Jun 2019
Bob Clark made an ultra-creepy Christmas classic back in 1974. It relied on mood, mystery, and dread, with the perfect amount of humor thrown into the mix. Top notch horror, and with that said... it didn't resonate to the studios for some 32 years. Then, somebody asked Santa for a new Black Christmas, and what did they get?
In 2006, some bastard finally decided to revive pop awareness of the original by directing the remake. Granted, the movie isn't half bad, with a great lighting scheme and some decent violence. However, the Billy backstory didn't really add anything except that we'd have more killer confrontations, but he's a character everyone always used to wonder about in the original, like who he was and where did he come from. I always assumed he came from a looney bin, and I'm more or less correct about that. By remake standards, it's pretty good. By regular standards, it's nothing new.
So after their success with Halloween last year, they move along to Black Christmas. It's good to hear that this company is doing it, because they put forth a proper effort. Still, is it too soon since the last remake? Or is it the perfect time for more Christmas carnage? It's got Imogen Poots, and I like her. How bad can it be?
I think horror fans have grown to accept that their favorite movies will be remade whether they should be or not, but fortunately, there are more and more ways that these older movies are becoming available, so the real thing is always out there if you want it.
As great as Black Christmas was though, it doesn't have a mythology around it like some franchises do. It's basically a few well-written characters getting picked off in a sorority house with a Christmas backdrop. It's the execution of the concept that makes it a wonderful movie, but I feel the story can easily go in one of many directions for this new movie. Hopefully, they try to keep it simple and creepy. That's the best I can hope for.
Unless they make this a direct sequel to the original, 45 years later. Kinda doubt that part though, but sequels to old movies are making a comeback, with Doctor Sleep being an example. I digress...
Do you care what happens to Black Christmas?
In 2006, some bastard finally decided to revive pop awareness of the original by directing the remake. Granted, the movie isn't half bad, with a great lighting scheme and some decent violence. However, the Billy backstory didn't really add anything except that we'd have more killer confrontations, but he's a character everyone always used to wonder about in the original, like who he was and where did he come from. I always assumed he came from a looney bin, and I'm more or less correct about that. By remake standards, it's pretty good. By regular standards, it's nothing new.
So after their success with Halloween last year, they move along to Black Christmas. It's good to hear that this company is doing it, because they put forth a proper effort. Still, is it too soon since the last remake? Or is it the perfect time for more Christmas carnage? It's got Imogen Poots, and I like her. How bad can it be?
I think horror fans have grown to accept that their favorite movies will be remade whether they should be or not, but fortunately, there are more and more ways that these older movies are becoming available, so the real thing is always out there if you want it.
As great as Black Christmas was though, it doesn't have a mythology around it like some franchises do. It's basically a few well-written characters getting picked off in a sorority house with a Christmas backdrop. It's the execution of the concept that makes it a wonderful movie, but I feel the story can easily go in one of many directions for this new movie. Hopefully, they try to keep it simple and creepy. That's the best I can hope for.
Unless they make this a direct sequel to the original, 45 years later. Kinda doubt that part though, but sequels to old movies are making a comeback, with Doctor Sleep being an example. I digress...
Do you care what happens to Black Christmas?
I don't expect another Black Christmas to blow me away, but it's all good. I'll see it. Takes nothing away from the original which I'm a major, major fan of (big deal sfpx, this is a horror forum, we're all major fans of it.. hey fuck you ballbuster!)