If I had to nominate a movie for the most influential horror movie, yet overlooked, it would be this classic. I kinda feel like this movie set the tone & atmosphere for slasher films for years to come & it came out about 4 years BEFORE Halloween. It's basically bloodless, you never see the killer, & it still scares the free willies out of ya! After watching this movie, a ringing phone will never seem the same (how many years Before Scream are we talking here, it was made in '74). The camera work alone had to rub off on a slew of directors that made their slasher movies later, those that say it didn't are lying their asses off. The whole movie has a sinister tone that keeps building. This best part is you know exactly what's happening the whole time, the poor characters in the film are clueless til the end which is awesome. If you haven't seen it, you should, if only to see where many films owe their heritage. If Pyscho is the grandfather of the slasher film genre, then Black Christmas is certainly the grandmother of the modern era films. You get to see Margot Kidder acting drunk and slutty too as a bonus. John Saxon turns in another great role as the police cheif. This one is definetly a stocking stuffer and one of the best yule tide scare films around since it's set on Christmas eve. Watch it.
If I had to nominate a movie for the most influential horror movie, yet overlooked, it would be this classic. I kinda feel like this movie set the tone & atmosphere for slasher films for years to come & it came out about 4 years BEFORE Halloween. It's basically bloodless, you never see the killer, & it still scares the free willies out of ya! After watching this movie, a ringing phone will never seem the same (how many years Before Scream are we talking here, it was made in '74). The camera work alone had to rub off on a slew of directors that made their slasher movies later, those that say it didn't are lying their asses off. The whole movie has a sinister tone that keeps building. This best part is you know exactly what's happening the whole time, the poor characters in the film are clueless til the end which is awesome. If you haven't seen it, you should, if only to see where many films owe their heritage. If Pyscho is the grandfather of the slasher film genre, then Black Christmas is certainly the grandmother of the modern era films. You get to see Margot Kidder acting drunk and slutty too as a bonus. John Saxon turns in another great role as the police cheif. This one is definetly a stocking stuffer and one of the best yule tide scare films around since it's set on Christmas eve. Watch it.
