136. Black Christmas (2019)

This week on The Rotten Horror Picture Show Podcast, Clay and Amanda tackle one of the more controversial entries in modern holiday horror: the 2019 remake of Black Christmas. It’s a film that takes the bones of the 1974 slasher classic and retools them for a new generation, leaning hard into social commentary, glossy production, and a very different kind of menace lurking on a snow-covered college campus. Clay and Amanda break down what works, what doesn’t, how it compares to the original, and why this remake sparked so much debate among horror fans. It’s festive, furious, and definitely not your grandmother’s Christmas movie. Speaking of festive… I’ve made a terrible mistake. A catastrophic, buttery, powdered-sugar-dusted mistake. I have eaten too many Christmas cookies. Snickerdoodles, sugar cookies, those weird ones shaped like wreaths that somehow taste like almond extract and regret. At first, it was fine. Cozy, even. I told myself, “It’s the holidays! Calories don’t count.” But now? Now Christmas dinner is looming, and I’m sitting here staring at a plate of gingerbread men like they personally betrayed me. What if I can’t eat the ham? What if the mashed potatoes mean nothing to me anymore? This is the real horror. So I’m listening to Clay and Amanda talk about Black Christmas while clutching my stomach and questioning every decision I’ve made since December 1st. They’re discussing masked killers, secret societies, and whether the film earns its place in the franchise — and I’m wondering if I’ve ruined gravy for myself forever. Still, their conversation is sharp, thoughtful, and way more satisfying than my fourth cookie was. Join Clay and Amanda for this holiday horror deep dive. And take it from me: pace yourself. There’s always another cookie… but Christmas dinner only comes once a year. And don't forget to head over to patreon.com/thepenskyfile to follow Clay and Amanda as they wrap up their coverage of remakes and reboots, and join them in the new year for sequels!