Frequent theater-goer and film reviewer Gary DeWaard recognizes that nostalgia culture and Hollywood remakes are all the rage today. As for holiday horror movies, DeWaard believes the latest reboot of Black Christmas will be a definite crowd pleaser––at least for devoted horror fans.
In recent years, Gary DeWaard has witnessed how the holidays have transformed into a festive time for horror movies, with many getting theatrical releases between Thanksgiving and the New Year. As a fan of the horror film industry, he welcomes terrifying new spins on traditional holiday tales, though he admits not all seem to get off the ground during their initial releases.
“Many holiday horror movies tank at the box office while only a handful of others go down in the books as new classics that are to be enjoyed each year like a tradition,” says Gary DeWaard. “For instance, Black Christmas is a beloved holiday horror film that has been gathering a cult following since it first came out in the 70s. And here we are about to enjoy a new rendition of the film nearly half a century later.”
Movies like Krampus, which made four times its budget at the box office, prove to bring horror fans out to the movies during the holidays. Other attempts like Anna and the Apocalypse and Better Watch Out find more success later in home release sales and during TV appearances. The Black Christmas franchise to date has earned itself tens of millions of dollars in ticket sales alone, so fans like Gary DeWaard anticipate the latest reboot will find similar success this year.
Directed by Sophia Takal (All the Light in the Sky, Supporting Characters), the latest remake stays true to its slasher origins though it’s only ‘loosely based’ on the original film. The story follows a group of sorority sisters who become targeted by an unknown stalker while staying in their sorority house through the holidays. The film stars Imogen Poots, Aleyse Shannon, Lily Donoghue, Brittany O’Grady, Caleb Eberhardt, Simon Mead and Cary Elwes.
The filming was overseen by producers at Blumhouse Productions who today is considered by many to be the ultimate horror production house in operation. The studio has produced such landmark horror films in recent years as Get Out, Halloween, Paranormal Activity, Insidious, Sinister, The Purge, Oculus, The Visit and many others.
Black Christmas was also created in partnership with Adam Hendricks from the studio Divide/Conquer, and Ben Cosgrove. Greg Gilreath and Zac Locke, also from Divide/Conquer, served as executive producers for the film.
“There are a lot of great professionals with plenty of experience in the horror industry holding onto the reins of this franchise,” says Gary DeWaard. “I think audiences will be pleasantly surprised with this rendition, especially seeing how the sorority girls aren’t content being helpless victims this time around.”
