Saturday, December 22, 2012

Jay's Holidaze: Black Christmas (1974)

The way I feel about Richard Donner's Superman is the same way that Nobody Gets Out Alive director Jason Christopher feels about the original 1974 version of Black Christmas--Both pics hold very special meaning for each of us...


I’ve said it before and dammit I’ll say it again and again and again! The following is not only my favorite holiday movie but my favorite horror movie, and probably one of my favorite movies of all time. I love this movie! In 1974

Director Bob Clarke released this little movie that has not only scared audiences but influenced plenty of filmmakers to pursue and create their own  films. A Christmas movie that didn’t leave you feeling so merry.

A lot of people always ask why I’m so obsessed with this movie. I have a few fair answers to that question! My Dad took me to Best Buy and I’ve always heard of this movie, just could never get a copy of it. BUT that day! A Sunday, December 15th, when Jason was just 16 years old – Critical Mass had recently released the first DVD of Black Christmas. This was the only thing I wanted for my birthday; thankfully, my pops bought me this movie. I went home and this is what I spent my day. I watched this movie and at this point I’ve seen all the classics, Halloween, Friday The 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street. I even saw the newer flicks – the 90’s horror ones, like Scream.

The movie plays and once it finishes I HOP out of my bed and close my closet doors. That’s the first thing. At this point it’s time for bed with school in the morning. I’m laying in bed, the Christmas lights are on. The mood is set here. I’m laying in the darkness, freaking the hell out! What if this killer comes and gets me? Who the hell was Billy?! At least Olivia Hussey was super hot. I thought all night long about how much this movie scared the crap out of me and how much I LOVED this movie at the same time. Then I started thinking – wait. Scream came after, they had phone calls. Halloween, Michael Myers stalking girls…I was connecting the dots of all of these movies and my mind was racing. Black Christmas started all of these things for the directors I knew of the day. Who the hell was this Bob Clarke guy?

A few years before I turned sixteen. I saw Porky’s – the hilarious outrageous comedy, that yet again was ahead of its time and I would say without that flick there wouldn’t be a Superbad or movies in that genre. Now, the ultimate of all ultimate Christmas movies, A Christmas Story – I saw this movie too! Where am I getting with all of this? Porky’s and A Christmas Story – I’ve seen. What I didn’t realize in the billing block under “directed by” was the same name, Bob Clarke. No way. The same man who made everyone’s favorite Christmas movie, the same man who broke ground for raunchy comedy, was the same guy who set the pace for great slasher flicks as well!

Black Christmas was really the last horror movie to ever scare me. I was completely afraid and motivated ever since. Don’t get me wrong though; movies like Audition scared the hell out of me and made me look at chicks differently when you go on a date with them.But Black Christmas opened my eyes to more old school horror flicks that are with me to this day.

Black Christmas is about a girls sorority getting phone calls from an anonymous caller, summing up that he wants to do bad things to them, kill them, or telling the killer’s past. Jess (Hussey) is pregnant and wants an abortion, which drives her boyfriend crazy, and he becomes our red herring. Lt. Fuller (John Saxon) is now assigned to track down the calls up to its grisly surprise.

If you haven’t seen the ORIGINAL Black Christmas please go check it out! People will be like, “What’s your favorite scary movie?” I’ll reply, “Oh, without a doubt, Black Christmas!” They look at me with twelve heads, “That movie sucks!” I stare at them, “No, no, no, no, you’re thinking of the remake.” Then they realize it was a remake and I send them off on their way to go do some homework!

-Jay


Nobody Gets Out Alive (still Punishment overseas). will be released via stores, Redbox, Amazon.com, etc. on 2/26/13---please go LIKE the new Facebook Page and help spread the word!

No comments: