As the residents of the Pi Kappa Sigma sorority house prepare for the festive season, a stranger begins to harass them with a series of obscene phone calls.
Olivia Hussey
Jess
Keir Dullea
Peter
Margot Kidder
Barb
John Saxon
Lt. Fuller
Marian Waldman
Mrs. Mac
Andrea Martin
Phyl
James Edmond
Mr. Harrison
Doug McGrath
Sargeant Nash
Art Hindle
Chris
Lynne Griffin
Clare
Michael Rapport
Patrick
Leslie Carlson
Graham
Martha Gibson
Mrs. Quaife
John Rutter
Laughing Detective
Robert Warner
Doctor
Sydney Brown
Farmer
Jack Van Evera
Search Party
Les Rubie
Search Party
Marcia Diamond
Woman
Pam Barney
Jean
Robert Hawkins
Wes
David Clement
Cogan
Dave Mann
Cop
John Stoneham Sr.
Cop
Danny Gain
Cop
Tom Foreman
Cop
Bob Clark
Prowler Shadow / Phone Voice (uncredited)
Nick Mancuso
The Prowler / Phone Voice (uncredited)
Ann Sweeny
Phone Voice (voice) (uncredited)
Director
Bob Clark
Screenplay
Roy Moore
July 26, 2019
6
***Historical slasher with John Saxon, Olivia Hussey and Margot Kidder***
It’s the Christmas season at a sorority house in the Northeast wherein an ambiguous psycho hiding in the attic makes crank calls to the girls and slays them one-by-one. John Saxon plays the local detective.
“Black Christmas” (1974) obviously influenced “Halloween” (1978), e.g. the closet scene, but was influenced itself by psycho slasher flicks like “Psycho” (1960), “Dementia 13” (1963) and “Silent Night, Bloody Night” (1972).
Honestly, the 2006 remake has a more absorbing story which, to me, is the best indicator of a quality movie. This version is dull by comparison, particularly the first half, but it picks up steam in the second. And the open-ended climax is interesting.
But I strongly prefer the female cast in the remake; they're just all-around superior IMHO. Of course Olivia Hussey is attractive in this rendition, albeit cold, and Lynne Griffin as Clare is winsome, although her part is small. Andrea Martin (Phyl) comes across as a shorter version of Cher with short, curly hair. Unfortunately, Margot Kidder as Barb is one of the most obnoxious characters in cinema, a real turn-off (so is Mrs. Mac, but less so). Thankfully, Barb's only prominent through the first half.
The film runs 1 hour, 38 minutes, and was shot in Toronto.
GRADE: C+/B-
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$686,000.00
Revenue:
$4,000,000.00