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Black Christmas [DVD] [2006]
 
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Black Christmas [DVD] [2006]

DVD ~ Mary Elizabeth Winstead
3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
RRP: £15.99
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Black Christmas [DVD] [2006] 3.0 out of 5 stars (38)
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Product details

  • Actors: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Michelle Trachtenberg, Katie Cassidy, Oliver Hudson, Andrea Martin
  • Directors: Glen Morgan
  • Format: PAL
  • Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Classification: 15
  • Studio: Pathe Distribution
  • DVD Release Date: 19 Nov 2007
  • Run Time: 79 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B000V7ZMIC
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 6,626 in DVD (See Bestsellers in DVD)

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Reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review

Needless and unnecessary are two words that have little meaning in Hollywood, especially when you're talking sequels or remakes. Case in point: Black Christmas, the revisionist version of the 1974 horror thriller largely thought to be the proto-slasher movie (this was four years before the first Halloween installment). The original, from director Bob Clark, is still considered a masterpiece of tension, understatement, innovative camera perspective, economic efficiency (a polite way of saying "ultra-low budget"), and killing off pretty young girls in grisly ways without any cumbersome exposition regarding the psychopath's motives. This, by the way, from the same Bob Clark who would soon bring us the beloved Porky's franchise as well as Black Christmas's polar opposite, the sweetly nostalgic classic A Christmas Story.

Anyway, as needless and unnecessary as this remake is, it certainly delivers the goods on 21st-century slasher conventions as the sorority sisters of Alpha Kappa are picked off during Christmas break in ever more gruesome fashion. There's nothing wrong with all of this, particularly for fans of impalements, crushed skulls, ripped-out eyeballs, and some good old-fashioned Christmas cookie cannibalism. Writer-director Glen Morgan, who earned his own credibility as co-creator of the Final Destination series and the interesting 2003 remake of Willard adds a few clever visual homages to the original along with the amped-up extreme gore. Clark's device (was he the first to use it?) of creepy, mouth-breathing phone calls from killer to victim remains intact and creepy. He also resurrects Andrea Martin, one of the then-unknown actor victims who, now famous, plays the prim housemother. Another addition, which may not be so welcome to purists of the genre, is a load of exposition and backstory for the killer. Disturbing as these flashback set pieces are, they're also somewhat distracting to the foreboding tone. But you get what you pay for, and lots of people are going to pay dearly to dream of the shocking frights another Black Christmas will bring. --Ted Fry


Synopsis

Though it was only a mild success upon its release in 1974, the original BLACK CHRISTMAS (directed by Bob Clark, who would go on to direct A CHRISTMAS STORY in 1984) has become a cult favourite among horror buffs since the dawn of the home-video era. An early example of the 'body count' genre, the film also predates WHEN A STRANGER CALLS (1979) in its use of a killer making threatening phone calls that originate within his potential victims’ own house. In this remake, writer/director Glen Morgan takes the basics of Roy Moore's screenplay for the original to create an elaborate and almost comically disturbing back story for Billy, the killer who previously remained a mystery. A handful of sorority girls remain at their house on campus after the school shuts down for Christmas break. An ominous snowstorm blows in, isolating them. At the same time, a killer--who in this version escapes from a mental institution to return to his former family home--breaks into the attic and begins making terrifying phone calls to the girls.
Stylistically, Moore’s remake avoids casting the film in the ironic post-SCREAM or streamlined, gore-free Japanese-horror-inspired fright films of the late 1990s and early 2000s. Instead he makes BLACK CHRISTMAS in the style of a 1980s slasher film. The plentiful blood and guts will please fans of that era, as will tributes to the HALLOWEEN films. This, along with a soundtrack that eschews holiday standards in favour of modern pop music, plus a dim lighting scheme that relies heavily on coloured Christmas bulbs, combine to create an atmosphere of holiday dread in this fun update of what has become a horror classic.

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Customer Reviews

38 Reviews
5 star:
 (9)
4 star:
 (8)
3 star:
 (6)
2 star:
 (3)
1 star:
 (12)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.0 out of 5 stars (38 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars There is worse.... (BUT NOT MUCH!), 26 Aug 2008
By Mr. Garry Brown "Garry" (Norwich,England,UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
I love horror movies and action movies,thrillers/chillers and Gore filled movies. This film delivers gore in the Saw movies style which is crude and intense at some points.
It also delivers the acting quality that you would find from a film purchased from your local £1/99p store and WORSE by a gulf of a margin. The film does offer some appeal as the girls in the film are very attractive and there are the usual shower/bedroom scenes involved(But this does not save it from being rubbish!) This film follows the storyline of a 70's film of the same name(BUY THE ORIGINAL INSTEAD PLEASE!!!) Basically a John Capenters Halloween story RIPOFF. Oh did I say that outloud? cough! RIPOFF! RIPOFF! RIPOFF! oh thats better. Yes, a killer esacapes from a high security hospital at christmas(not halloween) and goes back to his house and trys to kill anyone there. The original got away with it(dues to its directors quality job creating a good horror atmosphere.) But the new one as my local video store boss told me before I made the mistake of going against his advice and hiring it.... WASTED 70 MINUTES OF HIS LIFE!!! If you are curious try this. I did and my life is now 70 MINUTES SHORTER THAN YOURS!!!! Yes I have seen worse but as my review title states... NOT BY MUCH BE WARNED!! THIS FILM IS CARDBOARDESC AMERICAN AT ITS WORST RUBBISH. NO ATMOSPHERE AND TRYS TO BE EVERYTHINIG IT ISENT IE OF SUCSTANCE AND SCARY OH AND IT PRENTENDS TO BE A FILM TOO.... IF YOU WANT TO BE SCARED TRY A CHILDRENS CARTOON. IF YOU WANT TO BE ENTERTAINED PAINT DRYING IS QUITE GOOD. IVE HAD A BETTER TIME PAYING A SPEEDING FINE ON MY DRIVING LICENCE!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars What a load of old tripe!!, 14 Mar 2008
By C. Godridge (Wigan, England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
I couldn't wait to see this & in my haste (as it seemed to take forever to go from the cinema to dvd) I watched the original (rented, then bought, it's fantastic & genuinely scary).

This was one of the worst films I have ever seen!! It makes no sense, I dont want to post spoilers but there are parts that have nothing to do with anything!! It's just gore for the sake of gore & the only thing it has in common with the original is the setting, a sorority house.

Original, highly recommended, this, avoid at all costs.

For reference on my movie taste in general some of my favourite horror films are Night of the Living Dead (remake), Predator, Aliens, Wrong Turn, The Descent, Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Horror films I thought were rubbish - Driller Killer, When a stranger calls, (remake), scanners, American Psycho.

Hope this helps! :-)
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17 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars A bit disappointed, 31 Oct 2007
By Andrew Kerr (Scotland) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   
Black Xmas is a remake of the classic 1974 horror of the same title. What I liked about the original film was exactly that, it was original, and in the age of remakes I was curious to see how successful a remake of a film that was generally not the most well known seventies horror was done. And to tell you the truth I'm not sure about Black Xmas. As I was reading the other customers reviews before purchasing the DVD, one thing became obvious and that is there is a vast divide about this film. Some people say that it is excellent while others are saying it is just rubbish. Personally I should point out that I am a bit disappointed for various reasons I will go into later in the review. But is it fair for me to be disappointed? After all Black Xmas is essentially a 21st century slasher film just in time for Halloween and in terms of guts and gore the film delivers on a silver platter. So am I expecting too much and looking for the wrong things? Black Xmas produces a good atmosphere with brightly lit colourful Christmas scenes and festive music. But at the same time it seems to be lacking suspense and mystery. I have to say that unfortunately the acting from the mostly female cast is less than inspiring and believable. Michelle Trachtenberg who plays Melissa is one of my favourite actresses and I thought she was amazing in Eurotrip and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but I feel that her performance in Black Xmas is shallow and like the other actresses very emotionless and plain. Black Xmas is definitely a film for Halloween but with the exception of the Christmas sound track which adds to the atmosphere, the film lacks a decent sound track (something which I believe is critical for a good horror.) Don't get me wrong the film is generally an alright film and I have seen far worse ("Ice Cream Man") I think I'll go and watch Black Xmas again and maybe amend or update this review as the film definitely deserves another chance. However I would recommend that if possible you rent before you buy to avoid disappointment and to make up your own mind.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars blaCK CHRISTMAS
Delivery of this dvd was very fast. Unfortunately the film was not as good as expected.
Published 1 month ago by D. St John

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun Remake
I was originally quite reluctant to watch yet another "remake" after seeing awful remakes of "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre", "Halloween" and the rest, but thought I would give it... Read more
Published 8 months ago by S. Hacking

4.0 out of 5 stars Christmas shivers
This is a remake of horror film Black Christmas [1974]. I just got this on a whim last Christmas - the media reviews (from decent sources) weren't fantastic, but I thought I'd... Read more
Published 11 months ago by GG in GB

3.0 out of 5 stars Not great but not that bad either...
Many compare this film with the film it is a remake of but this condemns black Xmas strait away so dont do that! Read more
Published 11 months ago by Mr. Per A. Edwards

4.0 out of 5 stars Gorey remake of the 1974 version
The original Black Xmas was good for its day but I believe that the classic needed to be remade as it was beginning to show its age. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Langdon Ulder

4.0 out of 5 stars A bit slow but a great movie
Black christmas is a brilliant movie I thourouly enjoyed. It is a bit slow to begin with, but the flashbacks are needed to tell the story, plus have a good tale. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Mrs. S. Cant

1.0 out of 5 stars utter rubbish
This is one of the most boring films I have ever watched. For those who don't know, this is a remake of the 1970s classic. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Mr. N. D. Havers

1.0 out of 5 stars infantile
rubbish,boring,predictable just not any good,this film is all of that and more.its films like this that make horror films so damn depressing at times
Published 17 months ago by martin thomas

5.0 out of 5 stars Underrated - just like the original on its release
Both Black Christmases have been underrated on release - the original wasn't really picked up (except in Canada) on release in 1974 and has become a worldwide sleeper "hit" in the... Read more
Published 19 months ago by A. W. Scullion

3.0 out of 5 stars A Competent Though Flawed Slasher
The original Black Christmas is already considered a classic horror film, especially by slasher film standards. Read more
Published 20 months ago by David Rush

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