The scene of “Billy” stabbing Barb (Margot Kidder) with the statue is the most iconic kill in the movie. The killer, portrayed by Director Bob Clark in this scene, approaches the glass unicorn to use as a tool for murder. The shots from his point-of-view are frantic, rapidly moving around to the sound of his ragged breathing. The constant calls of “Billy” are legitimately disturbing, ranging from sexually charged to incredibly violent. It’s not until they report the lewd calls being made by the killer and another missing girl is found dead that they’re taken seriously.Įven if you remove these themes, “Black Christmas” is overall still a strong horror flick. The police blow them off, saying the missing woman is likely just shacked up with a boy. It’s shown again when the women go to the police to report their sorority sister as missing. He insists that she should marry him and gets angry for refusing to change her life plans just because he has. Peter’s reaction to Jess’ decision is anger, calling her selfish and berating her for not involving him in the decision. The movie also deals with the topic of misogyny, both overt and casual. Wade had only been decided the year before and in Canada abortion was still restricted to medical emergencies. This is a controversial topic now, but in 1974 it was extremely uncommon for it to be covered in the media at the time. Part of the plot involves Jess letting her boyfriend know she’s pregnant, but has made the decision to get an abortion. The movie also earned a reputation for some of the themes it tackles. The most obvious is the first “Halloween” film, with the most notable element between the two being the use of point-of-view shots for the killer. “Black Christmas” is often cited as a big inspiration for future slasher flicks, with some elements being pretty clearly lifted for those films. The trope of a killer taunting victims on the phone comes from an old urban legend about a caller telling a babysitter to “check the kids.” (Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Jess (Olivia Hussey) tries to keep “Billy” on the phone long enough for the police to track him down. Jess’ boyfriend Peter, played by Keir Dullea, becomes a suspect as the girls are picked off one by one. Known as both “Billy” and “The Moaner”, the polyonymous killer calls the women on the phone to taunt and harass them.Īfter one of the sisters disappears, the police get involved by trying to track down where the calls are coming from. The plot follows college student Jess, played by Olivia Hussey, and her sorority sisters as they are stalked by a mysterious killer. “Black Christmas” may not get its own 24-hour marathons, but it’s just as iconic in its own way, having inspired several future slashers. Even if you don’t recognize the name, you’ll definitely recognize his other big Christmas hit- 1983’s “A Christmas Story.” Enter “Black Christmas,” a 1974 Canadian slasher movie from American director Bob Clark.
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