June 12, 2018
Black Christmas was a surprisingly well done and thoroughly entertaining film. Made in 1974, this film establishes many of the tropes that will be used in later horror films. The film tells the story of a sorority who begins to receive disturbing calls during the Christmas break from a person (or persons) calling himself Billy and addressing a mysterious Agnes. Meanwhile a series of murders are happening within the sorority and simultaneously outside in the local town.
The film includes great performances by Margot Kidder (who does an amazing job a playing a drunk college girl), Andrea Martin (the manager from Hedwig and the Angry Inch), and John Saxon (the father from the Nightmare on Elm Street films). Also, the schoolmarm character is great with her bottles of Sherry hidden throughout the house (at one point she even fishes one out of the back of a toilet to use as mouth wash).
The film uses so many techniques that will later be incorporated throughout the horror genre. We are taken through the eyes of the killer as the cameraman uses a handheld (three years before Halloween!). We have a great "The calls are coming from inside the house!" moment that will be used throughout the 1980s. Ironic use of music with carols juxtaposed next to murder. Also, the disturbing piano string noises help to create an unsettling mood (think, "ki-ki-ki-ki-ki… mo-mo-mo-mo... echos in Friday the 13th). Furthermore this film establishes the seasonal horror movie. I forget that there was a time before every holiday had their own horror movie (is there one for Arbor Day yet?).
What makes this film so special is the ambiguous ending that the director gives us. Who exactly is the killer? Was it Peter? The film leads you to believe the Peter is the killer, which of course means he cannot be the killer... too obvious right? Was it someone else? Was Peter killing with another person (there are numerous references to multiple voices on the phone throughout the film)? Who the hell are Billy and Agnes? There is no closure for the viewer and there is no closure for the characters. Like the characters we are left confused and disturbed.
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