I'm caught up on all the events! It's a holiday miracle!!

There I go, tempting The Fates once again.  But I feel pretty good about getting all the events I've found, including several announcements for cons coming in 2024, on the site.  I still have a few movies to add being shown towards the end of the month, but I'm calling my site up to date!

But I still have the feeling some holiday events are creeping up behind me.

The Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy Calendar, as I mentioned, has plenty of news about the great events coming in 2024, so take a look.  Just remember, it's always being updated, and you know I'll have even more to share in the coming months.

In this edition of the Weekly Update, you'll find details on the local theaters showing both Godzilla Minus One and The Boy and the Heron, several Krampus haunted attractions, and lots of great holiday films and stage events.  You'll be amazed at all the things for Horror/Sci Fi/Fantasy Fans to go see this week!

If I missed your event, I'm sorry.  I think Facebook has changed the site's algorithm, and I'm not getting notifications from some events as frequently.  If you want to make sure your event is on the site, please email me the details and promotional art at shadowoverportland@live.com, and I'll be sure to post it.

By the way, if you haven't seen Godzilla Minus One yet, do check it out on the big screen.  It's amazing, and easily one of the best films of the year (review to come).

Anyway, time to get the Weekly Update out on the web.  Happy Holidays, stay safe, and I'll be back next Friday with more great things to do under The Shadow Over Portland!

Happening This Week

Live Attractions 

Kate Hamill's adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really, will be at the U.S. Bank Main Stage at the Portland Center Stage at the Armory (128 NW 11th Ave in Portland, OR) through Sunday, December 24.  Sounds like a great way to spend Christmas Eve!  The show is in previews from Sunday, November 26 to Thursday, November 30, with the opening on Friday, December 1.  

The Halloween Cultural Preservation Museum have posted updated hours for December.  The museum is located in Lloyd Center (2201 Lloyd Center in Portland, OR), on the second floor inside the former Spenser's, next to Brickdeculous.  Admission is $5.

Alberta Abbey (126 NE Alberta St in Portland, OR) presents The Empire Strips Back: A Burlesque Parody through Saturday, December 9.  This is an 18 and older event. 

Jurassic Quest continues stomping across the Pacific Northwest this month, stopping at the Ford Idaho Sports Center (16200 N Idaho Center Blvd in Nampa, ID) from Friday, December 8 through Sunday, December 10, with a final stop at the Washington State Fairgrounds (100 9th Ave SW in Puyallup, WA) from Friday, December 15, to Sunday, December 17.

Hidden Worlds: The Films of LAIKA is open at the Museum of Pop Culture (located in the Seattle Center; 325 5th Ave N in Seattle, WA).  The exhibit features never-before-seen artifacts from the Laika production studios, immersive set displays, character interactive and a sneak peek at the studio's next feature, Wildwood.  The exhibit will be open through Summer 2024.

 

The Museum of Pop Culture (325 5th Ave N in Seattle, WA) has Jim Henson puppets and set pieces from the 2019 Netflix series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance on display now.  You can read about the display, and the work the museum put into displaying the artifacts, at the link.

Back in Theaters

HEY YOU GUYS!  The Goonies playing at McMenamins Kennedy School (5736 NE 33rd Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 14).

Yippee Ki Yay, Mother F*er!  The Christmas action classic Die Hard is playing at the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 14)

The cheesy holiday film Santa Claus Conquers the Martians is playing at the Academy Theatre (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 14). 

Monty Python and the Holy Grail is playing at the Darkside Cinema (215 SW 4th St in Corvallis, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 14).

The holiday fantasy It's a Wonderful Life is playing at The Grand Illusion (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 28).

Joe Dante's holiday horror classic Gremlins is playing at McMenamins St Johns (8203 N Ivanhoe St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, December 13) and the Kiggins Theatre (1011 Main St in Vancouver, WA; scheduled through Sunday, December 10). 

The Muppet Christmas Carol is playing at Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, December 13).

The Cassandra Cat, about a feline able to change the color of a person as it reveals their hidden character, is playing at The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) tonight at 7 pm, and at 2 pm on Sunday, December 10.

The Olympia Film Society brings The Running Man to the Capitol Theater (206 5th Ave SE in Olympia, WA) today at 4 pm, on Sunday, December 10, at 7 pm, and Thursday, December 14, at 7 pm.

The Olympia Film Society Kids Club presents Jim Henson's dark fantasy Labyrinth at 1 pm every Sunday this month at the Capitol Theater (206 5th Ave SE in Olympia, WA).  Kids 12 and under are admitted FREE.

First Run Features  

Godzilla Minus One is playing at  Studio One (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 14),  the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, December 13), the Yelm Cinema (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 14), CineMagic (2021 SE Hawthrone Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 7), the Academy Theater (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 14), McMenamins Bagdad Theater (3702 SE Hawthorne Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, November 6), Studio One (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 7), the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 7), and the Ark Lodge Cinemas (4816 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Sunday, December 10).

Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR) will show both the dubbed and subtitled version of Hayao Miyazaki's latest animated feature, The Boy and the Heron, scheduled through Wednesday, December 13 (subtitled version) and Thursday, December 14 (dubbed version), as will the Laurelhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 14), and the Yelm Cinema (201 Prairies Park St SE in Yelm, WA).  SIFF Cinema Uptown (511 Queen Anne Ave N in Seattle, WA) will show both versions through Thursday, December 14 (dubbed version on the 1 pm showing on Saturday and Sunday only), the Living Room Theaters (341 SW 10th Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 14) will show both versions, and the Hollywood Theater (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) is showing the dubbed version through Thursday, December 21, and the subtitled version through Wednesday, December 20, as well as the Pickford Film Center (1318 Bay St in Bellingham, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 21).  The dubbed version is playing at the Yelm Cinema (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 14), and  both versions are playing at the Ark Lodge Cinemas (4816 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Sunday, December 10).  The dubbed and subtitled versions will open on Friday, December 8, at CineMagic (2021 SE Hawthrone Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 21), and the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 14).  The film opens tonight at the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre (508 S Main St in Moscow, ID; scheduled through Thursday, December 21) and the both subtitled and dubbed versions open at the Academy Theatre (7818 SE Stark St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 21), Studio One (3945 Se Powell Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 14), the Darkside Cinema (215 SW 4th St in Corvallis, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 14), and The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 14).  The dubbed version is playing at the Tracyton Movie House (1520 NE Riddell Rd in Bremerton, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, December 13).

Wow, this is getting messy.  Please check the links to find out what version is playing at the theater near you.

The holiday slasher It's a Wonderful Knife is playing at The Grand Illusion (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Wednesday, December 13).

The folk horror film Lord of Misrule is playing at the Metro Cinemas (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 14).

Here's one that was off my radar.  And now I see why.  The Shift, a take on the biblical story of Job (only this time, the character is hopping about various alternate worlds trying to get back to the woman he loves), is playing at the Sandy Cinema (16605 Champion Way in Sandy, OR; scheduled through Wednesday, December 13), and the Yelm Cinema (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 14).  Yeah, it's a religious sci fi movie, from the studio that gave us Sound of Freedom.  Nothing wrong with that, just figured you should know

John Woo's action Christmas film Silent Night is playing at the Yelm Cinema (201 Prairie Park St SE in Yelm, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 14).

The dark comedy fantasy Dream Scenario, starring Nicolas Cage, is playing at The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 14), Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 14), the Pickford Film Center (1318 Bay St in Bellingham, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 14), the Metro Cinemas (888 Willamette St in Eugene, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 14), the Lauralhurst Theater (2735 E Burnside St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 14), the Salem Cinema (1127 Broadway St NE in Salem, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 14), the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 14), Studio One (3945 SE Powell Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 14), SIFF Cinema Uptown (511 Queen Anne Ave N in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 14), Living Room Theaters (341 SW 10th Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 14), the Darkside Cinema (215 SW 4th St in Corvallis, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 14), and the St Johns Twin Cinema (8704 N Lombard St in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 14).

Film Festival Submission Information 

 

The BoneBat Comedy of Horrors Film Fest 2024, taking place on Saturday, April 13, 2024, at the SIFF Cinema Egyptian (805 E Pine St in Seattle, WA) is now accepting submissions through Friday, March 1.  Visit the link for details.

Kickstarter Campaigns

The BoneBat Comedy of Horrors Film Fest 2024 has started a Kickstarter campaign for the 2024 festival.  As of December 7, you have 7 days to help back the festival.  Visit this link for details.

December, 2023  

Friday, December 8

Weird Elephant at The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA) will screen the George Romero classic Dawn of the Dead tonight and tomorrow night at 10 pm.

Godzilla Minus One is playing at the North Bend Theatre (125 Bendigo Blvd N in North Bend, WA) tonight and tomorrow.

Mary Harron's American Psycho, starring Christian Bale, is playing at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) tonight at 11 pm.

The PAM CUT Tomorrow Theater (3530 SE Division St in Portland, OR) will screen Room 237, the documentary exploring various theories about hidden meanings in Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, tonight at 6 pm.  Separate admission required.

But stick around, as the PAM CUT Tomorrow Theater (3530 SE Division St in Portland, OR) will screen Stanley Kubrick's The Shining Backwards and Forwards.  Yep, you can watch the film backwards and forwards at the same time, accompanied by a live score from Corey J Brewer.  I'd suggest being careful what you ingesting during this screening.

Saturday, December 9

Lady Raven Productions presents the 10th annual Vespertine Winter Ball from 9 pm to 2 am tonight at the Portland Art Museum Kridel Grand Ballroom (1119 SW Park Ave in Portland, OR).  This is a 21 and older event, and a formal dress code is enforced.  Think a formal attire, white winter, woodland-creature, Gothic gala, and check out the photo gallery for a sense of the dress code and costume ideas.

An encore screening of A Disturbance in the Force is scheduled for 2 pm today at the Kiggins Theatre (1011 Main St in Vancouver, WA).

The Muppet Christmas Carol is playing at the Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) today at noon.

Max Fleischer's animated version of Gulliver's Travels plays at 3 pm today at the Whiteside Theatre (361 SW Madison Ave in Corvallis, OR).

The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA) will screen Neil Breen's sci fi thriller Cade: The Tortured Crossing tonight at 9:15 pm, with a final showing on Saturday, December 30, at 9:15 pm.

Andy Milligan's Seeds, about a caustic family reunion that brings out the murderous rage in someone, is playing at 9:30 pm tonight at The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA).

The Family Pictures series at the Hollywood Theater (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) will screen The Muppet Christmas Carol today and tomorrow at 2:30 pm.

UPDATE: Both shows are SOLD OUT.

Sunday, December 10

The PAM CUT Tomorrow Theater (3530 SE Division St in Portland, OR), along with The Numberz, will screen horror writer/director Sommer-Breeze Martin's short film Swipe Left, followed by a Q and A, then a screening of Bomani J. Story's The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster.  Doors open at 5 pm with a live DJ set, with the short starting at 5:30 pm.

The Olympia Film Society Kids Club is showing The Nightmare Before Christmas every Sunday at 1 pm through December 24 at the Capitol Theater (206 5th Ave SE in Olympia, WA) through December 24.  Kids 12 and under are admitted FREE.

Joe Dante's holiday horror classic Gremlins is playing at the Roxy Theatre (270 4th St in Bremerton, WA) tonight at 7 pm.

Tuesday, December 12

The holiday zombie musical Anna and the Apocalypse is playing at The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Monday, December 18).  You can read my review of the film here.

The folk horror film Viy-Spirit of Evil is playing at The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) tonight at 7:30 pm.

Wednesday, December 13

Church of Film brings The Snake Girl and the Silver-Haired Witch, based on Kazuo Umezu's manga, to the Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR) tonight at 7 pm. 

Trek Nights at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) will screen Star Trek Into Darkness tonight at 7:30 pm.

The Science on Screen series at the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre (508 S Main St in Moscow, ID) will show Christopher Nolan's sci fi film Interseller tonight at 7 pm.

Thursday, December 14

Raven's Manor (235 SW 1st Ave in Portland, OR) is hosting Circus Obscura, a series of wicked performances by Night Flight Aerial tonight at 8 pm.  Buy your tickets at the link.

Baron Von Terror brings the over-the-top Dial Code Santa Claus (AKA 36-15 Code Pere Noel and Deadly Games) to Central Cinema (1411 21st Ave in Seattle, WA) tonight at 8 pm.  And yes, it sounds like a rip-off of Home Alone, but the film was release one year earlier, and writer/director Rene Manzor was threatening to sue for plagiarism.  Believe me, this ain't no family film.  You can read my review here.

Poor Things, based on Alasdair Gray's novel about a young woman who is resurrected after her suicide to embark on an odyssey of self-discovery and sexual liberation, is playing at Cinema 21 (616 NW 21st Ave in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 21), the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR; scheduled through Thursday, December 28), and SIFF Cinema Egyptian (805 E Pine St in Seattle, WA; scheduled through Thursday, December 21).

SIFF Cinema Uptown (511 Queen Anne Ave N in Seattle, WA) will show The Muppet Christmas Carol through Sunday, December 17.

The Moscow Film Society brings Tim Burton's Batman Returns to the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre (508 S Main St in Moscow, ID) tonight at 7 pm.

Friday, December 15

Mill Creek Haunted Prison (5465 Turner Rd SE in Salem, OR) is set to deliver holiday fear with all new haunts through Sunday, December 17.

The Fear PDX Haunted House (12219 NE Glisan Street in Portland, OR) presents Krampus The Frightmare Before Christmas, Portland's largest Krampus event, through Sunday, December 17.

Strangest Things Haunted Farm (8917 Sprague Rd in Eugene, OR) opens its 2023 Christmas Haunt tonight.  The attraction is open Friday and Saturday, December 15, 16, 22 and 23, with a final chance to get scared on Saturday, December 30.

A Christmas Horror Story-Christmas Haunted House (1301 Grade St in Kelso, WA) is open tonight and tomorrow to fill you with holiday FEAR!   You'll find four Christmas-themed haunted house, have a chance to have your photo taken with Krampus, and MORE!

Friday Night Frights brings the holiday horror classic Krampus to the Blue Mouse Theatre (2611 N Proctor St in Tacoma, WA) tonight at 10 pm.  You can read my review of the film here.

The Sense of Wonder series at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) will screen Joe Dante's unsettling kid's movie Small Soldiers tonight at 7:30 pm.  Hey, what do you expect from Joe Dante?

The Future of Film is Female series at the PAM CUT Tomorrow Theater (3530 SE Division St in Portland, OR) will screen director Jennifer Reeder's horror film Perpetrator, with Reeder in attendance for a Q and A, tonight at 6 pm.

Violet Hex presents a queer celebration and screening of David Lynch's Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me tonight at the Clinton Street Theater (2522 SE Clinton St in Portland, OR).  The show starts with a themed Twin Peaks drag show, followed by the film.  It all starts at 7 pm.

The Future of Film is Female series at the PAM CUT Tomorrow Theater (3530 SE Division St in Portland, OR) will screen Piaffe, the tale of introverted Eva, forced to take a job as a Foley artist when her sister suffers a nervous breakdown.  As she struggles to create sounds for a commercial featuring a horse, a horsetail grows out of her body.  Sounds strange enough to be included here!

The Rio Theatre (1660 East Broadway in Vancouver, BC) will screen Bob Clark's Christmas classic (No, the OTHER one), 1974's Black Christmas tonight at 11:30 pm.

The supernatural Christmas slasher film Blood Beat, which involves a figure in a samurai outfit murdering the townsfolk, is playing at The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) tonight at 9:30 pm.  Just look at the poster and you'll know what you're in for.

The Bad Sci-Fi series at the North Bend Theatre (125 Bendigo Blvd N in North Bend, WA) brings the cheesy holiday film Santa Claus Conquers the Martians to the big screen tonight at 10 pm.

Weird Elephant at The Grand Cinema (606 Fawcett Ave in Tacoma, WA) will screen the Finnish Christmas horror film Rare Exports tonight and tomorrow night at 10 pm.

The Muppet Christmas Carol is playing at is playing at the Kiggins Theatre (1011 Main St in Vancouver, WA; scheduled through Monday, December 18).

Saturday, December 16

The Oregon Symphony will perform the score to The Muppet Christmas Carol, as the film plays on the big screen, at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (1037 SW Broadway in Portland, OR) today at 2 and 7:30 pm, and tomorrow at 2 pm.

Wyrd War brings the uncut version of Amando de Ossorio's Tombs of the Blind Dead to the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) tonight at 9:30 pm.

VHS Uber Alles brings the tale of an evil elf causing holiday mayhem to The Grand Illusion Cinema (1403 NE 50th St in Seattle, WA) at 9:30 pm in GLORIOUS VHS.

The Empire Pictures slice of cheesy goodness Trancers is playing at The Beacon (4405 Rainier Ave S in Seattle, WA) tonight at 9:30 pm.  A young Helen Hunt costars with Tim Thomerson (Dollman).

Sunday, December 17

The Christmas fantasy classic It's a Wonderful Life is playing at the Roxy Theatre (270 4th St in Bremerton, WA) today at 12:30 pm, and on Tuesday, December 19, at 4 pm.

The Sequelopolis series at the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy Blvd in Portland, OR) brings Batman Returns back to the big screen today at 3:45 and 7:30 pm.

Black Christmas (Black X-Mas) (2006)

Well, it's the second most WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR, and time to get the 12 Reviews of Christmas started.  After all, there's plenty of holiday fear to spread, and I'm...

Hello, Chris.  Can I interrupt for a moment?

Who are you?

The Ghost of Christmas Past.  Haven't you promised the 12 Reviews of Christmas before, and came up short?

Yeah, well, that was due to factors beyond my control.

And this season will be different?

Well... Um... Yeah.  I hope.  Hey, I've got the first one out on December, um, third.  It's a start.

Well, you go for it.  I'll be cheering you on.  And checking up on your progress.  No pressure.

Oh great.  Now, where was I?  Oh yeah, Black X-Mas.  A remake of Bob Clark's classic written and directed by Glen Morgan, (who received Clark's blessings on the project), the film was released on December 25, 2006.  And while it's definitely not the classic the original was, but it's still pretty fun if you're in the mood for some gory Christmas fun.

But the film has some problems.  The script doesn't give Morgan's cast much to work with, and he commits the same issue most filmmakers who are fans of the original work make with their remakes.  And finally, the Weinsteins (to no one's surprise) demanded changes from Morgan, and put out a problematic trailer.

Before heading there, let's look at the plot.  While Morgan delivers a nice twist in the final act, this remake follows the original script.  A bunch of sorority sisters are murdered by a killer in their house, they receive a threatening phone call, a family member shows up wondering why her sister is missing, and we even get a red herring boyfriend.  

So far, you'd think such a basic plot would work in the film's favor.  But, as I mentioned earlier, the script has some problems.  To start, the killer, Billy, is in a high security mental facility at the start of the film, and escapes because a security guard doesn't follow proper procedures or even common sense.  Look, I know characters in horror films often have to do something stupid (like split up, go in the basement; the list is endless) to keep the story moving.  But it really annoys me that Morgan couldn't figure out a better way to open his film than using this lame troupe.  And, given the opening of the original, Morgan might have figured out a way to deliver a fresh take on the killer POV shot.

Yeah, maybe I should have called for back up before entering the cell.

Another problem with the script is the main characters.  In Clark's film, each of the sisters have their own personalities, developed through their dialogue and actions in the film.  Granted, the original takes place over a couple days (the remake takes place in one night), giving a bit more time for character development.  But there's a sameness to the sisters in Morgan's script.  Had the cast, including Katie Cassidy, Michelle Trachenberg and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, been given more to work with, they could have delivered believable characters, rather than portraying stereotypical, privileged sorority girls. 

What makes me different from the other girls in this scene?  Well, I drink too much, then vomit on the table.

And the film falls into the curse of Fan-Made Remakes.  Like Rob Zombie with his version of Halloween, Morgan gives us an extensive back story for the killer, trying to explain what drove Billy to terrorize the sorority.  And, oh my, we get the trifecta of murder, abuse and incest, which leads Billy to snap one Christmas, attacking his family before making Christmas cookies from his dead mother's skin.

Attempting to explain the killer's origins might sound like a good idea, but it comes with a risk.  Far too often, such a backstory will also demystify what made the killer so terrifying in the original.  The less we know about the killer and their motives, the scarier their presence becomes, because they become a force of unexplainable chaos in an otherwise orderly world.  

Also, extensive backstories risk creating empathy for the killer, as in this film.  By the time Billy's story is put on screen, the audience is thinking, "Yeah, I get why he's doing this.  Anyone would be driven insane after all that."  This ends up justifying the killer's actions and, in effect, making them less terrifying.

I'm not saying Morgan was wrong for giving Billy a backstory, and some of the details come into play at the end of the film.  But we didn't need the extensive scenes of abuse heaped upon Billy.  Mrs. Mac (Andrea Martin, who played sorority girl Phyl in the original) could have delved into his story as she explains the tradition of leaving a present for Billy under the Christmas tree, giving the audience all the information needed for the twist ending to work.  Also, she could have introduced some ambiguity in the tale ("They say he...."), making it more a campfire (okay, fireplace in this case) tale akin to an urban legend.  

And she could have mentioned how close the facility where Billy in being held.  Seriously, Billy walked there in a couple hours, and the cops aren't heading for the house?  Okay, the cops are called once the girls figure out they have a killer in the house, but the 911 operator responds by saying the snow is preventing the police from responding.  That might fly (barely) in Portland, OR, where no one knows how to drive in the snow.  But the film establishes the setting has lots of snow during the holiday season.  The cops wouldn't be hampered by icy streets.  And this is a sorority house at a college campus, not a cabin in the woods with only one road leading in or out.  Even a downed tree or phone line wouldn't keep the authorities from coming, despite how the film makes the house look isolated.

Okay, sorry for that rant about the snowfall.  Let's get back to the main point.  Had Morgan used the killer POV in the opening, we wouldn't be wondering how Billy got there.  He just did.  Sometime, you just don't have to explain things when writing a script, if you set things up right. 

Come on.  I'm already telling the story of Billy.  Give me a few more lines, and let's cut the unnecessary scenes to come.

Adding to the film's issues were the Weinsteins.  The brothers had issues with the tone of the film, and Bob Weinstein scrapped Morgan's original ending, a direct homage to Clark's film that works better than excessive, action packed and pretty improbable finale released in theaters.  And is much less cliche-ridden, as the Weinstein-mandated ending takes place in a hospital, yet the Final Girl is easily tracked down in her room.  Oh, and the door doesn't open properly.  You know that's gonna come into play real soon!  Oh man, where have horror fans seen this before.

But the worse thing the Weinsteins did was release this trailer...

If you've seen the film, you'll notice multiple scenes that aren't in the movie.  These weren't shot and discarded at some point in post-production (as happens), but were filmed by the Weinstein's with no intention to add them into the film.  The idea was to make the film seem more action-filled than the creepy movie Morgan delivered.  

Morgan claims the Weinsteins contacted him and told they wanted to "pick up some shots for TV spots," and he gave his consent.  It doubt that would have been the case, had he know what was going into the trailer.  And I'm sure lots of audience members were upset to find the trailer flat out lied about the kills in the film.

And the backlash that accompanied the film's release on Christmas Day was predictable.  As with Silent Night, Deadly Night, Christian groups slammed the film, especially the decision to release it on December 25th.  Critics did the same, with columnist Nikki Finke wondered "...just how many disturbed human beings does The Weinstein Company and MGM think actually want to go see a gory movie on December 25?"  

Well, you can count me as one such disturbed humans, Finke.  Like many horror fans, I respect the season, but don't mind something dreadful to cut down the saccharine-overdose imposed upon the holiday.  Also, such critics forgot that Christmas horror-themed tales go back over a century, the most notable being Charles Dickens short stories like The Story of the Goblins who Stole a Sexton and his novel A Christmas Carol.  While not as gruesome as Black Christmas, these tales show that Christmas could be a time for holiday fear, even if the ending of these tales is more uplifting than some modern examples.

Yeah, this isn't scary at all.

As for the kills, they are very gory (at least in the Unrated Cut).  If you're not a fan of Fulci-level ocular trauma, you might want to cover your eyes during a few scenes (pun intended).  And while Trachtenberg's original death (shown on the DVD in the deleted scenes) was pretty graphic, I chuckled when she's killed by a pair of ice skates (her film, Ice Princess, was released in 2005).  

Black X-Mas isn't the classic the original film is, nor, I suspect, is it trying to be.  Despite the issues with the script, and the studio interference, the film made back over twice its budget during its theatrical run, and is an entertaining addition to the holiday slasher sub-genre.  It delivers the gore, is well acted, and has a nice twist at the end.  You can't ask for much more on a cold winter night when you just want to watch a fun, splattery holiday horror.

While the film is available to stream on several sites (both free and subscription-only), the film was only released on DVD in 2007, but no Blu-ray release (except in Germany and Canada).  And as the film made the same amount of money on home video as it did in theaters, maybe it's time for a Blu-ray release.  Shout Factory, are you reading this review?  I'm hoping you are.

Deck the halls with bowels of Clair.  Fa la la la la.

You can read my review of the original film here.