Black Christmas • The Next Reel

"Agnes, it’s me – Billy!" Bob Clark may be best known for directing his Christmas classic, 1983’s A Christmas Story, but many people don’t know that he got his start in horror like so many other filmmakers, and that one of his first horror films was another Christmas story – Black Christmas. What’s so refreshing about watching this 1974 film is that it’s a slasher film that doesn’t feel as base as so many others that followed suit, but more importantly that it adopted the first person POV shot for the killer. Join us – Pete Wright and Andy Nelson – as we discuss this year’s holiday film, Clark’s ‘74 film Black Christmas. We talk about why this film worked for us and how it really came to be. We discuss Clark and how he directed this, but also how he took to the script to fill it with wonderful details for all of the characters and helped move the story’s setting to a college sorority house. We look at the cast – from Olivia Hussey and Keir Dullea to Margot Kidder and John Saxon – and why they all work so well here. And we talk about how well this film did at the box office and what that means for it when looking at the profits.  And we announce our Instagram #GuesstheMovie #2016 #PonyPrize challenge winner and runner up!  It’s a fun little horror romp and we have a great time celebrating Christmas with you all with this one. Check it out then tune in! Film Sundries Watch this film: iTunes • AmazonScript TranscriptOriginal theatrical trailerOriginal poster artworkFlickchartLetterboxd Trailers of the WeekAndy's Trailer: _Going in Style — "I’m not bitter at all that Zach Braff stole my idea of a group of senior citizens who decide to rob a bank. I’m not bitter at all. Bastard…. Oh, wait… you’re telling me this is a remake of a Martin Brest movie from ‘79 and that I’m the one stealing the idea? Damnitalltohell. Well, I’ll watch it, but I won’t like it. Now get off my lawn!"Pete's Trailer: Blade Runner 2049 — "Yes, it’s just a teaser. But it’s a teaser for Gosling in Blade Runner trying to run down Deckard. So, yes, I’m as excited for this movie as I was for The Force Awakens. Yes, Denis Villeneuve has given me much reason to be excited on the heels of Arrival. Yes, I’ll be pre-purchasing tix the hot second they’re available."Support The Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:Become a member for just $5/month or $55/yearJoin our Discord community of movie loversThe Next Reel Family of Film Podcasts:Cinema Scope: Bridging Genres, Subgenres, and MovementsThe Film BoardMovies We LikeThe Next Reel Film PodcastSitting in the DarkConnect With Us:Main Site: WebMovie Platforms: Letterboxd | FlickchartSocial Media: Facebook | Instagram | Threads | Bluesky | YouTube | PinterestYour Hosts: Andy | PeteShop & Stream:Merch Store: Apparel, stickers, mugs & moreWatch Page: Buy/rent films we've discussedOriginals: Source material from our episodesSpecial offers: Letterboxd Pro/Patron discount | Audible