We Wish You A Scary Christmas: Black Christmas, The True Birth Of The Slasher

When interviewed about his 1978 masterpiece 'Halloween', John Carpenter remarked that he asked director Bob Clark how he would create a sequel to his smash hit about a psychopath who is left to run amuck during a much-beloved holiday. Clark responded, "I simply told him if I wanted to do the sequel, which I wouldn't, I would have had the psychopath get caught and then escape on Halloween". The film that Carpenter was referencing was the Canadian cult classic, Black Christmas. 

Shot in Toronto in the winter of 1974, Black Christmas tells the story of a psychotic killer who stalks a group of sorority girls with obscene phone calls. The film is shrouded in a cold yet cozy atmosphere, where mystery abounds long after the credits roll. Though it is speculated, I consider this film to be the true birth of the slasher genre, and I feel it is vastly underrated largely because Canadian content is not taken as seriously as our American counterparts. 

This film is extremely important as it established elements that would become mainstays or tropes as they are now referred to now, within the horror subgenre of slashers. Some of these mainstays we see in this film are Point of view shots from the killer which adds mystery to who is committing these deeds, while also making each of the killings eerily personal and real, and setting the story on a holiday we normally would regard as happy, and fun to enjoy. 

Some of the stronger elements of Black Christmas that are notably better than films that followed were to create a haunting atmosphere that holds the viewer in its grasp, create a truly horrifying villain that is hard to figure out, and most importantly make us care for those the killer is terrifying. 

On a broader scale, Black Christmas in its storytelling was quite forward-thinking in its approach to women's rights, alcohol abuse tied to depression, and toxic masculinity. Messages that still ring true today some 46 years later. 

For example, throughout the film, we learn of the plight of our lead character being pregnant by a boyfriend with who she does not want to be involved. The boyfriend upon learning this reverts to toxic behaviour, shaming her for not wanting the child and by proxy him. Each of the women is fleshed out well in this film and it generally gives light to bigger issues that are still relevant today. 

Remade twice, once in 2006 as a gory, violent mess, and again in 2019 as a Twitter feud disguised as a classic film, Black Christmas from 1974 is one of the crown jewels of the slasher genre, being Canadian makes it that much better! 

Please find attached: 

a YouTube link to see the classic house from the film that was shot both internally and externally in Toronto! I went to visit it myself and it was such a cool experience as a horror movie lover. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHQFj8i_FRg