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Black Christmas

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Canada · 1974
Rated R · 1h 38m
Director Bob Clark
Starring Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder, John Saxon
Genre Horror, Mystery, Thriller

During their Christmas break, a group of sorority girls are terrorized by a stranger who leaves threatening phone calls — before he begins killing them off one by one. Inspired by an urban legend and a series of real-life murders, this cult classic is necessary viewing for horror lovers and slasher fans.

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What are people saying?

Summer Goldstein Profile picture for Summer Goldstein

Christmas festivities take a chilling turn. So interesting to see how this lays the groundwork for the development of the slasher genre to come – the opening scene in particular will remind horror fans very clearly of another classic holiday slasher.

What are critics saying?

40

The New York Times by

Considering the ersatz tension and plotting, Black Christmas is hardly worth the efforts of all concerned.

50

Chicago Reader by Dave Kehr

Canadian-made unpleasantness (1975) about a psychopath stalking a college town. Bob Clark's direction is enthusiastic but sloppy-a presaging of his later Porky's. [02 Dec 2010, p.52]

91

The A.V. Club by Noel Murray

Much of the shtick used by Clark and screenwriter Roy Moore was later stolen both by countless hacks and at least one real artist (Halloween director John Carpenter), but few repeated Clark's most devious tactic, accompanying the violence with the sound of the killer's nerve-janglingly maniacal shouting.

88

New York Post by V.A. Musetto

Not only does Black Christmas provide real chills, it introduces devices - like the opening, which is shot from the slasher's point of view - that inspired John Carpenter's Halloween and countless genre flicks to follow. [20 Dec 2009, p.61]

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