Black Christmas much,much better then the new Black Christmas. And the ending makes you creep out all over again never knowing the real nut bag caller was. That just makes it very chilling.
People always ask how Peter knew Jess {or someone} was in the basement. He could not get in the locked front door, and as he was looking for a way in, heard noise from the basement. He was calling out "Jess, is that you?" because she was who he was looking for.
Hey guys, so glad you watched this film, one of my fav horror films. This was the first film to use "the calls are coming from inside the house" trope and I believe this the first film to use the C word, but I might be wrong. John Carpenter has said he was very influenced by this film to make Halloween. Yeah, I love how you find nothing out about the killer and it left to figure out his back story just by the phone calls. There 2 remakes, 2006 and 2019. I've seen the 2006 remake and even though it got slated by critics, I quite enjoyed it. Dan
I don't know if it's been mentioned, but apparently Halloween was supposed to be a sequel to Black Christmas.. also, if you watch The Rise of Leslie Vernon (which is a really good film), the old man that's interviewed throughout the film was originally supposed to be Billy from Black Christmas!
Here in the U.S. (silicon valley to be exact) we had a movie theater called the Meridan Quad on Stevens Creek Blvd and we use to go there all the time. My older sister would sneak me in through an exit to the more intense movies. She got me in to see this(Black Christmas) when I was 9-10 years old and it scared the shit out of me. Saw it as a double feature with Phantasm. Saw many great movies here (Original Dawn of the Dead,Robo Cop,One Dark Night, Halloween etc) Such good memories as a kid. The theater is long gone now.
When seen in the shadows, "Billy" is played by director Bob Clark. On the phone, the voices of the various personalities are: Bob Clark Nick Mancuso Several female actors During the "Killer POV" shots, "Billy" is considered to be played by cinematographer Albert J Dunk. The personalities on the phone apparently represent: Billy Agnes Mother Father Perhaps others.
Great reaction.This one has never gotten much attention/respect,and was barely promoted by Warner Bros.They marketed itunder other names(Silent Night Evil Night,Stranger in the House),and when NBC was going to air it,they pulled it at the last minute. Bob Clark also did a favorite of mine,Deathdream (AKA Dead of Night),a Vietnam-era variation of The Monkey's Paw,with early work by Tom Savini.
This movie recently played on Turner Classic Movies in America. Just watched it yesterday. Great timing with the review. I'm one of the 22% subscribers. Definitely worth it! Keep up the great work.
Black Christmas is brilliant. It’s basically a movie version of “urban legends” long before the 90s film of the same name. Bob Clark’s true masterpiece, in my opinion, is still Deathdream.
One of the most well constructed and unique slasher movies ever. It's surprising how original it even comes off today - none of the rip offs or movies inspired get close to the nuance and shock of the OG
There is no "Final Girl". The personalities, as mentioned by the police detective, always called after a kill. The first call shown was right after "Billy" snuck into the house. That would be right after he {apparently} came across the 13 year old and impulse killed her. The doctor was going to sit with Jess, but Claire's dad collapsed and went into shock from the trauma. The doctor went with the others to take Claire's dad to the hospital. Jess was left along with "Billy". As the credits start, the phone began to ring.....
An officer remained at the house. In the credits you can see him stood by the door+in an interview Bob Clark said if he ever did a sequel it would have Jess as the protagonist
I only watch this movie for the first time this year and was also blown away at how no one ever talks about it lol but if you ever watch behind the scenes of movies like Halloween in Friday the 13th, they always point to black Christmas as being really what started this kind of film. And when it comes to the rating system, I think a word-based system would be cool. Like 10 different options, with the bottom three being bad and the top seven being anywhere from decent to amazing 🤷♂️
Bob Clark was the director. He also directed "A Christmas Story" which is shown continually, back to back for 24 hours on Christmas Day in the US on the TBS channel. I highly recommend it! Olivia Hussy (Pregnant Jess) was Juliette in Zeffirelli's Romeo & Juliette. She was only 15 at the time. HIGHLY recommend it as well. Halloween borrowed from Black Christmas - killer's point of view, suspense more than gore, mixed morals of teenaged females, stalking, unseen motiveless killer, etc. Great reaction and analysis!! I like your rating system.
Bob Clark wrote and directed the screenplays of this and "A Christmas Story". Two wonderful Christmas films seen by two highly contrasting extremes RIP! He is responsible for modern holidays!
Well, this film was better than Suspiria but most films are. Loved seeing Olivia Hussey. She played Juliet in the 1967 movie Romeo & Juliet. Loved Tom's little backyard......so cute.
Hahaha love the shirt! Thanks guys for the shoutout, sorry changed my name to NickFlix after the fact.
Nick, glad you're getting the recognition!
That’s funny you just watched Die Hard and Shaun is wearing the shirt!
React to Child’s play (1988)
Love ya nickflix marry christmas
Cool, that´s a good example. I find it very important that even though, I´m such a small channel, one of my rules is: When I recommend anything or anyone and I put a link, it´s important for me to check every now and then, if the information is still accurate. I did that when "Barbarian" changed his name into "Barbarous King" and I think there was at leasr one more example, where I linked some trailer or music video or so and it had been taken down from the original source. So I quickly searched it again and changed the link. And it´s still up there. I just can´t imagine, hating anything more than getting something recommended and then you just find out, that there is nothing and that nobody cared...
The fact that the phone calls arent just ramblings, but Billy reenacting the murder of his infant sister is both terrifying and a brilliant way of establishing his back story.
That shot of Billy's wide eyeball in the crack of the doorway will forever CREEP ME OUT 😭😭😭 I truly could'nt sleep for a solid 2 days after I first saw it 😂
Same! Imagine seeing THAT when you're getting up in the middle of the night for a glass of water.
He gives his back story in the phone calls. He keeps saying Agnes don't tell mommy what we did and then he's the mother telling him Billy where is Agnes? What have you done with the baby? later you see him put a doll into the dead girl's hand while she's on the rocking chair like it's the baby his mother was looking for. He did something terrible to his sister as a child and was probably sent off to an asylum by his parents and kept reliving that. This was John Carpenter's favorite movie and in Halloween Michael Myers kills his sister and later escapes from a mental asylum to come back on Halloween. When Carpenter asked the maker of Black Christmas about a sequel he said if I were to make a sequel I would make Billy escape from a mental asylum on Halloween.
Great Canadian horror film! Makes me proud to be Canadian. John Saxon (who passed away this past July) is one of my favorite actors. The movie was inspired by the crimes of serial killer Wayne Boden, who killed three women in Montreal over the holiday season of 1969 and early 1970. He then moved to Calgary where he claimed one more victim before being apprehended. He died in prison.
“Who has a mullet AND a turtleneck?” Indeed.😁
Near the end, the reveal, the eyeball scene.. Him running down the stairs, grabbing her by the hair.. Her getting away and him banging on that door while yelling maniacally..
One of the greatest sequences in horror history.
Awesome movie.
This is the greatest slasher film ever. I love Freddy, Halloween, and Friday the 13th but this movie genuinely felt creepy. The acting is so organic from the conversations to small details that make it feel like real people. It's amazing, and heavily underrated still.
I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed this movie. The ending left such a pit in my stomach and really freaked me out that the killer is still out there.
And it was intended to do so.
To big horror fans, this movie is well known. It's a cult classic. But y'all are right: it's not brought up as much as Halloween and Friday the 13th are. In other words, Black Christmas isn't mainstream. Fun fact: the director of this movie is the same director of the Christmas comedy A Christmas Story.
In 1974 Black Christmas was a pioneering genre film. If you've seen a slasher film, almost any slasher film, you've likely seen the tropes that Black Christmas created.
it was no more pioneering than the brady bunch - it all starts at the very least in 1960 starting with "psycho" , "peeping tom" "the sinister urge" and Frances "eyes without a face" aka "the horror chamber of dr faustus",, 1963's "blood feast" and 1966's "the undertaker and his pals", 1970's "carnival of blood", 1971's "bay of blood" and 1973's "torso" are all classic slasher films
Bob Clark (the director) told John Carpenter that he had considered a sequel where "Billy" escapes from a mental asylum, gets a mask, and the goes on a slasher spree at Halloween, titled Black Halloween. Clark told this to Carpenter a year before Carpenter made Halloween (when they were working together on The Hills Have Eyes). So, there's that.
This film disturbed me when I first saw it. Something about not knowing who the killer was and why he was so disturbed made it more unsettling. The way he switches voices and sometimes seems to speak in two voices at once is just fucking freaky.
The film that officially launched the slasher genre and directly inspired John Carpenter to make Halloween! And the first film in history to use the line "the call is coming from inside the house!" So glad you guys finally reacted to this one
SO MUCH RESPECT for you guys! This movie scared the crap out of me when I watched it on cable late at night as a kid!!! This to me is one of the most dread-filled and well-acted slashers in history! The remakes completely lost sight of the original vision! I love this channel!
This is one of my greatest fears: waking up to find a stranger just standing over my bed. The shots of Billy are so unsettling, this one really got under my skin when I first watched it
For me, Black Christmas does what The Shining, and TCM, do like very few other horror films, it really unsettles a viewer while being a technical masterwork. If you watch this again pay attention to the choices made of camera placement, angles, editing, sound design and lighting. It’s hard to pick up on without repeated viewings because the story is so creepy and intense. Black Christmas is in my top 10 favourite horrors of all time AND my top 10 best horrors ever made of all time. It’s a Canadian film and I first saw it when I was in 1977 when I was 12. Other excellent Canadian horrors include The Changeling (with George C. Scott) and the original My Bloody Valentine. Black Christmas is probably the movie I’ve watched more than anything else in my life because I watch it almost every Christmas. I’m 58 years old and have yet to see turtles doing it for three days straight and believe you me, I’ve been keeping an eye out for it. Thanks for making videos eh.
TCM?
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974).
3:32 perhaps my favorite scene/shot of the film. the imagery of Clair's dead body by the window is so cool
Black Christmas is excellent. After it came out, Bob Clark (dir.) was at a party and John Carpenter was there. JC was a big fan of the movie and was trying to talk Clark into a sequel but he wasn’t interested. Carpenter asked him what he would do if he was going to make a sequel and he said that he would probably have the same killer escape from an institution on a different holiday like Halloween and kill babysitters but he wasn’t going to do it because it would be essentially the same movie. That is in a Bob Clark interview somewhere on TH-cam if you look.
This is a really well done movie. Me and a friend saw it saw this at the drive-in theater when we were 12 (we hopped the fence ) I think it's still invokes fear and dread and horror. Are those phone calls not some of the most disturbing and creepy things ever ? It also does not rely on music so much like most of the genre that followed. I think the ambient sound in some scenes make it feel more real, and the camera work was stellar. Great movie, great reactions guys!
Fun Fact: The director of this movie (Bob Clark) would go on to make A Christmas Story (1983) and Porkys (1981)
I so want to see them react to Porky's!!! 😂😂
@@chrisariesb.5356 definitely, watched it not long back. Still has me in stitches...
The phone calls are genuinely creepy! Really great stuff!
Legend has it that this was Elvis Presley's favorite horror movie and his tradition was to watch it every Christmas. Further rumors say that his family kept the tradition alive and watched it in his memory.
Black Christmas was directed by Canadian filmmaker Bob Clark, who also directed Porkys and the seasonal classic, A Christmas Story. That's hard to believe for some since they're such different genres of film. Clark contributed a seminal horror movie, comedy and Christmas movie. All three movies are favorites of mine.
John Saxon played the policeman who also appeared in Nightmare on Elm St. and Margot Kidder, who was Lois Lane in the 1980s Superman films, was also one of the sorority girls in Black Christmas.
[edited for spelling]
Don't forget Olivia Hussey who was Juliet in Franco Zefferelli's Romeo and Juliet from 1968 AND the TV movie version of IT! AND Keir Dullea from 2001: A Space Odyssey.
@@son_of_ottie Absolutely my mistake of omission. She was great as well!
This is one of my all-time favorite horrors - scary, intelligent, unpredictable. Many people say that Scream (1996) copied the whole "phone call" scene. I think they are partially right but the phone call moment was introduced in Black Sabbath (1963) & Silent Night, Bloody Night (1972) though
I actually like how y'all rate the movies and have different lists for the difference genres. And I know I say it all the time but the ending when y'all are just discussing the movie is my favorite part! Merry Christmas!!
The boyfriend is Dave from 2001: a space odyssey. The main woman is in the "IT" miniseries and Barbara is Lois Lane.
I just love how the film ends, who is the killer? We will never know....
I'm one of those who recommended this! Thanks guys! Merry Christmas.
Also, believe it or not, this is the same director from 'A Christmas Story'.
Black Christmas (1974) is a beautifully crafted film. The character development, the humor, the suspense, and the believability in the scenario make for a creepy film. It's very powerful with the fact that they tackled women's rights with Jess' abortion and how women report things to the police only for them to be ignored and not taken seriously. Jess' boyfriend accuses her of being selfish when in fact she is the most unselfish person. She cares about her friends and the little girl who went missing and never complains about her own issues. You actually care about these characters and I love the slow burn of it all. The film is definitely one of the firsts of its kind. A solid 9/10 from me.
I would argue this movie doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. This movie came before Halloween and Friday the 13th and started the whole “killer POV” shot. Still incredibly scary.
Love this movie. Fun facts: Bob Clark, the director, also directed another (very different) Christmas classic, A Christmas Story. Andrea Martin, who played Phyllis, also played the house mother in the 2006 remake. Olivia Hussey (Jess) has said in interviews that comedy legend Steve Martin told her this was one of his favorite movies.
Peter has blue eyes, the killer has brown eyes.
One of the best Canadian movies ever! ❤🍁 It started the whole slasher genre so there's something to be proud of! 😁
I think it just might be a tie though, the Texas chainsaw massacre came out on the same day.
I heard that the building used for the sorority house is still on the u of t campus
This is a freaky, creepy movie. It makes you shudder a lot. Works very well. Great scary movie.
I love Black Christmas, even knowing the call is coming from inside the house that scene is still so tense and effective.
It's just heart wrenching with the poor father, it's always left me so unsettled.
Superb, seminal slasher. Halloween (1978) gets all the credit, but this one got there first.
The British girl is Olivia Hussey who’s known for her performance as Juliet in the 60s adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. Probably the best version put to film.
She also played the young Norma Bates, Norman's mother, in Psycho IV.
And she was in Stephen King's IT from 1990!
I quite literally screamed when I saw that y’all reacted to this movie. This isn’t just my favorite horror movie of all time, but is also one of my favorite films of all time period. Thank you, guys, for finally seeing this amazing film!
So this movie actually influenced John carpenter to make Halloween. The reason the beginning of Halloween starts with first person view is directly because he was in love with how black Christmas did first person filming
I agree with you guys that ending the film with the killer’s identity still a mystery increases the creep factor. Some people would probably call it a cheat, but I liked the ambiguous ending with the mystery killer calling before he visits his next victim (Jess).
Because this is the first slasher movie it took place before the Slasher boom of the 80s. Where killers like Michael Myers, Jason, and Freddy all are more famous because you see them and then they had tons of sequels. Black Christmas, you never find out the killer and there weren’t sequels. So that’s why it’s not as known. And like you noted, it’s not fast paced, there aren’t many jump scares, and it’s not gory. It’s meant to be creepy and unsettling. Very different to what modern audiences are used to now and before things in slasher movies became tropes. It’s very good though. Just different than what you’re used to now.
actually its not the first slasher film --1960 pyscho is arguably the first with 1963 "blood feast" and 1966 undertaker and his pals in the debate and- 1971 "bay of blood" and 1973 "torso" are in the conversation too
@@youdontknowme9279 ok. One of the first slashers. My point still stands though
@@Shoofyou10 theres probably 12 to 20 films before it so no - your point doesnt stand - its just another slasher film - almost a complete copy of carnival of blood
@@youdontknowme9279 they were asking why this didn’t seem as iconic or well known as movies like Friday the 13th or Halloween or nightmare on elm street. And my point was that because this movie was before the big mainstream 80s slasher boom, didn’t have a recognizable villain like a Jason, Michael, or Freddy and didn’t spawn a bunch of sequels and that’s why it doesn’t seem as popular amongst the mainstream. That was my point. And yes, those things are all true and my point does stand regardless of the exact number of slashers that happened before it. I’m not really sure what you’re arguing. My point was not to that it was the first slasher movie. Only that it was before the mainstream crazy and the tropes really started to kick in
The only flaw with the story is that the police don't search the attic at the end. Considering Clare and the house mother are still missing, the first thing they would have done is cleared the entire house instead of leaving it to the state police, regardless of how busy they are with all the bodies.
Yup, that's a major flaw in my opinion but still a great ending.
They don't search the house ever. It's a little immersion-breaking.
This movie was great, but that ending was indeed stupid lol!
A Canadian classic that started the slasher genre and does it right. Doesn't show you too much. Nothing is scarier than what you can create in your own mind. And the director also did the Christmas classic about a kid who wants a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas.
Starring Lois Lane, Juliet Capulet, and Dave Bowman. That alone is worth the price of admission.
Don't Forget Edith Prickley.
This is in my top 10 list of all time movies.. I know just about every word.. Thanks for the review.. I hope it starts getting the recognition it deserves..
Love your reaction to the stairs scene, as someone who watched a lot of horror movies growing up and came to Black Christmas late, the way they shot that really jolted me first time I seen it.
Black Christmas and the opening to When a Stranger calls, never fail to creep me out.
This movie is like a mix between Psycho and a very cruel Agatha Christie story. It is for a very good reason that is often claimed to be the father of the slasher ftnre with Halloween, albeit it does not feature the usual tropes associated with the grnre except for a final girl who is the most clever, kind and resourseful of the girl group (but she aint a virgin).
When you really take notice of this film, it's actually really terrifying, I love this film
Seeing Louis Lane drunk in this is really sad actually.
I like the number rating system.
I think what sets you guys apart from some other channels I've seen, is your analytical deconstruction of the film mixed with the genuine joy and satisfaction during viewing. Happy Holidays!
The piano guys eyes are blue! The killer’s eyes at the door was brown! That’s why the close up was to the piano guy, to show people that his eye color wasn’t the same as the one behind the door 🕵🏻
Forgot how creepy this one was. It's kind of a classic.
Why, it's the grandfather of slashers!
@@fynnthefox9078 It is kind of a classic. I didn't realize how influential it was.
Fun fact - Elvis Presley watched this movie every Christmas! Definitely one of my favorite horror films. I watched it for the first time this year & it creeped me out! Couldn’t get his bizarre voice out of my head & even had nightmares as a result. I relish the invasive narrative & clever cinematography too. A must watch!
FYI: in addition to John Saxon, this film also featured other actors who starred in famous films: Olivia Hussey "Romeo and Juliet", Keir Dullea "2001: A Space Odyssey", Margot Kidder "Superman" and Andrea Martin, SCTV Second City TV and "Hedwig and the Angry Inch"
I’ve been so desensitized by movies and games and true crime over the years that very few things scare me or creep me out but that girl rocking the chair with the doll and plastic wrap around her face creeped me out
It's easy to be cynical about the situation of the movie... But Olivia Hussey's talent shines through when she is in the dilemma of leaving or trying to save Phill and Barb. I can't wait till you guys re-watch it.
The 2006 remake doesn’t go the supernatural route, but it turns the killer into somewhat of a local legend and delves way more into Billy’s backstory
One of the best horror films ever
The inspiration this movie had on Halloween is so blatant; though I think Halloween refined what this movie did. I agree that the middle did drag and was starting to lose me, but the final thirty-forty minutes made it so worth it. Plus, it was very chilling throughout. A really good film, overall.
"I was the choir." 🤣🤣
Great reaction, guys as always. 👏👏👏👏
Good Job boys! Didn't think anyone was going to react to this classic this year!
11:39 I couldn´t agree more, even if I tried. Love you SO much for saying that, because because of that, Black Christmas 1974 turned out to be my favorite horror film OF ALL TIME !!!!
2006 was actually very good. 2019 one was just terrible
@@ezelldaniels6064 Yeah, I still gotta watch the 2006 version. I think it has one of my favorite actresses in it, Michelle Trachtenberg, who I love from Buffy and especially Eurotrip, which most people haven´t seen.
@@ezelldaniels6064 But speaking of the 2019 version, have you seen this?:
th-cam.com/video/xlyirA8SdQU/w-d-xo.html
SO god damn funny.... lol (hope the guys allow me to post a link here, it is safe!)
@@ezelldaniels60642006 is not good at all what do u meannn. Im trying to reconcile appreciating the original and appreciating either of the remakes. To me, that doesn’t make sense 😂
(obviously I’m exaggerating, but the 2006 one represents everything terrible about 2000s horror, stupid shallow characters, everyone is pointless and only serves to be eye candy, pointless gore, unnecessary shock value through p3do inc3st r@pe, that movie just fucking stinks.
At least the 2019 left the original story alone and didn’t just shit all over it. It was dumb as rocks but it didn’t ruin the original characters like the 2006 one)
Seriously one of the creepier horror movies and a legendary start off for modern slashers, and yes, it did coin ''the call is coming from inside the house.''
Still the best slasher ever made imo.
agreed, it set the blueprint for the slasher genre
Many horror aficionados, like myself, rank this film right up there with "Halloween", and John Carpenter credits it with inspiring MUCH of his 1978 classic. Also, fun fact: Bob Clark also directed another holiday classic: "A Christmas Story"!!
I rank this one even higher than any Halloween movie. I think, it´s perfect........
I ran across this movie one day and it blew me away. The phone calls are so creepy and the actors are great. Christmas Carol with Alistair simms is my favorite Christmas movie.
The Alistair Sim one does seem realistic
Oh my, it just hit me, Jess (Olivia Hussy) played the Virgin Mary in Jesus of Nazareth. She also starred in Romeo and Juliet at 15. Pretty interesting career. P.S. the Dad in Nightmare on Elm Street (John Saxon) plays a huge part in Bruce Lee's "Enter the Dragon", He was a Black Belt in Karate, so he was really good at martial arts. (RIP 2020)
Such an underrated movie I prefer it over Halloween and all the 80’s slashers
"The calls are coming from inside the house!"-gimmick was quite new in 1974. It was only known as an urban legend about a babysitter which later was made into 'When a Stranger Calls' (1979). And obviously, 'Black Christmas' inspired 'Halloween' which also ends with the killer getting away. I still think 'Black Christmas' is more effective than both 'Halloween' and 'When a Stranger Calls' as well as 'New York Ripper' which also took elements from this film.
Favourite Christmas horror film for me is 'Jacob's Ladder' even though you hardly notice the Christmas theme (Santa appears though). It's just such a great film.
Both remakes are VERY different. The 2006 goes much more into the backstory of Billy & Agnes, which is mostly pieced together in the original by what the personalities say on the phone. The newest one is the one that is very much more separate from the original, and much more delving into supernatural themes.....
Personally, I think you can get a better sense of how much someone liked/disliked a movie by the following rating system (or something similar):
1. A new go-to favorite 😎
2. Would prob rewatch 😃
3. Glad I saw it 🙂
4. Not bad but not for me 😐
5. Does not hold up ☹️
6. It’s bad, y’all 😬
I just watched your reaction again and as far as Jess going upstairs to get Barb and Phyl.. It occurred to me that Jess only knows a caller is in the house.. Nobody knows of any murders (in the house) yet..
It doesn't get the credit it deserves because it's Canadian. I think you guys should just go back and change a score in a case like this. I watched this "back in the day" with my girlfriend when she was babysitting overnight. I couldn't stay with her and felt pretty guilty leaving her after seeing this as it scared both of us shitless! Especially those fucked up phone calls. The director is Bob Clarke who made another famous Christmas movie that is actually a Christmas moving. It's really amazing to see the difference in the 2.
I loved this version of Black Christmas much,much better then the new Black Christmas. And the ending makes you creep out all over again never knowing the real nut bag caller was. That just makes it very chilling.
I’m telling y’all, you gotta watch the original my bloody valentine. Most underrated OG slasher film in my opinion.
Olivia Hussey is the main female lead in this film. She is the greatest “Juliet” of all time. She was/is just gorgeous
People always ask how Peter knew Jess {or someone} was in the basement. He could not get in the locked front door, and as he was looking for a way in, heard noise from the basement. He was calling out "Jess, is that you?" because she was who he was looking for.
Hey guys, so glad you watched this film, one of my fav horror films. This was the first film to use "the calls are coming from inside the house" trope and I believe this the first film to use the C word, but I might be wrong. John Carpenter has said he was very influenced by this film to make Halloween. Yeah, I love how you find nothing out about the killer and it left to figure out his back story just by the phone calls.
There 2 remakes, 2006 and 2019. I've seen the 2006 remake and even though it got slated by critics, I quite enjoyed it. Dan
The Exorcist uses the c word
I don't know if it's been mentioned, but apparently Halloween was supposed to be a sequel to Black Christmas.. also, if you watch The Rise of Leslie Vernon (which is a really good film), the old man that's interviewed throughout the film was originally supposed to be Billy from Black Christmas!
Here in the U.S. (silicon valley to be exact) we had a movie theater called the Meridan Quad on Stevens Creek Blvd and we use to go there all the time. My older sister would sneak me in through an exit to the more intense movies. She got me in to see this(Black Christmas) when I was 9-10 years old and it scared the shit out of me. Saw it as a double feature with Phantasm. Saw many great movies here (Original Dawn of the Dead,Robo Cop,One Dark Night, Halloween etc) Such good memories as a kid. The theater is long gone now.
When seen in the shadows, "Billy" is played by director Bob Clark.
On the phone, the voices of the various personalities are:
Bob Clark
Nick Mancuso
Several female actors
During the "Killer POV" shots, "Billy" is considered to be played by cinematographer Albert J Dunk.
The personalities on the phone apparently represent:
Billy
Agnes
Mother
Father
Perhaps others.
A mullet and a turtle neck. You can't have both! Lol
Great reaction.This one has never gotten much attention/respect,and was barely promoted by Warner Bros.They marketed itunder other names(Silent Night Evil Night,Stranger in the House),and when NBC was going to air it,they pulled it at the last minute.
Bob Clark also did a favorite of mine,Deathdream (AKA Dead of Night),a Vietnam-era variation of The Monkey's Paw,with early work by Tom Savini.
This movie recently played on Turner Classic Movies in America. Just watched it yesterday. Great timing with the review.
I'm one of the 22% subscribers. Definitely worth it! Keep up the great work.
Black Christmas is brilliant. It’s basically a movie version of “urban legends” long before the 90s film of the same name. Bob Clark’s true masterpiece, in my opinion, is still Deathdream.
One of the most well constructed and unique slasher movies ever. It's surprising how original it even comes off today - none of the rip offs or movies inspired get close to the nuance and shock of the OG
What a nice surprise! Black Christmas was a very big launching point for many of the horror classics we look to now.
This is one of my favourite movies! So pleased to see people reacting to it
This was one of the OG slashers. So many copycats ha... So good.
There is no "Final Girl".
The personalities, as mentioned by the police detective, always called after a kill. The first call shown was right after "Billy" snuck into the house. That would be right after he {apparently} came across the 13 year old and impulse killed her.
The doctor was going to sit with Jess, but Claire's dad collapsed and went into shock from the trauma. The doctor went with the others to take Claire's dad to the hospital. Jess was left along with "Billy". As the credits start, the phone began to ring.....
An officer remained at the house. In the credits you can see him stood by the door+in an interview Bob Clark said if he ever did a sequel it would have Jess as the protagonist
I only watch this movie for the first time this year and was also blown away at how no one ever talks about it lol but if you ever watch behind the scenes of movies like Halloween in Friday the 13th, they always point to black Christmas as being really what started this kind of film.
And when it comes to the rating system, I think a word-based system would be cool. Like 10 different options, with the bottom three being bad and the top seven being anywhere from decent to amazing 🤷♂️
Bob Clark was the director. He also directed "A Christmas Story" which is shown continually, back to back for 24 hours on Christmas Day in the US on the TBS channel. I highly recommend it! Olivia Hussy (Pregnant Jess) was Juliette in Zeffirelli's Romeo & Juliette. She was only 15 at the time. HIGHLY recommend it as well. Halloween borrowed from Black Christmas - killer's point of view, suspense more than gore, mixed morals of teenaged females, stalking, unseen motiveless killer, etc. Great reaction and analysis!! I like your rating system.
Yeah, there are a couple of minor tone differences, but for the most part I’m pretty sure they’re both about serial killers
This is my favorite Slasher, one of the best, and true originals...
PS: Never watch any of the remakes.
The 2006 one is easily the superior of the two remakes tho 😂😂
The 2006 remake it's quite decent
2006 remake is good.
@@eliascrooker7773 It over explains Billy and ruins the first film
@@snowwolf1854 one film can't ruin another
A very scary psychological film. The phone calls were disturbing and unsettling. It's very effective. A great movie and cast. A true classic.
"Ho-ho-ho, shit." ~Mood, Christmas 2020
You can also add it to your "international films" list. It's Canadian 🇨🇦
Bob Clark wrote and directed the screenplays of this and "A Christmas Story". Two wonderful Christmas films seen by two highly contrasting extremes RIP! He is responsible for modern holidays!
Well, this film was better than Suspiria but most films are. Loved seeing Olivia Hussey. She played Juliet in the 1967 movie Romeo & Juliet. Loved Tom's little backyard......so cute.