December 25, 2025 • 33 mins
Black Christmas (2006) | Updating a classic for the Saw era
On Christmas Eve, an escaped maniac returns to his childhood home, which is now a sorority house, and begins to murder the sorority sisters one by one.
If there's one thing I'm not nostalgic for, it's the extreme horror trend of the 2000's
spoilers begin at 13:51
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On Christmas Eve, an escaped maniac returns to his childhood home, which is now a sorority house, and begins to murder the sorority sisters one by one.
If there's one thing I'm not nostalgic for, it's the extreme horror trend of the 2000's
spoilers begin at 13:51
ghostbeast.com
check our Youtube and for video content
support us at ghostbeast.bigcartel.com and merchyeah.com/ghostbeast
contact us at podcast@ghostbeast.com
Want to hear your story on Susto? Fill out the Letters From the Beyond form or visit SustoPodcast.com to be shared on the show!
Become a Patron here! Subscribe to Susto's YouTube channel!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Hey, cool friends, It's me Adrian or Aiden.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Either way, I.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Am still your host, but you are not listening to
SUSTO this week. Welcome to the twenty twenty five Sustal Swapathon.
That is right, I feel like I primed you already
for this. I gave you all the heads up in
the month of December. I am taking time off from
the production cycle of Sustal and I am bringing to
you shows that I think that you will enjoy as
(00:50):
much as I do. So I'm sorry you're probably gonna
get sick of hearing this specific introduction for these next
couple weeks throughout December, but I just wanted to make
sure to mind you all about what is going on,
so that when you hear this, you're not like, what
the hell?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Where is Aiden? Did he ghost us?
Speaker 4 (01:06):
You get it kidding? I would never do that to you.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
However, I would like to introduce you to some more
content and more creators that I really think that you
would enjoy. If you do, please make sure that you
go to these shows pages, that you follow them wherever
they are available. And yeah, I will be back in
twenty twenty six. I hope that you are having a
wonderful holiday season. As I mentioned before the break started,
I listen. I'm still online, so just because there are
(01:29):
no new Sustal episodes, believe me, y'all know I'm chronically online,
so you can find me on there. Feel free to
send me a message, send me an email. I love
hearing from you all, and continue to send in your
letters from the beyond by visiting sustalpodcast dot com or
my link tree so that we can have some fun
stuff to talk about come twenty twenty six, which I
can't believe that this year happened already. That's wild to me. Anyway,
(01:51):
we're gonna go ahead and get into today's feature. I
really hope that you enjoy it and I will see
you all in the next year.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Bye.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
Ghost Beast Horror Podcast. I'm Todd, joined by why does
it sound weird?
Speaker 2 (02:25):
I thought we were just doing a test. I didn't
know we were doing.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
A podcast, horror podcast. I'm Todd, joined by mayfe Becca Hi,
and we're gonna watch every horror movie together, which is
why today we watched Black Christmas from two thousand and six.
It's directed by Glenn Morgan who directed that movie. Willard,
did you ever see that. No, do you know what
(02:47):
that is? No, it's one with a guy who's like
a master of Rats or something. Oh, okay, I was
always very confused by that movie. Can see a poster.
I think that guy Crispin Glover. What.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
No, I've never this is really weird seeing this for
the first time in my life. I have no idea
what that.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
It's a very funny verse the Okay. I remember seeing
a billion ads on TV for it, and I was
always just like, I don't understand what this movie is.
It's a weird guy who is friends with rats.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
It looks like a romanticy cover for rat Love.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
I couldn't even figure out is this a horror movie?
Is it's a comedy? He made that, then he made this,
and then I saw a quote where he said if
this failed at the box office, he would never direct again.
And he didn't. I think he after this directed like
some X Files episodes, but never made another movie. And
it's too bad because you know, before we really get
(03:50):
into our opinions on the movie, I don't think either
of us liked it too much. No, it's not well
jump ahead a little bit.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Yeah, but I will.
Speaker 4 (04:03):
I'll give this guy credit, because it seemed like he
was super excited about making this movie, Like he made
sure to get the approval of Bob Clark, you know,
the director of the original, and I think he came
on as like a producer and he seemed to really
care about it. And there are elements of this movie
where it feels like, Okay, I can see where he's
(04:24):
trying to do something here, like some of the elements
the way it kind of tries to emulate this like
Italian Jallo style a little bit, like with some of
the cinematography and the colored lighting and stuff, like there's
little stuff where it's like, Okay, I see what you're doing,
like you're trying to do something. But it seems that
there was a lot of studio interference when they made this,
(04:48):
and so I feel for him a bit because we'll
get into that stuff later, especially in the spoilers. But like,
it's gotta suck when you're like, you know, a little
director who's super excited and passionate about making something, especially
something like this. It's a remake of such a classic
horror movie, and to have like every decision questioned and thwarted,
(05:11):
that sounds weird. Yeah, thwarted and have every decision like
second guest and overturned by the people control the money.
It's got to be very frustrating. Yeah, but yeah, this song.
I decided to see this because we watched the original
Black Christmas together, like not that long ago, like a
(05:31):
few years ago. My excuse is I never really watched
a lot of older classic horror before meeting you. I
don't know what your excuse is.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
I think this is another one of those movies that,
like I always heard my family and my extended family
talking about it. Oh yeah, so I was probably like, oh,
I don't know the.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
Same reason that I don't like the band Genesis or yes,
because my dad loved that shit. It was like, fuck this.
It was the funniest thing when I got older and
some of my friends were like, oh shit, your dad
likes Yes, that's awesome, And I was like, what the
fuck are you talking that old man weird music? Why
are you listening to this? But like we did. We
watched the original for the podcast last year, so that's
(06:12):
already out there. I think if you're following us on YouTube,
that episode's going to go up on Monday. Becus we're
trying to add all of our older catalog to YouTube
so you can see our thoughts over there. But we
both love the original. I think the ending of the
original is like one of the most iconic in horror history.
(06:32):
I just love it so fucking much. Yeah, and the
two thousand and six one. I keep seeing online these
fucking zoomers saying that, oh, the original Black Christmas. It's
especially this time of year. I think people start talking
about this a lot because they're looking for Christmas horror movies.
So you have like a new generation every year watching these.
(06:53):
And I saw a lot of people saying that the
original was like very slow and confusing and they didn't
get it, and they're like, I prefer the two thousand
and six one and such a disappointment. The youths are failures. Yeah,
but it made me feel like, Okay, I want to
check this out because I've never seen it. I'd always
heard people shit on it, so it's kind of like
(07:14):
I want to give a shot. And this like it's
the same thing with uh, you know, we watched the
Collector and Collection recently. That's like the same era, Like
the two thousands of horror, those are great. This feels
like it's completely in that ballpark, that two thousands horror movie. Yeah,
it feels very much like that.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
It's very much that era in a lot of ways.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
Including the content, which we'll talk about more in the
content warning. Yeah, but yeah, having seen this, it's just,
you know, part of what made the original so good
was the subtlety of it. The thing that people call
slow I think works it really well in that movie
to develop like the mood and the atmosphere and everything. Well.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Yeah, and it takes place like one night too, right, Yeah,
I think, isn't it it's like the afternoon to the
morning kind of.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
I think it's definitely a very short time period, like
it's only.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
If it's not one night, it's probably a couple of.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
Days, yeah, which I think this one kind of does that,
even though it has a lot of flashbacks and stuff,
which yeah, listen, we'll get that in a second. But
this one, like, there are ways that it tries to,
you know, be faithful to the original while telling its
own story. And you know, it throws out a lot
(08:33):
of red herrings in the beginning about like who the
killer could be and all this stuff. But I think
my problem with it is, you know, early on I
was on board. I was like, Okay, let's see where's going.
There's some weird decisions it's making, but I was kind
of there to see, Okay, how is this going to resolve?
And it just feels like from start to finish, it's
(08:53):
doing like the most predictable shit ever. And I don't
want to say too much before we at the spoilers,
but I think that's the biggest fault of the movie.
It's just not doing too much. That's very interesting, especially
when you're in you're calling yourself Black Christmas. It's like,
it feels like we took the wrong lessons maybe from it.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Yeah, it's this film does have like Christmas kills in
it to like theme. I will give it that, at least, just.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
The bare minimum. Yeah, when you're calling yourself Black Christmas. Yeah,
but I mean it just it winds up feeling like
a two thousand and six version of Black Christmas. Well, yeah,
you know, it's like, because what was so hot back then?
I mean we talked about the Collector, it was Saul,
it was hostile. You know, It's those kind of movies.
And you can also tell that they were pushing like
(09:46):
the violence and the brutality more in that kind of
direction that shit, I don't even know how to put
it in the words, but there is a certain level
of violence in Gore that's like this feels like two
thousand and five. Yeah, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Yeah, It's there's no like art to it happening. It's
just kind of like happening. Yeah, Like there's no like
art direction. I guess I could maybe say like it's
kind of just like happen. It just happens either, you know,
very creative. Well yeah, like you know, there's like movies,
all kinds of vintage movies that have used really subtle
(10:21):
techniques to show like Psycho, like the shower scene is
so iconic, but you know her guts aren't.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
Everywhere or even like Suspiria, and you know the way
the blood looks and that kind of artistic element to it.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Yeah. And it's not to say that Gore can't be artistic,
because it definitely can. Like it can oh yeah, it
seems like an afterthought kind of like this needs to
be gross and violent instead of like figuring out, well
what does that mean? How do we show that?
Speaker 4 (10:49):
Yeah? I think this is the era when people talked
about portrait porn type movies, and that's oh yeah, a
term that I've always really fucking hated because it just
feels like judgmental.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
I think it's like a way that it's being showed.
Speaker 4 (11:05):
Yeah, it's like maybe this is kind of the type
of stuff that people refer to because I mean, we
might as well quickly get into the content warning. As
far as the violence goes, it's it's yeah, it's not
like it's not using really creative effects and stuff like that.
It's just very brutal and cruel. It can be like
the violence is a little shocking. Like still, I don't
(11:29):
know what it was about this era that just kind
of hits different.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (11:33):
But really the big stuff is, uh so we get
we got two big heavy hitters, and yeah we do.
We got the incest that just.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Look, I was not expecting the incests that was actually insane.
Speaker 4 (11:49):
We got the sexual assault which is also part of
the incest.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
Yeah, there's that, and then there's also like a woman
being felt up without can Yeah. So it's like now
that you you before we started recording, you told me
about some of the producers and everything. Yep, And it
just makes sense. Unfortunately that was probably I would hope
that was just a decision of some weird producer and
(12:17):
not the director.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
Nope, good old Weinstein's That's the thing I'll say here. Like,
there was a lot of studio medaling from what I saw,
and a big part of it was they wanted to
push more violence and more gore and like leaning into
what was popping they're in this era.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
But that's not what this movie is, Like, that's not
the story is.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
That's what I think. That's probably where things start going
off the rails, was the commitment to all that kind
of stuff. It's just so much the antithesis of what
the original was doing.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Yeah, just like it doesn't make sense. It's just kind
of there for I guess the sake of being there,
which is annoying honestly.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
So yeah, be prepared for some of that, but just
know that, like listen, this is not high art or anything.
It's definitely it's pushing it for just shock value. And
the funny thing is, I think with the way they
do it, it winds up being less offensive because you're
just kind of laughing at it as being just so
(13:19):
fucking ridiculous, So it doesn't hit the same way as
a movie that's like actually about trauma.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Yeah, this doesn't have the same timeless feeling as the
original does, because I feel like I could watch Black
Christmas the original and it just feels like it's a classic.
It's just timeless. Yeah, this is not that.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
But yeah, overall, I think like the people I think
I'm most sympathetic to, I can imagine a generation of
people that saw this when it came out. Yeah, when
they were like that's probably prime age. Yeah, you know,
like when you're like thirteen years old, this is probably
the craziest shit you've ever seen. Yeah, we all have that.
(14:01):
You were you almost saw it in theaters, right.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
I almost did. I remember in high school seeing posters
I think literally like hanging up around like our mall
or whatever, and I was like, oh, I want to
see that. That looks really cool and when it comes
out on Christmas, we should do it.
Speaker 4 (14:16):
And that means you were like sixteen, Yeah, so perfect.
Yes for this. I'm always it's like I said, always
sympathetic to people who have these movies that loom super
large in their memory. You can't help it, you know
it's gonna affect you. But from the outside looking in.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Yeah, this was just it feels like there was a
lot of missed opportunities. Yes, because it is really well shot,
it's really well lit. I think all of the acting
is is good. I mean, yeah, it's the pieces are
coming together. It just kind of like missed a couple steps.
Speaker 4 (14:53):
I think it's like it's like half a good movie. Yeah,
is how i'd put it.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
It's hard for it, honestly, and I don't even care,
Like it's hard for me to like a movie that
just throws sexual assault in for no fucking reason, like
that is just stupid.
Speaker 4 (15:05):
Yeah. I think it's just it's at its best when
it's trying to make actual references to the original. And
I don't mean like character names and stuff, because that
stuff's in the movie too, And I don't pay attention
to any of that shit, Like I don't know, it's
more of the like stylistic choices and stuff. I just
wish it didn't have like the most mid fucking story
(15:28):
and ending.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
Ever, there was a lot happening.
Speaker 4 (15:32):
Why don't we just wrap this up and get the spoilers.
I think as far as would you recommend.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Recommend with a warning.
Speaker 4 (15:41):
Maybe if you haven't seen the original watch.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
It first, yeah, well yeah, and then for.
Speaker 4 (15:45):
This one, you just have to kind of take it
for what it is. It's not really a proper remake.
It's it's something that's more like, Hey, you want to
watch one of those weird ass two thousands slashers. Yeah,
things were a little fucking crazy.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
This is just like a to the story.
Speaker 4 (16:01):
Yeah, it's like it's a part of that history. But
why don't we just get to spoilers. Let's get right
into it, because I think there's a lot of interesting
stuff to talk about with this, and it's all unrelated
to the story, which I barely remember. I guess, well,
we might as well touch on that first. I think
(16:21):
like one of the things that really just kind of
irritated the shit out of me with this movie. Early on,
it felt like the way the story was being presented.
Remember I had like a theory on how it ended, yeh,
And it was like, oh, this is pretty cool. I
can see them doing this, and it's like they didn't
do that shit at all.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (16:43):
I totally like they set up these red herrings in
the beginning for like these different possible killers. We're going
to spoil a little bit of the original in this
just the heads up, like yeah, it's impossible to talk
about it. Yeah, without mentioning that watch the if you're
listening to this, because you've seen the two thousand and
ex so what are you doing? Go watch the original,
(17:05):
but like, yes, then come back pause. Yeah, there's like
they set up red herrings. But then they really decide
we're going to make Billy a character. Because remember in
the original, it was just basically the name and the
voice on the telephone and that was it. That was
kind of all you got.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
You never really saw him too much, yeah, or knew
anything about him.
Speaker 4 (17:27):
No, they decided we need to know who Billy is,
Billy Lore Jesus Christ, all the like flashbacks and all
that any kind of horror sequel. Once you start getting
into the flashbacks, I'm like, get me the fuck out
of here, because they did this shit with like the
Halloween movies at some point Texas Chainsaw remember all the
(17:47):
all the ones where they start having flashbacks. So fucking lazy.
I'm sorry, it's so unimaginative, and in this case, like
what it amounts to is like, yeah, he was fucking yellow,
hated him. Yeah, I looked into it, and it's like,
I guess he was supposed to be jaundiced because he
had a liver problem. Okay, I don't really think that's
(18:08):
I don't think it makes you look like the guy
from Sin City. Yeah. Yeah, you mentioned they probably saw
that and we're like, fuck you like that, like's creepy
as ship. Yeah, let's do that.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
That was like my instant thought. I was like, oh,
that's like that guy in Sin City.
Speaker 4 (18:22):
When did Since City come out?
Speaker 2 (18:24):
I think two thousand and four.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
Oh, they definitely copy that ship. They're like, we need
to have a freak like that in this movie. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
I used to love that movie.
Speaker 4 (18:33):
But that was the whole thing is he was just
he seemed like a normal kid, but he was yellow. Yeah,
and that means he got locked in the fucking attic.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
She hated him. She ruined her life, yea, like crazy
like her hating him literally ruined her life.
Speaker 4 (18:47):
He ruined her own life with that ship.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
Yeah, but like I hate the whole story.
Speaker 4 (18:52):
It is so fucking it was bad.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (18:57):
But that's the thing is, like you get the parallel
scenes of him in the mental asylum where he's like
busting out, and I don't know, I felt like, oh,
maybe what this movie's doing, it's going to focus so
much on him escaping and all this stuff, and meanwhile
the people are getting murdered in the house. And then
the reveal is like, no, the killer was you know,
(19:19):
her boyfriend or someone else, And separately you get to
see Billy like going to a different house or getting
picked up by the police, and it's like, oh shit,
he wasn't there this whole time. Yeah, you know, I
think that would have been cool, but no, Billy's just
the fucking killer. I think the only reveal is that
his sister daughter is the other killer. It's just how
(19:45):
do you like that term? Yeah, that was like the
only kind of twist this movie had.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
Them actually showing the assault was actually crazy.
Speaker 4 (19:58):
That was very unnecessar it.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Was so uncomfortable and so fucking weird. I was just
like so put off.
Speaker 4 (20:07):
I don't think we needed that.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
We did not need that.
Speaker 4 (20:10):
That added like a whole layer, like I could understand
if maybe, if if in that case the twist is like,
oh no, it's not Billy, it's this weird like Incess Baby,
he had like that's something. But the fact that Billy
shows up and then oh, it's just the two of
them killing everybody. That just didn't really work, that didn't
really go anywhere. And this had the seriously the most
(20:31):
mid fucking ending I've ever seen. We'll get we'll get
to that.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
In some ways, it was kind of like such a
cheap knockoff because they had things like you could tell
they sat down and said, Okay, what are the really
fucking cool parts of the original movie and stuff like oh,
when he puts the bag over her.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Head with a black bag, or like.
Speaker 4 (20:57):
What about that one scene where you see his eye
through the door. That shit was real scary. This entire
movie is gonna be about eyes. There were like five
different shots of him like peeping through shit. There were
like secret little holes everywhere.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
Yeah, he had secret holes all over the house. And
then the one shot was like an after effect shot
of an eye on the floor.
Speaker 4 (21:18):
Oh my god, when there was a tiny little hole
on the floor that was like a pin prick and
then you see his eye through it. It started feeling
like a parody of itself at that point. But that
was just so funny that that was their takeaway from
the original. It's like, remember that one creepy ass eye
shot in the icicle. This whole fucking movie is gonna
be about eyes because he also like he gouged their
(21:40):
eyes out. That was that was the thing now, but yes,
the icicle, that was the other.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
Thing is like, yeah, that was the unicorn horn that
was part.
Speaker 4 (21:48):
Of like one scene in the original, and now it's like,
this is his primary murder weapon.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Yeah, we had the Chekhov's unicorn horn.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
When you see a unicorn with a four foot long
sharp part, it's like somebody's getting killed by that. Yeah,
but that became Yeah, that became his primary weapon. That's
what I'm talking about. It's like, it's just it gets
so ridiculous. Yeah, when we're taking these things and just
repeating them, it really just took like all the greatest
hits and just ran them into the ground. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
Basically it feels like they made a like if they
made a remake of Psycho, but it was just a
maze of showers. They just going through shower after shower.
Speaker 4 (22:32):
That's such a good observation because literally it would be
like if I mean I haven't seen all the Psycho sequels,
I don't know, something like that. Maybe they get to
a point where someone just goes into a building. It's like,
oh shit, the whole building is a shower. Have you
(22:54):
seen any of the sequels to Psycho? I'm assuming he
continues to dress up like his mother.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
Probably. I actually don't know if I saw the second one.
I don't think I saw it.
Speaker 4 (23:06):
Is there only two?
Speaker 2 (23:07):
Yeah, and there was a series two which I did
watch that until a certain point I stopped.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
I just mean, that's it's definitely one of those things
where if you told me there's one sequel, but then
you also told me there were eight sequels. I believe
you either way.
Speaker 2 (23:20):
Yeah, well, look they follow the money when it comes
to that stuff.
Speaker 4 (23:24):
Oh yeah. I think the only kill that really stood out,
and it stood out in a way that was distracting
was when he kills his mom, Like you remember that.
It just kind of goes on and on and on
until he's taking cookie cutters of like Angels.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Was actually insane. It was so disturbing, like it gets
like see that can be funny, like that can work,
but it did not work.
Speaker 4 (23:53):
Like it was just like okay, place, yes, yeah, and
it just went on for so long. Yeah, it was
like okay, we're really pushing It was like we're about
to be in terrified territory. Yeah, That's what I'm saying though,
is like, well, I think on its own that sounds
like a pretty crazy kill, but it just felt so
out of place in this.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
Yeah, it was also shown really weird too, Like I
don't know, I.
Speaker 4 (24:18):
Will give them a little credit though, I like how
they kept with the whole like small frat or small sorority,
the whole thing with the small sorority staying together on Christmas,
because I went as soon as we saw that, I
was like, oh shit, were they still doing this in
two thousand and six? And you told me like, yeah,
this is still a thing because I always thought of
(24:39):
like when you think of the nice little house with
the small sorority, with the what do they call it,
like the house mother, that just feels like such a
seventies idea to me.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
Oh yeah, I mean, I think sororities and frats have
been around for a long time, but I feel like
in the seventies it was probably becoming more popular.
Speaker 4 (24:57):
Maybe it's just because of movies. Yeah, I don't know,
but it was cool to see that because it is
like a very specific atmosphere, and especially the fact that
like they lean into something that the original did well
where there is no clear final girl. As it's going
like you're kind of given the same amount of time
(25:19):
and space with every character, so once they start getting killed,
you just never know who's gonna be next, especially because
they go for like a lot of the big name
actors first. I think that's cool. I think that's a
fun way to handle slashery when it's not obvious who
like the main character is. So I give them points
for that, and I think, like, you know, I don't
(25:40):
want to be too harsh on this. I think there
was potential for this to be a lot more interesting.
I'm not like Anti remake.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
No, I mean I do feel like we're really harsh
in the beginning, but it's still an okay movie. It's
not like I just really don't like the incest in
the sexual.
Speaker 4 (25:58):
Seff like that is just I help.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
But I mean if I take all of that out, yeah,
I mean it was, it was. It was a good movie.
Speaker 4 (26:05):
I think.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
Well, I mean, like I'm trying to be nice, like.
Speaker 4 (26:10):
I know, I'm just trying to say, like there are
things that I can appreciate. I mean, that's that's the thing.
We're always very positive one here, and I think it's
because as big horror fans, there is still stuff you
can always find to appreciate. Yeah, I think that stuff's
worth talking about.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
Yeah. It's also it makes so much sense to have
nostalgia towards this movie. Like there, I just said before
that one of my favorite movies used to be Sin City.
It is not anymore. You know, I was a kid,
I really didn't understand like the content of it, but
I still held I used to watch that movie over
and over. But yeah, yeah, now I've gotten older and
(26:51):
revisited it and realized, WHOA.
Speaker 4 (26:55):
No, I think it's just like, yeah, there is a
thing when you're a town to a certain movie from
when you were younger, it could be hard to hear criticism. Yeah,
like we are coming into this in twenty twenty five.
But the biggest like missed potential here is just the ending,
Like everything leading up to the end, when you know
it just fully becomes Billy and his sister and Billy like,
(27:19):
I don't know what. I don't want to criticize the
actor too much. Did that actor work for you because
it did not work for me?
Speaker 2 (27:26):
Oh no, I mean no, not really. I mean, see,
I was already kind of like I didn't have too
much invested in this movie by the time I got
to end. I was like, whatever happens happens.
Speaker 4 (27:36):
At this point, I'm just saying in general, like the
actor plays Billy.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
Yeah, I mean, honestly, it's I don't want to be mean.
That would be mean to say. I don't want to
say that.
Speaker 4 (27:47):
He's just like a big creepy yellow dude.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
And I don't know, maybe it's not at fault at
the actor. Maybe it's the decision to make him yellow.
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (27:55):
It didn't help. That definitely didn't help. But like, yeah,
the whole lead up to the end thing where you know,
they do the fake out where it seems like, oh,
they were taken out in this fire, but then oh no,
they weren't actually dead except they're all they're both in
the morgue in body bags and they're both alive and
just fine. So it's like, oh, we didn't check this
(28:16):
at all.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
Huh, we just put someone in a bag.
Speaker 4 (28:19):
Yeah, when they got it, when they both got up,
it was really like, where there's no logic to this anymore.
And I think I saw there was an original ending
where it was like, I think one of them died
and the other one. They replaced the body with one
of the girls, so when they open it, it's one
of the girls and it's like, oh shit, they're still alive.
(28:39):
You know. That makes a lot more sense just having
them both be in body bags like surprise, And yeah,
the ending, I remember, we were both just like what
the fuck at the end of the movie, because remember,
it's just like she takes them out by like flipping
them over a railing. So he gets him paled on
a Christmas tree, which okay, very Christmas death, you know.
(29:02):
But then it's like immediately credits and it's just like, okay,
so I guess the killer was exactly who you expect
the entire time, and then he gets taken out. It's
like movie done. Yeah, that's uh. There was just so
much mis potential to do something interesting and that's like yeah.
That's the biggest criticism is the movie is so fucking
(29:23):
obvious from the jump.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
It definitely follows every formula.
Speaker 4 (29:29):
Kind of yeah, I think some people probably like that, though,
you know, nice simple in and out, don't gotta I
mean much guessing.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
I don't know if I'd really consider this a family movie. No, no, no,
But it was kind of felt like that direction, like, oh,
let's put on a cozy chritimas horror movie, and it's like,
this is not the one. No, this is not the one.
Speaker 4 (29:51):
Let's say that at all. No. I just think like
I can understand some people appreciating the simplicity, but when
you're using the name black Christmas, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
I think you, uh, maybe we could have called this
Yellow Christmas.
Speaker 4 (30:08):
It would have fixed everything. I'm like extra curious about
the twenty nineteen one, though.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
We definitely didn't see that.
Speaker 4 (30:18):
No, and I've only heard people say like it is
one of the worst movies they've ever seen. I don't
know how we can get much worse.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
There was a weird transition I feel like, between horror
almost always being horrible and then sometimes kind of good.
From like twenty fifteen to twenty twenty, we made this
transition to where I feel like almost every horror movie
is like hitting the bar right now, which is crazy.
There's so much good art happening right now, and will
you love it.
Speaker 4 (30:45):
You see a lot of people who just are more
passionate and care a lot more about making horror movies
instead of just making them for the studio. Yeah, we're
seeing a lot more of that, which does make me
wonder what a twenty twenty five black Christmas movie would
look like. I think we would do it.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
Somebody could do it.
Speaker 4 (31:01):
I think the version that would come out now they
would actually try to like imitate the seventies aesthetic and
really be more faithful, And I think I would hope. Yeah,
I just that's the vibe I get from, like the
current state of horror. I'm not saying that they should
do that, but I think that's what.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
That's what's happening.
Speaker 4 (31:19):
Yeah, Yeah, maybe we don't need another We're good with
the classic.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
The classic. The classic is perfect.
Speaker 4 (31:25):
It's so slow, nothing happens.
Speaker 2 (31:28):
I don't know. Read a book, get that attention span
out of work. Cut that part.
Speaker 4 (31:38):
Senor ghostbes dot com for all our links. You can
also follow ghost best Pod. You can support us at
Mercia and Big Cartel. The links are on ghostbes dot com.
We got stickers, we got shirts, we got hoodies, all
using lux fake, all using artwork, oh boy, all using
(32:01):
artwork made by our very own lux Fatale. Right. Yes, yeah,
you can follow Becca at lux Fatale. Check out all
her all her amazing artwork, and you can follow ghost
Beast on letterbox, where we rank everything we cover.
Speaker 2 (32:18):
My mom said that her Bereista started following my art
because she wore her Lady Gaga shirt today. It's just
really sweet.
Speaker 4 (32:28):
Got a spot. This like sums up how I feel
about these kind of babies. I put it above Wolf
Coop and below Dead Silence. Okay, I think Dead Silence
is another one that impacted people of a certain age,
but I think that one was more effective.
Speaker 2 (32:44):
No, I think Dead Silence was better.
Speaker 4 (32:46):
So I put to number one thirty five on our
list and you can contact us a podcast at ghost
beast dot com. What was your horror movie you saw
when you were sixteen that forever affected you by
Hey, cool friends, It's me Adrian or Aiden.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Either way, I.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Am still your host, but you are not listening to
SUSTO this week. Welcome to the twenty twenty five Sustal Swapathon.
That is right, I feel like I primed you already
for this. I gave you all the heads up in
the month of December. I am taking time off from
the production cycle of Sustal and I am bringing to
you shows that I think that you will enjoy as
(00:50):
much as I do. So I'm sorry you're probably gonna
get sick of hearing this specific introduction for these next
couple weeks throughout December, but I just wanted to make
sure to mind you all about what is going on,
so that when you hear this, you're not like, what
the hell?
Speaker 3 (01:04):
Where is Aiden? Did he ghost us?
Speaker 4 (01:06):
You get it kidding? I would never do that to you.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
However, I would like to introduce you to some more
content and more creators that I really think that you
would enjoy. If you do, please make sure that you
go to these shows pages, that you follow them wherever
they are available. And yeah, I will be back in
twenty twenty six. I hope that you are having a
wonderful holiday season. As I mentioned before the break started,
I listen. I'm still online, so just because there are
(01:29):
no new Sustal episodes, believe me, y'all know I'm chronically online,
so you can find me on there. Feel free to
send me a message, send me an email. I love
hearing from you all, and continue to send in your
letters from the beyond by visiting sustalpodcast dot com or
my link tree so that we can have some fun
stuff to talk about come twenty twenty six, which I
can't believe that this year happened already. That's wild to me. Anyway,
(01:51):
we're gonna go ahead and get into today's feature. I
really hope that you enjoy it and I will see
you all in the next year.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Bye.
Speaker 4 (02:16):
Ghost Beast Horror Podcast. I'm Todd, joined by why does
it sound weird?
Speaker 2 (02:25):
I thought we were just doing a test. I didn't
know we were doing.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
A podcast, horror podcast. I'm Todd, joined by mayfe Becca Hi,
and we're gonna watch every horror movie together, which is
why today we watched Black Christmas from two thousand and six.
It's directed by Glenn Morgan who directed that movie. Willard,
did you ever see that. No, do you know what
(02:47):
that is? No, it's one with a guy who's like
a master of Rats or something. Oh, okay, I was
always very confused by that movie. Can see a poster.
I think that guy Crispin Glover. What.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
No, I've never this is really weird seeing this for
the first time in my life. I have no idea
what that.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
It's a very funny verse the Okay. I remember seeing
a billion ads on TV for it, and I was
always just like, I don't understand what this movie is.
It's a weird guy who is friends with rats.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
It looks like a romanticy cover for rat Love.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
I couldn't even figure out is this a horror movie?
Is it's a comedy? He made that, then he made this,
and then I saw a quote where he said if
this failed at the box office, he would never direct again.
And he didn't. I think he after this directed like
some X Files episodes, but never made another movie. And
it's too bad because you know, before we really get
(03:50):
into our opinions on the movie, I don't think either
of us liked it too much. No, it's not well
jump ahead a little bit.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Yeah, but I will.
Speaker 4 (04:03):
I'll give this guy credit, because it seemed like he
was super excited about making this movie, Like he made
sure to get the approval of Bob Clark, you know,
the director of the original, and I think he came
on as like a producer and he seemed to really
care about it. And there are elements of this movie
where it feels like, Okay, I can see where he's
(04:24):
trying to do something here, like some of the elements
the way it kind of tries to emulate this like
Italian Jallo style a little bit, like with some of
the cinematography and the colored lighting and stuff, like there's
little stuff where it's like, Okay, I see what you're doing,
like you're trying to do something. But it seems that
there was a lot of studio interference when they made this,
(04:48):
and so I feel for him a bit because we'll
get into that stuff later, especially in the spoilers. But like,
it's gotta suck when you're like, you know, a little
director who's super excited and passionate about making something, especially
something like this. It's a remake of such a classic
horror movie, and to have like every decision questioned and thwarted,
(05:11):
that sounds weird. Yeah, thwarted and have every decision like
second guest and overturned by the people control the money.
It's got to be very frustrating. Yeah, but yeah, this song.
I decided to see this because we watched the original
Black Christmas together, like not that long ago, like a
(05:31):
few years ago. My excuse is I never really watched
a lot of older classic horror before meeting you. I
don't know what your excuse is.
Speaker 2 (05:40):
I think this is another one of those movies that,
like I always heard my family and my extended family
talking about it. Oh yeah, so I was probably like, oh,
I don't know the.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
Same reason that I don't like the band Genesis or yes,
because my dad loved that shit. It was like, fuck this.
It was the funniest thing when I got older and
some of my friends were like, oh shit, your dad
likes Yes, that's awesome, And I was like, what the
fuck are you talking that old man weird music? Why
are you listening to this? But like we did. We
watched the original for the podcast last year, so that's
(06:12):
already out there. I think if you're following us on YouTube,
that episode's going to go up on Monday. Becus we're
trying to add all of our older catalog to YouTube
so you can see our thoughts over there. But we
both love the original. I think the ending of the
original is like one of the most iconic in horror history.
(06:32):
I just love it so fucking much. Yeah, and the
two thousand and six one. I keep seeing online these
fucking zoomers saying that, oh, the original Black Christmas. It's
especially this time of year. I think people start talking
about this a lot because they're looking for Christmas horror movies.
So you have like a new generation every year watching these.
(06:53):
And I saw a lot of people saying that the
original was like very slow and confusing and they didn't
get it, and they're like, I prefer the two thousand
and six one and such a disappointment. The youths are failures. Yeah,
but it made me feel like, Okay, I want to
check this out because I've never seen it. I'd always
heard people shit on it, so it's kind of like
(07:14):
I want to give a shot. And this like it's
the same thing with uh, you know, we watched the
Collector and Collection recently. That's like the same era, Like
the two thousands of horror, those are great. This feels
like it's completely in that ballpark, that two thousands horror movie. Yeah,
it feels very much like that.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
It's very much that era in a lot of ways.
Speaker 4 (07:37):
Including the content, which we'll talk about more in the
content warning. Yeah, but yeah, having seen this, it's just,
you know, part of what made the original so good
was the subtlety of it. The thing that people call
slow I think works it really well in that movie
to develop like the mood and the atmosphere and everything. Well.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Yeah, and it takes place like one night too, right, Yeah,
I think, isn't it it's like the afternoon to the
morning kind of.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
I think it's definitely a very short time period, like
it's only.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
If it's not one night, it's probably a couple of.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
Days, yeah, which I think this one kind of does that,
even though it has a lot of flashbacks and stuff,
which yeah, listen, we'll get that in a second. But
this one, like, there are ways that it tries to,
you know, be faithful to the original while telling its
own story. And you know, it throws out a lot
(08:33):
of red herrings in the beginning about like who the
killer could be and all this stuff. But I think
my problem with it is, you know, early on I
was on board. I was like, Okay, let's see where's going.
There's some weird decisions it's making, but I was kind
of there to see, Okay, how is this going to resolve?
And it just feels like from start to finish, it's
(08:53):
doing like the most predictable shit ever. And I don't
want to say too much before we at the spoilers,
but I think that's the biggest fault of the movie.
It's just not doing too much. That's very interesting, especially
when you're in you're calling yourself Black Christmas. It's like,
it feels like we took the wrong lessons maybe from it.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
Yeah, it's this film does have like Christmas kills in
it to like theme. I will give it that, at least, just.
Speaker 4 (09:23):
The bare minimum. Yeah, when you're calling yourself Black Christmas. Yeah,
but I mean it just it winds up feeling like
a two thousand and six version of Black Christmas. Well, yeah,
you know, it's like, because what was so hot back then?
I mean we talked about the Collector, it was Saul,
it was hostile. You know, It's those kind of movies.
And you can also tell that they were pushing like
(09:46):
the violence and the brutality more in that kind of
direction that shit, I don't even know how to put
it in the words, but there is a certain level
of violence in Gore that's like this feels like two
thousand and five. Yeah, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Yeah, It's there's no like art to it happening. It's
just kind of like happening. Yeah, Like there's no like
art direction. I guess I could maybe say like it's
kind of just like happen. It just happens either, you know,
very creative. Well yeah, like you know, there's like movies,
all kinds of vintage movies that have used really subtle
(10:21):
techniques to show like Psycho, like the shower scene is
so iconic, but you know her guts aren't.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
Everywhere or even like Suspiria, and you know the way
the blood looks and that kind of artistic element to it.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Yeah. And it's not to say that Gore can't be artistic,
because it definitely can. Like it can oh yeah, it
seems like an afterthought kind of like this needs to
be gross and violent instead of like figuring out, well
what does that mean? How do we show that?
Speaker 4 (10:49):
Yeah? I think this is the era when people talked
about portrait porn type movies, and that's oh yeah, a
term that I've always really fucking hated because it just
feels like judgmental.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
I think it's like a way that it's being showed.
Speaker 4 (11:05):
Yeah, it's like maybe this is kind of the type
of stuff that people refer to because I mean, we
might as well quickly get into the content warning. As
far as the violence goes, it's it's yeah, it's not
like it's not using really creative effects and stuff like that.
It's just very brutal and cruel. It can be like
the violence is a little shocking. Like still, I don't
(11:29):
know what it was about this era that just kind
of hits different.
Speaker 2 (11:32):
Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (11:33):
But really the big stuff is, uh so we get
we got two big heavy hitters, and yeah we do.
We got the incest that just.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Look, I was not expecting the incests that was actually insane.
Speaker 4 (11:49):
We got the sexual assault which is also part of
the incest.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
Yeah, there's that, and then there's also like a woman
being felt up without can Yeah. So it's like now
that you you before we started recording, you told me
about some of the producers and everything. Yep, And it
just makes sense. Unfortunately that was probably I would hope
that was just a decision of some weird producer and
(12:17):
not the director.
Speaker 4 (12:18):
Nope, good old Weinstein's That's the thing I'll say here. Like,
there was a lot of studio medaling from what I saw,
and a big part of it was they wanted to
push more violence and more gore and like leaning into
what was popping they're in this era.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
But that's not what this movie is, Like, that's not
the story is.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
That's what I think. That's probably where things start going
off the rails, was the commitment to all that kind
of stuff. It's just so much the antithesis of what
the original was doing.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Yeah, just like it doesn't make sense. It's just kind
of there for I guess the sake of being there,
which is annoying honestly.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
So yeah, be prepared for some of that, but just
know that, like listen, this is not high art or anything.
It's definitely it's pushing it for just shock value. And
the funny thing is, I think with the way they
do it, it winds up being less offensive because you're
just kind of laughing at it as being just so
(13:19):
fucking ridiculous, So it doesn't hit the same way as
a movie that's like actually about trauma.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Yeah, this doesn't have the same timeless feeling as the
original does, because I feel like I could watch Black
Christmas the original and it just feels like it's a classic.
It's just timeless. Yeah, this is not that.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
But yeah, overall, I think like the people I think
I'm most sympathetic to, I can imagine a generation of
people that saw this when it came out. Yeah, when
they were like that's probably prime age. Yeah, you know,
like when you're like thirteen years old, this is probably
the craziest shit you've ever seen. Yeah, we all have that.
(14:01):
You were you almost saw it in theaters, right.
Speaker 2 (14:04):
I almost did. I remember in high school seeing posters
I think literally like hanging up around like our mall
or whatever, and I was like, oh, I want to
see that. That looks really cool and when it comes
out on Christmas, we should do it.
Speaker 4 (14:16):
And that means you were like sixteen, Yeah, so perfect.
Yes for this. I'm always it's like I said, always
sympathetic to people who have these movies that loom super
large in their memory. You can't help it, you know
it's gonna affect you. But from the outside looking in.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
Yeah, this was just it feels like there was a
lot of missed opportunities. Yes, because it is really well shot,
it's really well lit. I think all of the acting
is is good. I mean, yeah, it's the pieces are
coming together. It just kind of like missed a couple steps.
Speaker 4 (14:53):
I think it's like it's like half a good movie. Yeah,
is how i'd put it.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
It's hard for it, honestly, and I don't even care,
Like it's hard for me to like a movie that
just throws sexual assault in for no fucking reason, like
that is just stupid.
Speaker 4 (15:05):
Yeah. I think it's just it's at its best when
it's trying to make actual references to the original. And
I don't mean like character names and stuff, because that
stuff's in the movie too, And I don't pay attention
to any of that shit, Like I don't know, it's
more of the like stylistic choices and stuff. I just
wish it didn't have like the most mid fucking story
(15:28):
and ending.
Speaker 2 (15:29):
Ever, there was a lot happening.
Speaker 4 (15:32):
Why don't we just wrap this up and get the spoilers.
I think as far as would you recommend.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
Recommend with a warning.
Speaker 4 (15:41):
Maybe if you haven't seen the original watch.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
It first, yeah, well yeah, and then for.
Speaker 4 (15:45):
This one, you just have to kind of take it
for what it is. It's not really a proper remake.
It's it's something that's more like, Hey, you want to
watch one of those weird ass two thousands slashers. Yeah,
things were a little fucking crazy.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
This is just like a to the story.
Speaker 4 (16:01):
Yeah, it's like it's a part of that history. But
why don't we just get to spoilers. Let's get right
into it, because I think there's a lot of interesting
stuff to talk about with this, and it's all unrelated
to the story, which I barely remember. I guess, well,
we might as well touch on that first. I think
(16:21):
like one of the things that really just kind of
irritated the shit out of me with this movie. Early on,
it felt like the way the story was being presented.
Remember I had like a theory on how it ended, yeh,
And it was like, oh, this is pretty cool. I
can see them doing this, and it's like they didn't
do that shit at all.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (16:43):
I totally like they set up these red herrings in
the beginning for like these different possible killers. We're going
to spoil a little bit of the original in this
just the heads up, like yeah, it's impossible to talk
about it. Yeah, without mentioning that watch the if you're
listening to this, because you've seen the two thousand and
ex so what are you doing? Go watch the original,
(17:05):
but like, yes, then come back pause. Yeah, there's like
they set up red herrings. But then they really decide
we're going to make Billy a character. Because remember in
the original, it was just basically the name and the
voice on the telephone and that was it. That was
kind of all you got.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
You never really saw him too much, yeah, or knew
anything about him.
Speaker 4 (17:27):
No, they decided we need to know who Billy is,
Billy Lore Jesus Christ, all the like flashbacks and all
that any kind of horror sequel. Once you start getting
into the flashbacks, I'm like, get me the fuck out
of here, because they did this shit with like the
Halloween movies at some point Texas Chainsaw remember all the
(17:47):
all the ones where they start having flashbacks. So fucking lazy.
I'm sorry, it's so unimaginative, and in this case, like
what it amounts to is like, yeah, he was fucking yellow,
hated him. Yeah, I looked into it, and it's like,
I guess he was supposed to be jaundiced because he
had a liver problem. Okay, I don't really think that's
(18:08):
I don't think it makes you look like the guy
from Sin City. Yeah. Yeah, you mentioned they probably saw
that and we're like, fuck you like that, like's creepy
as ship. Yeah, let's do that.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
That was like my instant thought. I was like, oh,
that's like that guy in Sin City.
Speaker 4 (18:22):
When did Since City come out?
Speaker 2 (18:24):
I think two thousand and four.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
Oh, they definitely copy that ship. They're like, we need
to have a freak like that in this movie. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
I used to love that movie.
Speaker 4 (18:33):
But that was the whole thing is he was just
he seemed like a normal kid, but he was yellow. Yeah,
and that means he got locked in the fucking attic.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
She hated him. She ruined her life, yea, like crazy
like her hating him literally ruined her life.
Speaker 4 (18:47):
He ruined her own life with that ship.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
Yeah, but like I hate the whole story.
Speaker 4 (18:52):
It is so fucking it was bad.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (18:57):
But that's the thing is, like you get the parallel
scenes of him in the mental asylum where he's like
busting out, and I don't know, I felt like, oh,
maybe what this movie's doing, it's going to focus so
much on him escaping and all this stuff, and meanwhile
the people are getting murdered in the house. And then
the reveal is like, no, the killer was you know,
(19:19):
her boyfriend or someone else, And separately you get to
see Billy like going to a different house or getting
picked up by the police, and it's like, oh shit,
he wasn't there this whole time. Yeah, you know, I
think that would have been cool, but no, Billy's just
the fucking killer. I think the only reveal is that
his sister daughter is the other killer. It's just how
(19:45):
do you like that term? Yeah, that was like the
only kind of twist this movie had.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
Them actually showing the assault was actually crazy.
Speaker 4 (19:58):
That was very unnecessar it.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Was so uncomfortable and so fucking weird. I was just
like so put off.
Speaker 4 (20:07):
I don't think we needed that.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
We did not need that.
Speaker 4 (20:10):
That added like a whole layer, like I could understand
if maybe, if if in that case the twist is like,
oh no, it's not Billy, it's this weird like Incess Baby,
he had like that's something. But the fact that Billy
shows up and then oh, it's just the two of
them killing everybody. That just didn't really work, that didn't
really go anywhere. And this had the seriously the most
(20:31):
mid fucking ending I've ever seen. We'll get we'll get
to that.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
In some ways, it was kind of like such a
cheap knockoff because they had things like you could tell
they sat down and said, Okay, what are the really
fucking cool parts of the original movie and stuff like oh,
when he puts the bag over her.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Head with a black bag, or like.
Speaker 4 (20:57):
What about that one scene where you see his eye
through the door. That shit was real scary. This entire
movie is gonna be about eyes. There were like five
different shots of him like peeping through shit. There were
like secret little holes everywhere.
Speaker 2 (21:12):
Yeah, he had secret holes all over the house. And
then the one shot was like an after effect shot
of an eye on the floor.
Speaker 4 (21:18):
Oh my god, when there was a tiny little hole
on the floor that was like a pin prick and
then you see his eye through it. It started feeling
like a parody of itself at that point. But that
was just so funny that that was their takeaway from
the original. It's like, remember that one creepy ass eye
shot in the icicle. This whole fucking movie is gonna
be about eyes because he also like he gouged their
(21:40):
eyes out. That was that was the thing now, but yes,
the icicle, that was the other.
Speaker 2 (21:45):
Thing is like, yeah, that was the unicorn horn that
was part.
Speaker 4 (21:48):
Of like one scene in the original, and now it's like,
this is his primary murder weapon.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Yeah, we had the Chekhov's unicorn horn.
Speaker 4 (21:57):
When you see a unicorn with a four foot long
sharp part, it's like somebody's getting killed by that. Yeah,
but that became Yeah, that became his primary weapon. That's
what I'm talking about. It's like, it's just it gets
so ridiculous. Yeah, when we're taking these things and just
repeating them, it really just took like all the greatest
hits and just ran them into the ground. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
Basically it feels like they made a like if they
made a remake of Psycho, but it was just a
maze of showers. They just going through shower after shower.
Speaker 4 (22:32):
That's such a good observation because literally it would be
like if I mean I haven't seen all the Psycho sequels,
I don't know, something like that. Maybe they get to
a point where someone just goes into a building. It's like,
oh shit, the whole building is a shower. Have you
(22:54):
seen any of the sequels to Psycho? I'm assuming he
continues to dress up like his mother.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
Probably. I actually don't know if I saw the second one.
I don't think I saw it.
Speaker 4 (23:06):
Is there only two?
Speaker 2 (23:07):
Yeah, and there was a series two which I did
watch that until a certain point I stopped.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
I just mean, that's it's definitely one of those things
where if you told me there's one sequel, but then
you also told me there were eight sequels. I believe
you either way.
Speaker 2 (23:20):
Yeah, well, look they follow the money when it comes
to that stuff.
Speaker 4 (23:24):
Oh yeah. I think the only kill that really stood out,
and it stood out in a way that was distracting
was when he kills his mom, Like you remember that.
It just kind of goes on and on and on
until he's taking cookie cutters of like Angels.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
Was actually insane. It was so disturbing, like it gets
like see that can be funny, like that can work,
but it did not work.
Speaker 4 (23:53):
Like it was just like okay, place, yes, yeah, and
it just went on for so long. Yeah, it was
like okay, we're really pushing It was like we're about
to be in terrified territory. Yeah, That's what I'm saying though,
is like, well, I think on its own that sounds
like a pretty crazy kill, but it just felt so
out of place in this.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
Yeah, it was also shown really weird too, Like I
don't know, I.
Speaker 4 (24:18):
Will give them a little credit though, I like how
they kept with the whole like small frat or small sorority,
the whole thing with the small sorority staying together on Christmas,
because I went as soon as we saw that, I
was like, oh shit, were they still doing this in
two thousand and six? And you told me like, yeah,
this is still a thing because I always thought of
(24:39):
like when you think of the nice little house with
the small sorority, with the what do they call it,
like the house mother, that just feels like such a
seventies idea to me.
Speaker 2 (24:49):
Oh yeah, I mean, I think sororities and frats have
been around for a long time, but I feel like
in the seventies it was probably becoming more popular.
Speaker 4 (24:57):
Maybe it's just because of movies. Yeah, I don't know,
but it was cool to see that because it is
like a very specific atmosphere, and especially the fact that
like they lean into something that the original did well
where there is no clear final girl. As it's going
like you're kind of given the same amount of time
(25:19):
and space with every character, so once they start getting killed,
you just never know who's gonna be next, especially because
they go for like a lot of the big name
actors first. I think that's cool. I think that's a
fun way to handle slashery when it's not obvious who
like the main character is. So I give them points
for that, and I think, like, you know, I don't
(25:40):
want to be too harsh on this. I think there
was potential for this to be a lot more interesting.
I'm not like Anti remake.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
No, I mean I do feel like we're really harsh
in the beginning, but it's still an okay movie. It's
not like I just really don't like the incest in
the sexual.
Speaker 4 (25:58):
Seff like that is just I help.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
But I mean if I take all of that out, yeah,
I mean it was, it was. It was a good movie.
Speaker 4 (26:05):
I think.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
Well, I mean, like I'm trying to be nice, like.
Speaker 4 (26:10):
I know, I'm just trying to say, like there are
things that I can appreciate. I mean, that's that's the thing.
We're always very positive one here, and I think it's
because as big horror fans, there is still stuff you
can always find to appreciate. Yeah, I think that stuff's
worth talking about.
Speaker 2 (26:28):
Yeah. It's also it makes so much sense to have
nostalgia towards this movie. Like there, I just said before
that one of my favorite movies used to be Sin City.
It is not anymore. You know, I was a kid,
I really didn't understand like the content of it, but
I still held I used to watch that movie over
and over. But yeah, yeah, now I've gotten older and
(26:51):
revisited it and realized, WHOA.
Speaker 4 (26:55):
No, I think it's just like, yeah, there is a
thing when you're a town to a certain movie from
when you were younger, it could be hard to hear criticism. Yeah,
like we are coming into this in twenty twenty five.
But the biggest like missed potential here is just the ending,
Like everything leading up to the end, when you know
it just fully becomes Billy and his sister and Billy like,
(27:19):
I don't know what. I don't want to criticize the
actor too much. Did that actor work for you because
it did not work for me?
Speaker 2 (27:26):
Oh no, I mean no, not really. I mean, see,
I was already kind of like I didn't have too
much invested in this movie by the time I got
to end. I was like, whatever happens happens.
Speaker 4 (27:36):
At this point, I'm just saying in general, like the
actor plays Billy.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
Yeah, I mean, honestly, it's I don't want to be mean.
That would be mean to say. I don't want to
say that.
Speaker 4 (27:47):
He's just like a big creepy yellow dude.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
And I don't know, maybe it's not at fault at
the actor. Maybe it's the decision to make him yellow.
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (27:55):
It didn't help. That definitely didn't help. But like, yeah,
the whole lead up to the end thing where you know,
they do the fake out where it seems like, oh,
they were taken out in this fire, but then oh no,
they weren't actually dead except they're all they're both in
the morgue in body bags and they're both alive and
just fine. So it's like, oh, we didn't check this
(28:16):
at all.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
Huh, we just put someone in a bag.
Speaker 4 (28:19):
Yeah, when they got it, when they both got up,
it was really like, where there's no logic to this anymore.
And I think I saw there was an original ending
where it was like, I think one of them died
and the other one. They replaced the body with one
of the girls, so when they open it, it's one
of the girls and it's like, oh shit, they're still alive.
(28:39):
You know. That makes a lot more sense just having
them both be in body bags like surprise, And yeah,
the ending, I remember, we were both just like what
the fuck at the end of the movie, because remember,
it's just like she takes them out by like flipping
them over a railing. So he gets him paled on
a Christmas tree, which okay, very Christmas death, you know.
(29:02):
But then it's like immediately credits and it's just like, okay,
so I guess the killer was exactly who you expect
the entire time, and then he gets taken out. It's
like movie done. Yeah, that's uh. There was just so
much mis potential to do something interesting and that's like yeah.
That's the biggest criticism is the movie is so fucking
(29:23):
obvious from the jump.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
It definitely follows every formula.
Speaker 4 (29:29):
Kind of yeah, I think some people probably like that, though,
you know, nice simple in and out, don't gotta I
mean much guessing.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
I don't know if I'd really consider this a family movie. No, no, no,
But it was kind of felt like that direction, like, oh,
let's put on a cozy chritimas horror movie, and it's like,
this is not the one. No, this is not the one.
Speaker 4 (29:51):
Let's say that at all. No. I just think like
I can understand some people appreciating the simplicity, but when
you're using the name black Christmas, I don't know.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
I think you, uh, maybe we could have called this
Yellow Christmas.
Speaker 4 (30:08):
It would have fixed everything. I'm like extra curious about
the twenty nineteen one, though.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
We definitely didn't see that.
Speaker 4 (30:18):
No, and I've only heard people say like it is
one of the worst movies they've ever seen. I don't
know how we can get much worse.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
There was a weird transition I feel like, between horror
almost always being horrible and then sometimes kind of good.
From like twenty fifteen to twenty twenty, we made this
transition to where I feel like almost every horror movie
is like hitting the bar right now, which is crazy.
There's so much good art happening right now, and will
you love it.
Speaker 4 (30:45):
You see a lot of people who just are more
passionate and care a lot more about making horror movies
instead of just making them for the studio. Yeah, we're
seeing a lot more of that, which does make me
wonder what a twenty twenty five black Christmas movie would
look like. I think we would do it.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
Somebody could do it.
Speaker 4 (31:01):
I think the version that would come out now they
would actually try to like imitate the seventies aesthetic and
really be more faithful, And I think I would hope. Yeah,
I just that's the vibe I get from, like the
current state of horror. I'm not saying that they should
do that, but I think that's what.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
That's what's happening.
Speaker 4 (31:19):
Yeah, Yeah, maybe we don't need another We're good with
the classic.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
The classic. The classic is perfect.
Speaker 4 (31:25):
It's so slow, nothing happens.
Speaker 2 (31:28):
I don't know. Read a book, get that attention span
out of work. Cut that part.
Speaker 4 (31:38):
Senor ghostbes dot com for all our links. You can
also follow ghost best Pod. You can support us at
Mercia and Big Cartel. The links are on ghostbes dot com.
We got stickers, we got shirts, we got hoodies, all
using lux fake, all using artwork, oh boy, all using
(32:01):
artwork made by our very own lux Fatale. Right. Yes, yeah,
you can follow Becca at lux Fatale. Check out all
her all her amazing artwork, and you can follow ghost
Beast on letterbox, where we rank everything we cover.
Speaker 2 (32:18):
My mom said that her Bereista started following my art
because she wore her Lady Gaga shirt today. It's just
really sweet.
Speaker 4 (32:28):
Got a spot. This like sums up how I feel
about these kind of babies. I put it above Wolf
Coop and below Dead Silence. Okay, I think Dead Silence
is another one that impacted people of a certain age,
but I think that one was more effective.
Speaker 2 (32:44):
No, I think Dead Silence was better.
Speaker 4 (32:46):
So I put to number one thirty five on our
list and you can contact us a podcast at ghost
beast dot com. What was your horror movie you saw
when you were sixteen that forever affected you by
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