Black Christmas (2006)

Directed by Glen Morgan
Starring Michelle Trachtenburg, Lacy Chabert, Katie Cassidy, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kristen Cloke, and Andrea Martin.

Ah Christmas time! There's lights on all the houses, lots of cookies, friendship and joy, but usually no horror films for those of us who could use a break from all this good cheer. Enter the dynamic duo, Glen Morgan and James Wong. Previously these guys gave us some creepy X-Files episodes and the Final Destination films and now they've decided to take on Christmas. For the uninitiated Black Christmas is a remake of the proto-horror film by the same name that was originally in theaters in 1974. While the original was a low-gore, high suspense drama about sorority sisters being knocked off over the course of a couple days at Christmas the remake is a balls to the wall slasher flick for the holidays that takes the originals premise and expands on it quite a bit.

The story opens on a group of sorority sisters who for various reason are staying at their sorority for Christmas. Meanwhile a mass murdering lunatic who lived in the same house the sorority is in is escaping the asylum he's been imprisoned in so he can go home for Christmas. With the premise set up the killer can now start picking off the young ladies one by one for the duration of the movie. Where the original 74' film was a very subtle horror film that inspired such great slasher films as Halloween but this 2006 variation feels it has to pull the stops and deliver a high energy slasher film with blood splattering the screen every 10 minutes or so. The result is a movie that is a fun, gory & entertaining horror film that will drive away some of the holiday boredom.

The storyline really is nothing new but Morgan and Wong have expanded on the originals killer and gave him a much richer back story about abuse at the hands of a very disturbed mother. While the original was a great suspenseful movie that left a lot to your imagination this remake is simply made for fun. The characters aren’t as fleshed out as the ones in the original and the subplot now involves a sex tape rather than an abortion. However with all the changes this was still a story that kept my interest and didn’t slow down too often.

Going in to this movie I really had low expectations. The reviews I’d read beforehand from other major Horror film news sites called it a mess of a movie that was dull and boring. The rumors have abounded regarding the troubled production of the film however with all of that I still watched a pretty well polished horror film that gorehounds will love as well as those who just want a scary movie for Christmas.

With all that said it does have some problems here or there including a couple of jumpy editing moments and a CGI effect that just looked terrible. The ending of the movie follows the classic “is the killer dead or not?” formula that seems a bit much after all that’s already happened but it still managed to satisfy the audience I saw it with. While its certainly not going to be hailed as a horror masterpiece it certainly isn’t the bad movie that everyone has made it out to be so if you looking for something scary for Christmas then go see this one.

3 out of 5 axes

Head Trauma
Director: Lance Weiler

Synopsis:After a 20 year absence, drifter, George Walker, returns home to settle his grandmother's estate. As if awakening from a long dream, he finds his childhood home condemned and littered with the remnants of squatters. In the midst of trying to save his past, George falls and strikes his head, triggering an onslaught of vivid nightmares and waking visions. As the horror intrudes on George's reality, his conviction grows that someone or something is trying to kill him. (Source IMDB)

HauntedHouse.com Review
There's nothing quite like the MindF*ck movie. Its a movie that takes you through the demented psyche of a character and if done right it can leave you shaken and provoke some good discussion following the viewing. I'm happy to say the Head Trauma is such a movie.

Head Trauma follows a drifter named George Walker who apparently has been just living homeless for the last 5 years or so. The film begins with George returning to his home town and to a house that was left to him by his grandmother. The house itself has been lived in by squatters for the 5 years since his Grandmother died. The house is a deteriorating, dark, spooky place. As George tours the house upon arrival he finds clothing, photos, drawings and furniture that has been left behind by squatters. His flashlight piecing the dark and hinting at what might have happened there and what might still be there. His first night in the place he hits his head and from that point on he becomes increasingly disturbed and haunted by a figure wearing a heavy winters coat. The story culminates and reveals why George has been drifting along all this time and who the coat wearing character is that haunts him.

This film is directed by Lance Weiler who is one half of the duo that created the Last Broadcast which was a shaky cam docudrama that inspired the Blair Witch Project. Here we get to see what director Weiler can do when he has a scripted horror film to work with and he doesn't disappoint. Even though this movie is done on the cheap the camera work and direction proves that Weiler is talented far beyond the limitations of digital filming. I have never seen a digitally shot low budget film that looked this good. Light and dark is utilized to good startling effect here and the haunting character that menaces George never fails to illicit a spooky foreboding feeling when on screen. For the limitations that are inherit in small budget digital film making, Head Trauma shines as an example of what the right people can do when motivated.

While the story is nothing that will shock or surprise the viewer the atmosphere, direction and music carry the film making even a rather obvious ending seem suspenseful. While Head Trauma has its faults it is overall a very good horror film that you won't feel wasted your time. No doubt I'll be making a point to see what Weiler and his team create next. I only hope he gets a larger budget to film something on a scale deserving of his talents.

4 Bloody Axes out of 5