Black Christmas (1974)
Directed by Bob Clark. Starring Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder, Michael Rapport, Art Hindle, and John Saxon.
It's Christmas and the members of a sorority house keep getting obscene phone calls from an unknown individual. The girls attempt to get the police involved, but they don't want to know, even when one of the sorority girls goes missing. It's only when another girl is found mutilated in the nearby park the authorities get involved...but could it be too little, too late.
The original title of the films script was "Stop Me". It was director Bob Clark who came up with the title "Black Christmas" saying that he liked the irony of something dark occurring during such a festive holiday. Clark has also stated that the original script for the film featured murder scenes that were more graphic. Clark however felt that it would be more effective if the murders were toned down and made more subtle on screen, something screenwriter Ray Moore was also a fan of.
Have you seen Black Christmas? Is it essential Christmas viewing? Let me know in the comments below.