kurt_cobain_2794

On February 26th 2012, 17 year old Trayvon Martin was stalked, shot and killed on a return trip home from a convenience store by George Zimmerman. What followed was a media circus of spin doctoring and smear campaigns against Martin and his family while Zimmerman stood trial for the second degree murder of Trayvon. He was later acquitted and revels as a "hero" in the aftermath. This documentary series is an insight to Martin's life and the moments leading up to his murder along with the subsequent trial and out cry for justice. It is intricate and detailed, offering arguments and counter points against the allegations the main stream media news pushed (especially Fox News), and paints a full picture of the situation. From the Martin home life before and after to the mental state and violent situations Zimmerman found himself in. The people down voting this series are obviously not going to give this series a chance, their views are set in stone and will not be persuaded, but this series should be watched, it should be shown to high schools as Roots is shown. It is an important series that reflects the persisting problem of racism and xenophobia that still runs rampant in the veins of America to this day.

While having grown in popularity and recognition in the past years, Black Christmas is an under appreciated horror gem from director Bob Clark, the same who would later bring the much beloved A Christmas Story. This I feel is a better film, capturing a more timeless sense of Christmas cheer than the overly sentimental Christmas Story, but putting a psychotic murder mystery twist on the season.

Black Christmas is set in a sorority house as the holiday break sees most of the residents leave to spend time with family, with a few staying behind to look after the house. However a deranged stalker takes refuge in the home with them, making obscene disturbing phone calls and picking off the remaining residents one by one. The characters are well written and performed authentically, all are smart and interesting making you care for them (unlike a lot of horror movies these days), and the casting is amazing. Olivia Hussey plays Jess, who has a secret between her and her boyfriend Peter (played by Keir Dullea, Dave from 2001 A Space Odyssey), Margot Kidder as the crass alcoholic Barb, Andrea Martin (pre SCTV stardom) as the reasonable yet timid Phyl, Marian Waldman as the frumpy boozing house mother Mrs Mac (easily steals a lot of scenes with her secret sherry stashes), and John Saxon as the police lieutenant Ken Fuller investigating the harassing calls.

The film is innovative in more than just being a prototype to the future slasher genre which would explode in the 70's and 80's, with first person POV shots from the killer, a goosebump inducing experimental soundtrack made up broken piano sounds that creeps throughout, and some tropes that would later become famous with films like When a Stranger Calls and Halloween. There is also little blood through out the movie, with some kills being more about tension than execution as they build up to the moment. The film is a slow burn in tension with characters becoming uneasy over days as well as the phone calls getting more personal and insane, so if you're looking for a gory kill a minute horror you might not be very impressed with this film.

However if you're looking for a creepy Christmas horror to experience this year I'd gladly recommend you check out this unique early slasher. And don't bother with the remake, even if you're looking for gory kill a minute horror it does not deliver and is absolutely bland in comparison.