Black Christmas

Play trailer

4:04

Black Christmas

R

Released Dec 20, 1974

1h 38m

Holiday

Horror

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

71%

Tomatometer

42 Reviews

76%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

As winter break begins, a group of sorority sisters, including Jess (Olivia Hussey) and the often inebriated Barb (Margot Kidder), begin to receive anonymous, lascivious phone calls. Initially, Barb eggs the caller on, but stops when he responds threateningly. Soon, Barb's friend Clare (Lynne Griffin) goes missing from the sorority house, and a local adolescent girl is murdered, leading the girls to suspect a serial killer is on the loose. But no one realizes just how near the culprit is.

Watch on Peacock

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

The rare slasher with enough intelligence to wind up the tension between bloody outbursts, Black Christmas offers fiendishly enjoyable holiday viewing for genre fans.

Read Critics Reviews

Anton Bitel

Little White Lies

Made at a time when there were as yet no fixed rules for the slasher subgenre, here anything goes, and the survival of neither virgin nor even final girl comes guaranteed.

Nov 13, 2017

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

Only Marian Waldman as the house-mother comes across with any life.

Dec 27, 2006

Full Review

Time Out

The film still manages a good slice of old-fashioned suspense.

Jun 24, 2006

Full Review

Alan Jones

Radio Times

Scores thanks to its stylish visuals, fiendishly inventive slaughter and unexpected twists.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 31, 2024

Full Review

Preston Barta

Denton Record-Chronicle

For those in search of more “slay” than “sleigh,” 'Black Christmas' offers a chilling experience.

Oct 25, 2024

Full Review

Trace Thurman

Horror Queers Podcast

Bob Clark's Black Christmas is a masterful exercise in tension. That it happens to be one of the most progressive horror films of the '70s is just an added bonus.

Rated: 5/5

Oct 21, 2024

Full Review

Read all reviews

Chris B

Boring and rubbish. This movie was not scary at all.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/06/25

Full Review

James B

While It can be boring I do like how the ending is left ambiguous and how the killer is still on the loose. I think it's a good film but could be a little more entertaining.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/31/25

Full Review

Patrick C

I am not a big fan of the old school slashers. Even Halloween was very boring to me. But of all the ones I've seen, this one wasn't too bad. It is funny and actually somewhat scary as well, and has fairly sympathetic and interesting characters.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/30/25

Full Review

M R

I thought it was ok. Maybe it was too overhyped, I dunno. Rating: 4.5/10

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/20/25

Full Review

GoPro G

This movie truly is one of the creepiest and horrifying movies ever imo and holds up 50 years later against anything put out today. For sure the most horrifying Christmas movie ever Only a handful of movies have ever given me the chills and this is one of them. The killer was absolutely diabolical. Bib Clark did an amazing job with this movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/23/24

Full Review

Joe M

A great classic Christmas horror flick. Margot Kidder is excellent... and gorgeous.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/22/24

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Bob Clark

Director

Olivia Hussey

Jessica Bradford

Margot Kidder

Barbie Coard

Keir Dullea

Peter Smythe

John Saxon

Lt. Ken Fuller

Marian Waldman

Mrs. Mac

Christmas Evil

57%

37%

Christmas Evil

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Christmas Evil

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers

39%

54%

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers

Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers

12%

36%

Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers

Watchlist

Graveyard Shift

0%

23%

Graveyard Shift

Watchlist

Rabid

77%

46%

Rabid

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Black Christmas: Trailer 1

4:04

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

As winter break begins, a group of sorority sisters, including Jess (Olivia Hussey) and the often inebriated Barb (Margot Kidder), begin to receive anonymous, lascivious phone calls. Initially, Barb eggs the caller on, but stops when he responds threateningly. Soon, Barb's friend Clare (Lynne Griffin) goes missing from the sorority house, and a local adolescent girl is murdered, leading the girls to suspect a serial killer is on the loose. But no one realizes just how near the culprit is.

Director: Bob Clark
Producer: Bob Clark
Screenwriter: Roy Moore
Distributor: Eclectic DVD Distribution, Warner Home Vídeo, Warner Bros.
Production Co: Film Funding Ltd. of Canada, August Films, Famous Players, Canadian Film Development Corporation (CFDC), Vision IV
Rating: R
Genre: Holiday, Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 20, 1974, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 13, 2016
Runtime: 1h 38m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

Most Popular at Home Now