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13NoH S2.N7: Black Xmas (2006) W/ Author Ivy Tholen and @black.chrismas
27 Plays6 months ago
Night 7 of 13 Nights of Halloween: Black Xmas (2006) We’re back with another round of holiday horror as we dive into *Black Xmas* (2006) for Night 7 of our **13 Nights of Halloween** series! This one’s a blood-soaked trip through festive frights, and we’ve got special guests @ivy_tholen and @black.chrismas joining us again to dissect all the gory details. Is this 2006 remake a twisted yuletide treat or just another holiday hack job? We’re breaking it down, and we want you to be part of the conversation! Don’t forget to check out our Instagram for a killer cocktail pairing that’ll make your movie night complete! 🍸 Plus, get 30% off with our Zencastr promo code—perfect for tuning into all the Halloween action: [https://zencastr.com/?via=theaverage](https://zencastr.com/?via=theaverage) Let’s keep the Halloween spirit alive with slashes, scares, and some seriously fun holiday horror! #13NightsOfHalloween #BlackXmas2006 #HorrorMovies #RemakesVsOriginals #IvyTholen #BlackChrismas #Podcast #HalloweenCountdown #HorrorCommunity #CocktailPairing #FilmReviews #ZencastrPromo #SeasonFinale
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Transcript
Introduction and Welcome
00:00:32
Speaker
You crazy bitch, I can see your breath.
00:00:57
Speaker
are are
00:01:19
Speaker
are This is Tim. This is Jonathan. And this is The Average.
Horror Film Marathon: Remakes vs Originals
00:01:26
Speaker
Welcome Halloween enthusiasts to the seventh episode of our thrilling journey through the 13 nights of Halloween. For those just tuning in, we're watching 13 spine-chilling movies in 13 nights.
00:01:39
Speaker
culminating in a grand finale on Halloween itself. This year we're delving into the timeless debate of remakes versus originals, featuring iconic films like Black Christmas, The Thing, Suspiria, House of Wax, The Fly, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Tonight we're diving into the world of the remake of the 2006 rendition of Black Christmas.
00:02:07
Speaker
But fear or not, we're about to venture into original territory where the true scares await. It's a battle between nostalgia and innovation, tradition and reinvention. We invite you to watch along with us and share your thoughts whether you prefer the classic originals or the daring remakes. Your reviews are welcome.
00:02:25
Speaker
We have a handy little link in our Instagram bio where you can submit your scores the exact same way that we do. Whether you're a fan of the originals or prefer the remakes, your opinion matters. We will be tallying up the scores, tagging everyone who submits a review, and providing a valid tag, and seeing how these head-to-head scores play out. When Halloween rolls past, we will post the winners, original or remake, and ultimately determine what's the best original and what's the best remake of our list.
Guest Appearance: Ivy Tholen on Black Christmas Remake
00:02:56
Speaker
Returning tonight to talk about the first remake, we have Ivy Tholen, who recently released her thrilling sequel to Tastes Like Candy, Tastes Like Candy 2, Sugarless. If you're looking for a perfect Halloween slasher read, go pick up any of her books on Amazon. And then we have At Black Christmas, Chris, who has been with us for a couple episodes now.
00:03:21
Speaker
As you know, this year we're doing a cocktail pairing to go with each movie. Tonight's cocktail is called Cookie Juice. Sorry to say it has no actual cookies or cookie taste, much like the cookies Billy makes in this movie. I think it has something to do with the color. So head over to our Instagram to check out the recipe and mix it for yourself.
Black Christmas (2006): Details and Plot
00:03:43
Speaker
So tonight is Black Christmas 2006, stylized as Black Xmas. It's the first remake of the 1974 Bob Clark film of the same name. The film is directed by Glenn Morgan, whose only other directing credit is 2003's Willard and some X-Files episodes.
00:04:06
Speaker
His writing credits extend much further, including this movie, The Twilight Zone reboot, 17 episodes up but of The X-Files, The River, Those Who Kill, and many more television series. The film stars Michelle Trachtenberg, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Lacey Chabert, Katie Cassidy, Kristen Kloeck, Oliver Hudson, and the original film cast member, Andrea Martin, as Miss Mac.
00:04:34
Speaker
So to break down this story, in Black Christmas 2006, a group of sorority sisters at the secluded and snow-covered Hawthorne College find themselves stalked by a mysterious and malevolent figure during their Christmas break.
00:04:49
Speaker
As the sisters begin to disappear one by one, it becomes clear that a dark and sinister presence is lurking in the shadows. The film follows protagonist Kelly Presley, played by Katie Cassidy. As she and her friends try to uncover the identity of the killer, they have a pretty good idea who it is, and escape from the sorority house alive. Along the way, they uncover dark secrets about the house's history and twisted motivations of the killer. As tensions rise and the body count mounts,
00:05:16
Speaker
Kelly must confront the killer in a final showdown that will test her strength and courage.
2000s Slasher Films: Quality and Preferences
00:05:22
Speaker
yeah i dude i'm i'm so happy we're doing this one because after the twenty nineteen version i'm like oh this yeah okay that we good to yeah i'm just gonna be honest that was a chore yeah um gosh ah So yeah, I mean, compared to the most recent remake, um I like the story a lot better with how they set it up with the whole crazy killer with Billy, child trapped in the closet, live his life there, all the twisted stuff. Like it's it's so, it really just, it's they kind of really mainlined the story without going off with a whole bunch of other crazy shit like they did in 2019 version. So I was really, really pleased with that.
00:06:05
Speaker
Yeah, so before we go too deep, um because you touched about touched on the 2019, we're gonna try to talk about the 2019 and this one without talking about the 74 one yet. When we get to 74, all three are open game. So again, Jonathan hasn't seen 74 yet, so that's one reason, but also trying to judge this movie by its own merit, but yes,
00:06:32
Speaker
I felt the same way. This story kind of streamlined. Well, it was more focused and streamlined than the 2019 was in an interesting, in a very 2006 slasher way, where we had to have a whole bunch of backstory about the killer and a whole bunch of gaudy over the top moments.
00:06:53
Speaker
but i The story is fun. I just don't know how else to say it. It's an entertaining story for sure. And it's really disgusting. I think that's my favorite part about it is just how icky this whole thing is. But it knows that and it does it like it leans into it. It does not shy away at all from like Billy's origin story. like And Agnes' little like i guess origin story about her birth, like the the circumstances of her birth, it's it's just very... In grand in her head, that part. It's just dark, man. There's some dark shit in there.
00:07:32
Speaker
It is. And I loved it. I think it's great. And then I mean, I gave the story. I don't know if we're doing the ratings as we talk about this for a story. You can't go in, man. But yeah, I gave it a four just because it's very, I mean, as you guys said, I think it's very creative to some degree. um I think it's gross. I think it's I think it's very contained compared to the 2019 Black Christmas. Like the 2019 Black Christmas tries to And we talked about this to death really but it yeah it tries to just be so much more grand than a a slasher movie. Yeah, this one is just a slasher movie. It's specifically a 2000 slasher movie. Yes. Which I think if like I know this this movie is very critically like.
00:08:21
Speaker
ruined at the time of its release. But in hindsight, when you compare it to like all the 2000 slashers, like there weren't many good ones. And so when you it's all it's kind of like a cult thing. And I think this movie falls into that very well. Real quick, who can name like three good 2000 slashers? Oh, yeah.
00:08:46
Speaker
I like I actually like the Friday the 13th remake, but i I don't mind that one. too I like. Can we count saw is slasher? That's torture. The first song. Yeah. No, it's like any of the soft films. Can we not count those at slash films at all to a degree or no? No. Oh, OK.
00:09:07
Speaker
There's like the cabin fever, which is kind of not a slasher, but it's like a fun little 2000. I liked that one. That was a, that was a good film. I i enjoyed that. This was a great one. This was my point. the We struggled. We struggled to name three solid early 2000s slashers. They existed for sure. But how many of them from like 2004, there was this great, you know, you can't have that conversation. Hey, you're missing.
00:09:37
Speaker
There are some decent ones. I do like that. I do like the Friday the 13th remake. I was going to ask if that was came out during the early 2000s. I can't remember. Yeah. Yeah. And then also one of my favorite slashers. I don't know if I assume we call it a slasher to a degree, but the strangers we've talked about that time. 2008. That's and one of my favorite period. I love that. Oh, it's speaking of the nightmare on Elm Street reboot. Katie Cassidy was in that.
00:10:02
Speaker
Was she? Yeah. Yes, she was the only person who looked like she was interested in being there. She did a great job in that movie and that movie is soulless.
00:10:13
Speaker
I will only go Katie Cassidy from the television series Arrow. The Flash and Supernatural. Yep. She was, she was a DC superhero for me. So she's actually a catalog work though. She's lost Mary Elizabeth Winstead. She was in Skype versus the world. Ramona. See I've got a destination three. So okay upless job after final destination three, this movie,
00:10:41
Speaker
the producer asked her to come on. So, sidetracking from the story. We also had a tanning bed at the same time because she's in this. Who? Who? There's a girl that dies in the tanning bed in Final Destination 3. She is in this. Oh. Oh, she's one of the other story sisters. She's pouring more wine. Oh, the drunkie. Okay, gotcha. Drunk sister. Yeah. Who? Just like both of them. Who killed it in this.
00:11:12
Speaker
So the story in this movie and really, it does something, I'm going to dive back into the story. It does something that I don't necessarily like when it's done a lot. I don't mind it in this movie, but I don't always need a killer's backstory. I don't always need that. And to a degree, a criticism that I have with this film is that I feel like it takes the focus off of the girls. And to me the main character almost becomes Billy. I know more about Billy in this film than I do any of the other characters.
00:11:54
Speaker
Yeah. They briefly mentioned. It's hard to even look at Katie as like the main character of the story. Yeah. Like you don't really get a feel that she's the main character even throughout the story. Yeah. You get that a little bit of some Billy, you get that little bit of drama with her boyfriend. And then is that her sister? The older one that showed up, he used to be part of the sorority. Yeah.
00:12:21
Speaker
Uh, no, Lee. She was supposed to be, uh, Heather. Yeah. She was like the first one to get killed. Oh, okay. Yeah. Yeah. So. And to some degree, that's probably my only criticism with this story, the way they did it, is that I feel like it puts the focus on the killer. And I am more, I know more about Billy, know more about Billy's story. And so degree, I think it actually changes the story entirely from something about Katie's character,
00:12:58
Speaker
And to me, it becomes almost like this.
Influence of Weinstein on Film's Final Cut
00:13:03
Speaker
This is partially ah Weinstein's influence in it. I'll talk about that later. But it becomes almost a story about Billy and abuse on his side and kind of the tragic effects of that and how it's rippled through years later, because there's not really a much deeper message in this film.
00:13:28
Speaker
but I couldn't tell you like a deeper message for Katie. And so I think that's my one issue with the story is that we get a little bit too much of Billy's story. I don't need that much of it. However, Billy's stuff is the most memorable stuff in the film for me. So i'm it's it's it's nitpicking at this point on the story. I do think though,
00:13:58
Speaker
that this movie does a better job at like displaying the theme of sisterhood than the 2019 one. Like I feel like these sorority girls are like kind of more friends and they treat each other better. And I mean, it's kind of cheesy, but yeah, there's like that recurring theme of sisterhood and I don't know. I mean, but I do agree with you. I mean, Billy definitely takes the forefront when it comes to backstory and just exposition.
00:14:26
Speaker
Yeah, and the girls do also in this one, I noticed, they try to stick together when scary stuff is happening. They're always traveling as a little pack. And then the second they start splitting off, bad stuff starts happening, but they're smart enough about it. um I like that a lot, but I do agree. They do seem like they know each other better and are better friends than the one that was supposed to be all about sisterhood. yeah People over the head with stuff.
00:14:51
Speaker
It's garbage, and I love it, that's all. Versus the 2019 version where there's a lot more of that liberal feel, you know the 2006, you don't feel all that that college liberalism that we see now today. You know like um it's you get that feeling that all these chicks are like they're women that grew up through the 90s through all the the typical you know social stuff, and so that it it gives them a perspective as to how they are interacting as friends and stuff. so What I really like about I mean, and this goes to script, but also fine story, whatever. Uh, early on when they're just sitting around in the living room and they're talking about where is this girl? Where is this girl? I get the impression that like a family, they don't always like each other, but throughout the movie, they're there for each other.
00:15:41
Speaker
And I think that is, it's one of those show don't tell things that was missing in the 2019 where it's told us everything and showed us nothing. And this one does a nice job of showing us that these girls have each other's back.
00:15:57
Speaker
even when things get rough they might be bitches to each other's face but they've they're there for each other and they say it's only like two or three times throughout the film they say something about you're my family I don't remember that exact line. Well, it's kind of one of the main lines throughout the thing was like that it was kind of like a Billy tagline, you know, she's my family now from yeah when he takes Agnes early on. And that becomes like the recurring line. you say it over Oh, no, we're sisters. The girls say we're sisters. They emphasize that just a couple of times. And it's always at a significant moment when they need like
00:16:39
Speaker
Yeah, you're going into this dangerous scenario, but I'm your sister. I'm going with you. And I, I think it's great. I loved
Character Dynamics and Themes of Sisterhood
00:16:49
Speaker
it. So story and plot I gave by nature of being a remake, it loses. It can't be a five. It's not super original. Um, this movie is actually much more of a remake.
00:17:06
Speaker
than the 2019 one, borrowing similar character traits. i
00:17:15
Speaker
i don't They don't borrow names. I was looking at that this time, trying to see if the names were the same, but it's very, very similar to the original. But it has enough new stuff, enough new ideas, new twists, new turns, that it it keeps some originality in it. I gave it a three on the story.
00:17:36
Speaker
Okay. I went with a four. I enjoyed you know all the different stuff that they mixed up in there with, you know as far as the the psycho and the billion history, sister Agnes, you know and then everyone else's deal. And the little bit of story that you get from other people, especially with like Katie, like I guess apparently for what you see in the movie, she doesn't really have you know siblings or anything like family to go to. And then you've got ah What's her name that showed up for her sister, the older woman? Lee. Yeah, Lee. Yes. Lee shows up and like, you know, we never had a relationship with my sister and then they tried to build a relationship together towards the end there. After all, everyone's been, you know, slashed up and shit, you know? Yeah. I already said it was a four and kind of talked about it. solided Okay.
00:18:18
Speaker
I mean, what was yours? Okay. I gave it a three, um which is a, which was high, a high middle to me is kind of where I went with it. It's not, it's not particularly original because it's just not, it's a slasher movie set in a sorority house. I've seen a ton of these things and there were even some from around the same time sorority row um from 2009, very similar feel to it. I know that one off the top of my head. There's a couple more. Wasn't that one a remake?
00:18:47
Speaker
Yes. Yes. I think I saw the original, but i think the trend continues. Yes. But but so there there are some that are really similar to it, but I don't know. It's a three for me, but it's not a bad thing. Yeah. It's, I always think of three as like, yeah, like you said, it's upper middle. It's the bottom of a good category for me. I ah tend to view the scores in The bad is zero to two. The good is three to five. But all right. So on to the characters. We kind of touched a little bit that I viewed this movie. And that's one of the reasons why I broke these scores down like this for I still my buddy gives me a hard time about like nobody watches movies like this. And I'm like, I do. That's why I made this. I think about movies like this.
00:19:36
Speaker
But that's why I broke down the score. Everybody's going to see it a little differently so you can explain how you saw it.
Narrative Focus: Billy the Killer vs Sorority Sisters
00:19:43
Speaker
For me, I saw this movie being Billy's movie and there are girls stuck in Billy's movie like there are girls stuck in Billy's house in this film. And.
00:19:56
Speaker
The problem I have with the characters is I don't really know their names. Part of that is I'm super bad with names to begin with. I'm terrible at remembering anybody's names. Names and numbers? Forget it 10 seconds after you say it. But I also think this movie suffers from character dump at the beginning.
00:20:19
Speaker
Here's everybody, and then we whittle it away until there are two left, and then you remember, okay, Katie's the one who got there at the end, and Billy. And that's all that matters. And to me, Billy's stuff stands out way more. I do appreciate ah Katie's kind of separation from her boyfriend in this film.
00:20:45
Speaker
when she kind of stands up for herself. i it It's kind of cliche for that time period, but it's a storyline I don't mind. I kind of kind of like seeing that her boyfriend's awful.
00:20:59
Speaker
ah He tries to defend himself, I wrote that down in the script, and it it's terrible. But I still think this movie's about Billy, and because of that, I don't think there's a huge, tremendous character arc. So one of you may have a better defense of growth or development in this movie, but I don't see a tremendous character arc, because Billy is basically abused his entire life, and then after his mother gives birth to his daughter, he takes his future into his own hands. And that like that's the story. That is the most memorable part to me, is Billy's stuff. And I don't see like whether he spiraled out of control. I don't see that. They mention
00:21:55
Speaker
I think Michelle Trachtenberg's character mentions early on that he wasn't a serial killer because serial killers kill for sexual gratification, that he was a spree killer. But then this movie, I don't understand what the like what triggered this spree this time, and other than it was Christmas and that's his house. I understand less why Agnes was killing people.
00:22:22
Speaker
i I hate Agnes in this film. Let me start it on. Agnes was unnecessary. Agnes was unnecessary. She was there to subvert expectations of original fans. That's it. That's it. So she was there for shock value on the incest storyline. And then she did explain there were, I wrote down in my notes a couple of times and I was like, how is Billy both here and here?
00:22:53
Speaker
at the same time in the movie. And so having Agnes explain how a killer could be in two places at the same time, spoiler alert, Agnes is a killer in this movie, as well as Billy. So there's two of them. Other than that, yeah, Chris, I have no idea why Agnes is in this film. I mean, I don't know how she like she broke out of the psychiatric ward or something? No, she was released. She was released at eight, which would they said in the story. So she was just released and. Where was she? Was she just hiding in the attic of this place for years, waiting for Billy to return? She was in an orphanage. Nobody would adopt her. Right. And then she turned 18. They let her go. OK, that's what it was. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So when she turned 18, she just went back to this house and yeah.
00:23:44
Speaker
snuck in like this is this is where i get the like this was a 2000s slasher like she She was born in 1982. She's about the same age as the girls that are in the house. Okay, that's right. Yeah, so she probably hasn't been there very long. So it's only a couple of years maybe that she's been there. But then that just a whole other thing of she's the same age that she's of these girls that she's killing. She looks 40. Looking rough. Oh my God. representation. God, just looking God awful. Also, did anybody else? Well, this is my first time finishing. I think I might have finished it before and just not remembered it. um But rewatching it again.
00:24:40
Speaker
I had a moment where that character of Eve who comes down the steps and gives the gift of the unicorn. And then it cuts to Agnes's origin. yes And then it cuts back to Eve's face.
00:24:58
Speaker
Yes. They're trying to mess with you. It's far more interesting if she were Agnes. if That's what I thought. They lead you to think that it's crazy. but i so they Oh, that's the crazy bitch right there. But no, I was wrong. Right. I thought so too. But the only evidence of that red herring is the way they cut it. They cut it like, Oh, here's Eve who you haven't seen yet. And she gives us gift and she's weird and cut to Agnes.
00:25:26
Speaker
She uses, she uses Billy's newspaper as a wrapping paper too. So like there's that and then she like lives in like the room or she has like the closet and where she like drew a big portrait of Billy, which is kind of weird, but. And they said she's a legacy too, because she doesn't really fit in with the other girls. She's a, her mom was in the sorority and that's why she's there. Legacy. Yeah. Yeah. I guess I just never, I guess there were other clues throughout that they tried to make her the red herring, but.
00:25:56
Speaker
I never believed it. As soon as she disappeared, I thought she was dead. like i I wasn't like, oh, she's hiding now. It was a rough choice. Most of the stuff that is kind of over the top, whether the gore or... There's not really nudity in this movie. Barely. It was very, I hate saying it was tasteful, but it was very tasteful, quote unquote.
00:26:26
Speaker
um Most of that was Weinstein's decision. So the director of this film, Glenn Morgan, ah often clashed with him on set, did not get along with him very well, but he has distanced himself from this film pretty much entirely. Reportedly, he disowns the film.
00:26:56
Speaker
He's not happy with the results. And he basically, a quote from him, no way. And it's schizophrenic because Bob Weinstein came in and urinated on it. Really, there was a time where torture porn was a hot thing. You know I became friends with Bob Clark. You can throw that movie into one of your first questions. I love that movie and also a Christmas story and I learned a lot from Bob and had his blessing that we were trying to make a version that didn't get to deal with the background of the killers and stuff like that. When Bob Weinstein came in and saw that, he said, we need to drag Michelle Trachtenberg down the hall by her eyes.
00:27:35
Speaker
And basically Weinstein came in and turned everything up to a thousand because Glenn Morgan was actually trying to make something that was respectful to Bob Clark's vision. And I think you can see that when you see the movie, like most of the movie is actually ah appears to be made by someone who loved the original.
00:28:00
Speaker
There's nothing that dramatically corrupts the story of the original other than throwing Billy's origin story in there and then unnecessary like shower scene. you know there's The stuff that's in there kind of feels out of place.
00:28:24
Speaker
because the rest of it is fairly tastefully done. And so I can kind of see where he's saying that Weinstein came in and said, let's do this, because like Jonathan said earlier, the Saw movies were huge in 2006. So they were trying to get that crowd to turn out for this movie. That's why I think this story ended up becoming Billy's story.
00:28:51
Speaker
So this whole idea of character arcs and stuff like you don't really have one. ah yeah I just don't feel like there's an arc. I labeled this a straight up two because there's some little bit of growth and connection between some of the some of the ladies.
00:29:06
Speaker
you know, while they're trying to to bond and and stay alive and everything. And, you know, this, you know, finally the resolution of taking Billy out and Agnes out at the end. There's, there's not really anything that has any kind of real arc to it other than just the resolution that, you know, hell with Billy, we're going to kill this guy, get him out of here and be done with it. You know, just, just kind of weak as far as arc goes. I don't disagree.
00:29:37
Speaker
Ivy, we haven't heard much joke from you on that. I'm trying to process exactly what I'm trying to say because I hadn't thought about it being like that about Billy's movie. But whenever you say that, that's very interesting because there's a lot of slashers where we are in Jason's world. We're in Freddie's world. We're in Michael's world. Nobody cares about the characters in most of those movies. I can't name individual characters in Friday the 13th 7.
00:30:02
Speaker
I can't do it. yeah no not gonna have I know Jason's there killing people, and that's who you're there for. So it's kind of almost playing with that idea. yeah If you look at it that way, the girls don't have arcs. i couldn't even I couldn't even really figure out who was the final girl a decent way into the movie. And I've seen this movie before. so um But when you put it that way, that's really interesting. It's kind of almost setting Billy up as as one of those big types of killers. but because there were no sequels and all that kind of thing it never really you know right fully feels that way but it almost you yeah i see that to me the other type of slasher where we just root for the slasher yeah to me it felt like as i was watching this especially when she wakes up in the hospital
00:30:47
Speaker
I was going, Oh, are they going to set this up for like black Christmas too? And I, at that point I was like, I was fully on board that this is now taking that Billy is the next Jason. Like that's what I was thinking, but obviously that didn't happen. So yeah, I got the part where she woke up in the hospital. I was like, there's still 16 minutes left. Oh, there must be something else. There's something crazy is going to happen next soon. Like, Oh,
00:31:14
Speaker
Honestly, the saying is it over yet? Is it ended? is it is Why is it still going? Yeah. My biggest gripe with this movie is the hospital scene. I think the ending sucks. Apparently there's alternative endings though. Like the European versions have a different ending or the German version does. Huh. But I think the ending stuff, in my opinion, the weakest part of this movie.
00:31:39
Speaker
i but Yeah. Yeah. But as's for care as for characters, I gave it a three, but I focused more on the girls and kind of how smart they were. We talked about this a bit earlier, but they're they're not just like stupid victims to the slasher. like they they They work together and they they care about each other to some degree and they don't really make any stupid.
00:32:06
Speaker
uh, decisions are not many at least. And so I kind of focused character more on that, how these, these weren't just a cookie cutter fodder for Billy to destroy per se. No, I think that's very true. They avoided that cliche very well.
00:32:23
Speaker
Yeah, and going to what Ivy just said, yeah, I kind of viewed this one. I mean, I never really thought about it as Billy's movie much, but maybe because I saw it more like those 80s slashers where Jason's kind of the main character, Freddy's the main character, that Michael becomes. I mean, they ah so it kind of felt like an 80s slasher to me, not stylistically or anything like that or story-wise, but um from Billy as a villain,
00:32:50
Speaker
So I viewed it through that lens and I love 80's slashers so much. So I guess that's why it kind of just existed fine for me and I didn't question it or think about it much. But loving 80's slashers is why I'm here right now. so For me, the character, ultimately, how compelling was the character's arc? I gave it a one because I didn't see much of it, but I got that there was some there like Katie's boyfriend story and her kind of finding herself in this moment. A little bit of Billy's seeing basically what a lifetime of abuse led him to, even though it's poorly fleshed out. I gave it a one. Two. OK. I'll give it a three. All right, so the music and the sound design.
Atmospheric Elements: Christmas Music
00:33:40
Speaker
This movie mentioned, I remember for the 2019 one, we talked about how this was a Christmas movie that didn't know it was a Christmas movie. From the opening second of this movie, it knows it's a Christmas movie and we get an instant blast of Christmas music.
00:34:14
Speaker
and i was automatically like i know people hate christmas music i get it i do i love it especially in a christmas movie i want to set that atmosphere i want to set that mood We have Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, we have Jingle Bells by Bing Crosby, we have Deck the Halls, Carol the Bells, We Wish You a Merry Christmas. I love it. Like there's Christmas music throughout this, not to mention that the score is actually quite good throughout most of the movie. It reminded me more of 90s movies, 90s almost,
00:34:59
Speaker
I don't want to say action, but it had all the right notes, all the right beats for the film intermixed with some Christmas music at appropriate times, but also the sound design on like when the phones ring. And it's just the right amount of too loud to kind of unsettle you.
00:35:24
Speaker
It's great. I, I loved the sound design. I love the music in this movie. I love that. After we talked about 2019 and how it didn't know it was a Christmas movie, this one immediately establishes from the opening shot, Hey, we're a Christmas movie. And I want to put it on my Christmas rotation just from that alone. Like it. Yep. Every Christmas let's do black Christmas 20 2006.
00:35:50
Speaker
I agree. If you're going to have a theme, stick to your theme. If you're going to make a Christmas horror movie, jam as much Christmas music into it as possible. That's just... Yeah. And they did. And they did a good job. I hope Terrifier 3 does that so much. It's my most anticipated movie this year. I'm so scared it's going to be terrible, but... Man, I'm worried.
00:36:14
Speaker
I just hope it leans so much into Christmas and becomes like a Christmas horror movie and not just like art dressed up as Santa.
Sidebar: Terrifier Films and Art the Clown
00:36:21
Speaker
But anyways, that's a sad conversation. I just saw a thing about that the other day. So I posted like you're trying to get a petition to like have like the popcorn buckets for that movie of his head ne things and like colored popcorn or pink like brains and stuff.
00:36:33
Speaker
Well, I think Chris and I might message each other about it. I didn't like the first Terrifier movie at all. I thought it was. I haven't seen him at all. I have no idea. It's pretty stupid. It's an excuse for over the top gore, basically, ah which is really well done. um The second one, though, is. Man, when he's like flaying that girl in the bed,
00:37:00
Speaker
I almost passed out. i tough and i I was like, man, this is... Ugh. You don't have to listen with these movies. You got to get on it. I got to watch some stuff. Geez. Yeah, I'm behind here. God. It's rough. I think art's an excellent character in a not super great movie with the first one. And I think they're getting there more with the second one. So I'm thinking the third one, he's going to nail it. Fingers crossed. That's what I thought. I would agree. I think art is fantastic. Yes. But the movies have yet to live up to art's potential.
00:37:38
Speaker
Yes. Yep. But I too don't like the first one very much at all. But then I watched. So I was skeptical about the second one. But I've seen the second one like maybe 15 times. I have I have art clown tattooed on my leg after that movie. And I don't even like the first one. I just love. Yeah. There's amazing. The characters, one of the better killers we've had in years. I watch this then. Yeah. Yeah, you do, Jonathan. You haven't seen Terrifier.
00:38:06
Speaker
Not at all. the first one and At a glance, it just looks like a want to be scary Pavarotti singing clown kind of situation. I don't know. The first one is like 90 minutes maybe of what feels like a college project for practical effects.
00:38:24
Speaker
and here with an amazing performance from Art the Clown. And then the second one is a movie. The second one, the second one's good. Second one's good. It's a big epic movie with awesome practical effects. The soundtrack's awesome. Sienna is like the main girl, final girl type. She's cool. She's awesome. And anyways. She's very easy on the eyes.
00:38:47
Speaker
ah so just say I'll dress up as her for the Halloween episode. yeah Oh, we're going to have a good time with that one. But I agree with that. Sorry, I was trying to come back around to the sound. Yeah, looping back. But I have pictures of Sienna pulled up on my computer.
00:39:13
Speaker
of It's distracting. I'm going to exit out of it. All right, I'm good. So you'll be distracted by her. I'll be distracted by Lacey Shaver to play Dana.
00:39:28
Speaker
We'll get to the cast of this movie later. i yeah This movie has a lot from the Nutcracker. We have Final Waltz, we have Apotheosis, Waltz of the Snowflakes. I mentioned Waltz of the Flowers from the Nutcracker. There's a lot of Nutcracker in this movie. It's a nutty film.
00:39:50
Speaker
Everybody's waiting for the man with the bag. I love that song. But yeah, Chris, you are gonna lead into some music some music and sound design on that. All as I was always gonna say is, okay, a brief. I agree with everything you've said. I mean, Christmas music accents like the entire movie in the background and the score in some way. And something that this movie does that 2019 didn't do at all is the score is really good at setting up suspense. Like there's lots of suspenseful sequences.
00:40:18
Speaker
And yeah, 2019 had no suspense at all. And yeah, I think the score is does it really well in this one.
00:40:27
Speaker
so i
00:40:31
Speaker
A lot of people don't like, probably gonna like this, but like, I just, I'm not a big Christmas music fan. so It's never really been my thing. I mean, it is what it is. I recognize those songs. They're good songs and all. It's just, I'm not like a Christmasy song person. um And then what you're talking about with like building the suspense with the music and everything with the score was pretty good, but the rest of it, it blended all really well that I didn't really notice it part of the time because I was captivated by the suspense more than anything.
00:40:56
Speaker
And it's created the musical into that you know and all the Christmas stuff. I still just, it seemed kind of meh, whatever to me. So I went with a three on it, you know?
01:23:37
Speaker
What was it?
01:35:47
Speaker
Who wants to go first?
01:41:33
Speaker
All right. So our final score is then everybody. My final score, 36.
01:47:36
Speaker
I'll get you a treat because that's sad.
01:49:41
Speaker
Oh, Lacey Shabert.
01:51:29
Speaker
That's all I have. Thank you for joining us.