Black Christmas (1974)

Director:

Bob Clark

Writer:

Roy Moore (screenplay)

Release Date:

20 December 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

If this movie doesn't make your skin crawl... It's On Too Tight!

Plot:

A sorority house is terrorized by a stranger who makes frightening phone calls and then murders the sorority sisters during Christmas break.

Plot Keywords:

Sorority | Police | Sorority House | Christmas | Missing Person

Awards:

2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

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 (as Douglas McGrath)
Art Hindle	...	Chris
Lynne Griffin	...	Clare
Michael Rapport	...	Patrick
Leslie Carlson	...	Graham (as Les Carlson)
Martha Gibson	...	Mrs. Quaife
John Rutter	...	Laughing Detective
Robert Warner	...	Doctor
Syd Brown	...	Farmer
Jack Van Evera	...	Search Party
Les Rubie	...	Search Party
Marcia Diamond	...	Woman
Pam Barney	...	Jean
Robert Hawkins	...	Wes
David Clement	...	Cogan (as Dave Clement)
Julian Reed	...	Jennings
Dave Mann	...	Cop
John Stoneham Sr.	...	Cop (as John Stoneham)
Danny Gain	...	Cop
Tom Foreman	...	Cop
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John 'Frenchie' Berger	...	Man on snowmobile (uncredited)
Bob Clark	...	Prowler Shadow / Phone Voice (uncredited)
Nick Mancuso	...	The Prowler / Phone Voice (uncredited)
Debi Weldon	...	Sorority Girl (uncredited)

Directed by
Bob Clark

Writing credits
Roy Moore		(screenplay)

Produced by
Gerry Arbeid	....	co-producer
Bob Clark	....	producer
Findlay Quinn	....	executive producer
Richard Schouten	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Carl Zittrer

Cinematography by
Reginald H. Morris		(director of photography) (as Reg Morris)

Film Editing by
Stan Cole

Casting by
Karen Hazzard		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Karen Bromley

Makeup Department
David R. Beecroft	....	hairdresser (as David Beecroft)
Bill Morgan	....	makeup artist
Katherine Southern	....	assistant makeup artist (as Kathy Southern)

Production Management
Gary Goch	....	assistant production
David M. Robertson	....	production supervisor (as Dave Robertson)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Don Brough	....	third assistant director
John M. Eckert	....	second assistant director (as John Eckert)
Tony Thatcher	....	assistant director

Art Department
Keath Barrie	....	property buyer
John 'Frenchie' Berger	....	property master (as John {Frenchie} Berger)

Sound Department
David Appleby	....	sound mixer (as Dave Appleby)
Patrick Drummond	....	assistant sound editor
Rod Haykin	....	soundman
Kenneth Heeley-Ray	....	sound editor (as Ken Heeley-Ray)
Herb Heritage	....	boom
Bill O'Neill	....	sound mixer
Charles Owens	....	assistant sound editor

Special Effects by
Warren Keillor	....	special effects props (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Albert J. Dunk	....	camera operator (as Bert Dunk)
Peter Luxford	....	first assistant camera
Carmen McDermaid	....	key grip
Bob Milligan	....	gaffer
David Petty	....	second assistant camera
Bev Rockett	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Debi Weldon	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Rick Clarke	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Melody Greene	....	production assistant (as Melady Greene)
Barry Leyland	....	production comptroller
Sandra Marley	....	script supervisor (as Sandra Ulosevich)

Production Companies

• Film Funding Ltd. of Canada (as Film Funding)
• Vision IV
• Canadian Film Development Corporation (CFDC) (produced in co-operation with)
• Famous Players (produced in co-operation with)
• August Films (uncredited)

Distributors

• Ambassador Film Distributors (1974) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros (1974) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1978) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Tobis Filmkunst (1975) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• EMI Distribution (1974) (UK) (theatrical)
• Roxy International (1975) (Italy) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Alberto Bitelli Intl. Films (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Alive Vertrieb und Marketing (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Alliance Atlantis Home Video (2006) (Canada) (DVD)
• Capelight Pictures (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Critical Mass Releasing (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Eclectic DVD Distribution (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Eclectic DVD Distribution (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Future Film (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Home Box Office (HBO) (1977) (USA) (TV)
• Malo Video (198?) (Canada) (video)
• Millennium Storm (2006) (Italy) (VHS)
• Ninth Dimension Home Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD)
• Nordic Video (????) (Finland) (VHS)
• Palisades-Tartan Acquisitions (2008) (UK) (DVD)
• Popron Music & Publishing (2008) (Czech Republic) (DVD)
• Popron Music & Publishing (2008) (Slovakia) (DVD)
• Somerville House (2006) (Canada) (DVD) (North America) (widescreen)
• VSC (2000) (Canada) (DVD)
• Ventura Distribution (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Video Service Corporation (????) (Canada) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Mirrophonic Sound  sound recording (as Mirrophonic Sound Ltd)
• Panasonic  stereo and televisions by
• Pat Call Boutique  ladies wardrobe by

Also Known As:

"Silent Night, Evil Night" - USA
"Stranger in the House" - USA (TV title)

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:R | Norway:16 (1976) | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (video rating) (2003) | USA:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:A (Ontario) | Netherlands:12 | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Argentina:18 (re-rating) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Iceland:16 | Singapore:NC-16 | Finland:K-18 (DVD) (self applied) (2004) (2007) | USA:TV-MA | Argentina:X (original rating) | UK:X (original rating) (passed with cuts) | Canada:14A (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (2008) | West Germany:16 (f) | Germany:16 (DVD rating) | Canada:18+ (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

6 Clarendon Crescent, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Film Funding Ltd. of Canada

Trivia:

Minimal vulgarity from the phone calls were initially scripted, director Bob Clark read out rather tame dialogue for the actors to react to. However stronger coarse language was later looped in post-production for a stronger reaction.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: About seven minutes into the film, when "the moaner" calls, you can very clearly see the boom mic at the top of the frame as everyone gathers around the phone to listen.

Quotes:

Clare Harrison:[about the obscene phone call] Could that really be just one person?
Barb Coard:No Claire, it's the Mormon Tabernacle Choir making their annual obscene phone call.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Paper Boy (1994)

Soundtrack:

Black Christmas Killer's Theme

Great film for both fans and regular film goers.

This film was really great to watch when I saw it last Christmas. I was expecting more of a "Halloween" type film, except the fact that the always brilliant Margot Kidder was in it. So I was into it from the start. The film follows a sorority house on the days proceeding Christmas when a psycho stalker starts getting into the house and, quite frankly, under the girls skin. Then the murders begin. The

setting has been seen before, and so have the P.O.V. shots, but who cares?

This film was scary anyway.

Olivia Hussey is terrific and tense as the lead sorority sister, Jesse, who has the burden of dealing with all the other sisters' crisis problems. She looked really great too! And in the finale, she really played her role out for all it was worth.

Kier Dullea was descent. A little too humble for the role, and not as, well,

intimidating as he could have been. His scenes here are played out like a play. if not Broadway style, more conservative.

Margot Kidder, being as good as she is, was not surprisingly fabulous! Her

character was the rough tough stuff sister who drinks, swears, and is the only one of them who has the guts to show off some glitz.

The rest of the cast does just fine, particularly Andrea Martin as the soft spoken sister, John Saxon as the police chief who only wants to find the answer, and the actress who played Mrs. Mac was certainly worth the view too!

Writing wise this film was greatly and adroitly planned. The central theme of this film is that you can't trust anyone, friend or foe, and the scares are genuine, and come psychologically, instead of in your face like "Halloween" or "Friday the 13th." Bob Clark is in love with his actors as he photographs them in bright

exuberant colors, while his killer is photographed in jaundiced, grainy colors.

All in all, a very artistic film and very creepy to the bone. Great atmospheric music too!