This is way better than I thought it was going to be. A solid slasher full of Christmas spirit.

Black Christmas is what happens when a director decides to make a slasher but also decides to make a good movie. Each character has a purpose. By that, I don't mean simply to drive the plot along. Each character is a person, and they each have their own unique personalities and motivations. Barb isn't just the drunk and morally abrasive stereotype; she's driven by her jealousy and likely by issues from her childhood. Each character feels about as deep as her, at the least. The only character who isn't fully explained is Billy, and that's for the best. Billy isn't a character we want explained, and it only drives the horror deeper that he isn't. This should be on every horror fan's Christmas playlist.

I LOVE this movie. A stoned cold classic through and through. Olivia is criminally underrated, same with the director, Bob Clark. He's got two horror classics (this and Deathdream), a seminal teen comedy (Porky's) and one of the most lasting Christmas classics of all time, A Christmas Story. That's four classics over 3 genres. That's impressive. Also......he apparently gave John Carpenter the idea for Halloween. Give this guy more love! Hey also....John Saxon!!!! Another icon!!

Despite the fact that "Black Christmas" is regarded as a forerunner of the 1980s slasher wave, I had never seen this cult classic before. But I already know that this will not be the last time I watch it. The influences on films such as "Halloween" are clear. Above all, it isn't the gorefest that later slashers have become known for. Instead, there's a dense atmosphere, a lot of suspense, and a truly intriguing ending. The acting in the movie is also respectable; I especially liked Margot Kidder, but also lead actress Olivia Hussey. Then there's the great John Saxon, whom I mainly knew from "A Nightmare on Elm Street". As the ending is quite open, I'm a little surprised that "Black Christmas" didn't lead to any direct sequels, just two remakes. But that's not a bad thing, as the movie really stands on its own.