Black Christmas (1974)

1974’s Black Christmas is a film that greatly surpassed my expectations. Going into it on Joe Bob Briggs’ “Red Christmas” special, I expected a classic slasher from the time period: annoying characters you kinda hope will die, a classic Final Girl situation, and an outside world oblivious to the killer’s actions. However, it is my view that Black Christmas is thoughtful, relevant, and includes a number of impressive cinematic techniques, as well as a wealth of fascinating discussion points. In a predominantly female cast, I felt that the characters in the film, aside from those used only for comic relief, had a depth to their personality and were experiencing very real issues any college student might find themselves facing.

The very first thing that caught my eye in the film, aside from the killer’s chilling POV shots, was some of the costume choices in the first party scene of the film. Margot Kidder’s character Barb is wearing a black choker that says “YES,” and Olivia Hussey’s Jess is wearing a sweater depicting giant hands that cover her chest. While I doubt that Bob Clark intended for a commentary on consent to be made by the wardrobe in his film, that is where those subtle visuals took me as a viewer. Sexual harassment, and the agency of women to make their own choices, come up several times in Black Christmas. The obscene phone calls from Billy, Jess’ pregnancy, and the house mother’s mockery of Mr. Harrison’s insistence that his daughter is not in college to drink and pick up boys, all speak to important issues of women’s freedom that were relevant in 1974 and are relevant today.

The depictions of Jess’ pregnancy and desire for an abortion are particularly striking in the film. Her boyfriend Peter’s reactions honestly make him a more terrifying villain than the actual killer. While Billy’s bloodlust and obscene phone calls are certainly disturbing, an abusive boyfriend is a much more realistic threat for a woman in college to face. Peter’s violent outburst and vague threats are frankly chilling, and make it clear to the audience that getting an abortion should be Jess’s choice, and her choice alone. Another moment in the film drives this point home is that when Jess has to explain why she is afraid of Peter to Lieutenant Fuller, he does not chastise her for wanting an abortion. Instead, he takes her seriously, makes an effort to stop the obscene phone calls, and tries his best to reach the house before it is too late as Billy begins his final killing spree.

Despite the police believing that Peter was the killer and the case is closed, overall, Fuller responds very seriously to the concerns of the women in the film. Aside from the idiotic Sargent Nash, the women in this film are listened to and believed. As disgusting as Billy’s actions and language are, this film does not feel misogynistic in the way that many early slashers do. The female characters have agency in their world, make their own choices regarding their bodies and sexuality, and the men who try to help them are allowed to live, while the ones who threaten them are not. It’s true that Billy probably kills Jess following the closing credits, in classic slasher fashion, but I will remember Black Christmas as a film that did its female characters justice, even as it picked them off one by one.