Recent Reviews
DVD Review: Black Christmas
By Dave Dreher
Dec 9, 2006, 22:25

Bob Clark. The name rings true for genre fans. We know him as the man behind Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things, Death dream and the film we’ll be discussing here, Black Christmas. This is a name you’re parents probably know as well though. Bob Clark is also the man responsible for what some feel is THE holiday film, A Christmas Story (You’ll shoot your eye out kid).

For the film Black Christmas Mr. Clark took a bit of a darker turn and hangs some bright lights and tinsel on a then just budding niche of the genre, the slasher film. One of the first of its kind Black Christmas tells the tale of a group of sorority sisters being terrorized by an unknown stalker who deftly roams the halls of their house while they celebrate the season. It all seems a little cliched now but back then this was ground breaking stuff.

Bob Clark was doing in Black Christmas (which was shot in 1974) what John Carpenter would do in Halloween (shot in 1978) and never really got the credit for it. The POV shots as the killer stalks around the house, the lingering shots from outside as we watch the victims carry on about their normal lives unaware they are being watched and have been chosen. This is all in done in Black Christmas a full 4 years prior to Carpenter bringing it to the fore front with his hit Halloween. Granted Carpenter took it to a different level but you can certainly see the inspiration when you screen Clark’s work on Black Christmas.

Even after all these years the film still holds up amazingly well.

The tale is well paced and decently acted. We see Margot Kidder ( looking hot in her pre-Louis Lane days) and Andrea Martin (remember Second City TV?) And of course the one, the only John Saxon. If you don’t know who he is, leave this site now and don’t return till you’ve done your homework.

This current release on DVD is a wonderful addition to any fans collection. The transfer is near spotless and the film sounds better then I have ever heard it. Even if you have multiple copies of this classic you’re gonna want to pick this one up if only for the AWESOME special features. The all new documentary The 12 Days of Black Christmas is damn near worth the price of the disc just in and of itself. There are also interviews with stars Olivia Hussey and Margot Kidder and a great Q and A session that was taped during a midnight showing of the film with John Saxon, Bob Clark and Carl Zittrer.

Great stuff. Put this one on your Christmas list.

Once you unwrap it lock the door, plug in the tree and get ready for some holiday terror.

Click here for more info on the release.