Movies
The ‘Black Christmas’ Phone Calls Ranked From Terrifying To Also Terrifying
We ranked the most terrifying calls from Black Christmas (1974). They’re all terrifying, but the question is, which ones are the most terrifying? To get us in the festive spirit, I thought I’d rank the six phone calls the killer places throughout the movie. So kick back, put on some holiday tunes, pull out the bottle of sherry the house mother, Mrs. Mac (Marian Waldman), hid between the cushions of the couch, and come with me on a deeply disturbing journey. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good fright.
“No Clare, that’s the Mormon Tabernacle Choir doing the annual obscene phone call.”
This is how casually Margot Kidder’s tart-tongued Barb treats the killer at the beginning of Bob Clark’s 1974 holiday horror masterpiece Black Christmas. Before the end of the movie, she will learn just how wrong she was not to take this particular obscene phone call seriously. As it turns out, the calls received by Barb, Jess (Olivia Hussey), Phyl (Andrea Martin), and their sorority sisters, are coming from a killer who has holed up in the attic of their sorority house. He only picks up the phone after he has committed yet another murder.
He never gets a name. He’s referred to by the characters as The Moaner, and by most fans as Billy (the calls do heavily imply that he is Billy, and that he has a dark backstory regarding something terrible happening to his sister Agnes), but he remains an amorphous, unknowable presence even at the end of the movie. Hell, he’s not credited, and he’s never even properly seen except as a shadowy figure with a single visible, staring eye. But the killer looms large over the movie as he picks off the main cast one by one, and this is largely because of the contents of the calls he places to the sorority sisters.
They’re all terrifying, but the question is, which ones are the most terrifying? To get us in the festive spirit, I thought I’d rank the six phone calls the killer places throughout the movie. So kick back, put on some holiday tunes, pull out the bottle of sherry the house mother, Mrs. Mac (Marian Waldman), hid between the cushions of the couch, and come with me on a deeply disturbing journey. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good fright.
The 6 Phone Calls From Black Christmas (1974) Ranked
#6 Call 2 (Clare’s Death)
“Where did you put Agnes, Billy?”
While it’s creepy, this call pretty much sets the template for what the rest of the calls in the main body of the movie are going to be. It offers a little glimpse into a potential backstory for the killer, and showcases his seemingly inhuman ability to contort the pitch of his voice, playing multiple characters with such little space between them that they almost seem to be talking over each other. However, this call is much too short to put up much competition against the others, as Jess (wisely) hangs up on him after about four lines.
#5 Call 3 (Mrs. Mac’s Death)
“Please, stop me! Oh God, please!”
Call 3 is another shorty with some Agnes backstory, so it’s pretty similar to Call 2. But the fact that it starts with a plea for someone to stop him highlights the fact that the killer isn’t fully in control of his own faculties. If the killer himself desperately wants to stop his own reign of terror and isn’t able to, how the hell is anybody else supposed to do it?
#4 Call 5 (Phyl’s Death)
“You left Billy alone with Agnes!”
Call 5 isn’t exactly the creepiest of the bunch. It also mostly follows the standard “Agnes” script. However, it’s one of the more prolonged calls because it takes place when Jess is trying to help the police track where the killer is calling from, and it allows the killer the chance to show off his vocal calisthenics the most, and his one-man audio drama about two parents screaming at a shrieking child is quite a compelling and eerie listen.
#3 Call 4 (Barb’s Death)
“Just like having a wart removed…”
Call 4 does get a little repetitive, I’m not gonna lie. But that’s what makes the final line pack such a punch. The killer, in a hideously shrieking voice, repeats something that Jess’ boyfriend Peter (Keir Dullea) said earlier that night about her desire to have an abortion. While this line is partially meant to implicate Peter as a red herring, it is also a chilling early revelation to Jess that the killer has been nearby the whole time and overheard her conversation. She has no reason to trust her creeper of a boyfriend, but if only she had, she might have put two and two together and lived to tell the tale.
#2 Call 1 (Janice’s Death)
“I’m going to kill you.”
The first call the killer makes in the movie starts off innocently enough. Well, innocent on the type of scale Bob Clark’s later movie Porky’s might judge it upon. There sure is some judicious use of the “C” word, but at first, he seems like your typical down-home sex pest, attempting to shock his listeners with raunchy and sexually aggressive talk. Hence Barb’s comment from the beginning of this article. She’s a woman in the 1970s, she’s heard worse.
The call might be spiced up with some slurping and animalistic grunting, but for the most part, it’s run of the mill. Until the very last line, when he intones “I’m going to kill you,” with a sudden cold, casual clarity that is the total opposite of the manic, intense energy of the rest of the call. It’s not a warning, just a statement of fact. If the snowstorm outside didn’t already put a chill down your spine, this call sure will.
#1 Call 6 (Jess’ Death)
“…”
The final call of Black Christmas is by far the most disturbing because it goes unanswered. The movie ends with the police leaving Jess alone to rest in her room, assuming that the newly dead Peter was indeed the killer. Because of this, they are blithely unaware that the real killer is still lurking in the attic. Although we don’t ever see what happens to Jess because the camera cuts to an exterior shot of the house, the fact that the phone is ringing off the hook unheeded certainly implies that some awful fate has befallen her. The killer is continuing his ritual of placing a call after a murder, but now there’s nobody left to hear him after his bloody rampage.
The fact that the phone just keeps ringing while the credits roll in their entirety is the icing on the cake. There is no more story to be told here, for Jess, or for anybody else who we’ve come to know and perhaps even love over the course of the film. It’s a shockingly grim way to end a movie, and the shrill jangling of the phone, which gets louder and louder as time goes by, just keeps rubbing salt in the wound.
Looks like another July will be spent getting cozy with Shudder in this house. Between all the new (to me) international titles and the conclusion of Hell Motel on July 29th, the app has filled my calendar for the month. Hold my texts, keep your emails in the draft folder, and don’t look for me outside. My TV and I are on a mission, and we’re prioritizing the five titles below. I hope they grab your attention and make it into your Shudder viewings this summer as well. However, I’ll be too busy watching them to know what anyone else is doing, so happy streaming whatever you decide to get into.
While we have you here, you should consider joining us for Bloody Brunches! Every Sunday at 11 AM CST / 12 PM EST, we’ll be livestreaming a new episode of Hell Motel. Who know’s who you’ll see, sometimes Ian Carpenter and crew stop by!
The Best Movies to Stream on Shudder This Month
Lake Placid (1999)
A small group of people try to capture a gigantic crocodile terrorizing the people of Black Lake, Maine. I am not an aquatic horror girl, and I am usually unimpressed with 90s action horror titles. I make a special exception for Lake Placid though. Sure, it stars Bridget Fonda, Bill Pullman, and Oliver Platt. However, real film buffs know that it’s really the late Betty White who carries this movie. Her foul-mouthed character stood on business and is the reason most of us revisit this title during the summer.
You can watch Lake Placid on July 1st.
Nyi Blorong (1982)
The South Sea Queen’s daughter rises to take a human lover. I have a long history of disliking snakes and movies about snakes. However, I’m leaning into this 1982 film because I deserve a retro Indonesian horror fantasy moment. I am also excited because it stars the late Suzzanna, the queen of Indonesian horror. I only learned about her a few years ago and wanted to spend some time with her work. As usual, Shudder is making it too easy to become a better cinephile.
You can watch Nyi Blorong on July 7th.
The Housemaid (2018)
An orphaned girl is hired as a housemaid at a haunted rubber plantation in 1953 French Indochina. Once there, she falls in love with the landowner, which sends the ghost of his dead wife into a jealous rage. I was excited to watch this just because it sounds chaotic, and I do not see enough Vietnamese horror for my liking. However, I recently discovered it is also an IFC Midnight title, so now my expectations are through the roof. IFC has been the home of upsetting, weird, and unique horror since 2010. I have a date with Shudder on July 14th, because I want this movie in my eyeballs the second it becomes available.
You can watch The Housemaid on July 14th.
Swallow (2020)
A pregnant housewife is compelled to eat dangerous objects, leading her husband and in-laws to become more controlling. Swallow had the misfortune of debuting during the top of the pandemic, so many people missed it. I found it on accident during Thanksgiving back when Showtime still had its own app. It’s quiet chaos that surprised me in a good way. I have been trying to make everyone I know watch it, and Shudder is making that so much easier this month. I am overdue for a rewatch myself, so I will also be hitting play while it’s available this July.
You can watch Swallow on July 21st.
Monster Island (2024)
A Japanese ship transporting prisoners of war and a British POW are stranded on an island where a mythical creator hunts them. Can they work together now that their very survival depends on it? I was bummed I missed this movie at Overlook Film Fest this year because all my friends loved it. So, obviously, I am thrilled Monster Island (also known as Orang Ikan) is hitting the Shudders streets so soon. I do not know what the other monster movies are doing this July because my heart belongs to this baby.
You can watch Monster Island on July 25th.
So, as usual, I will be hiding in my apartment and trying to make Shudder Saturdays my personality. I’m running at their international titles like it’s my job and revisiting a few movies I never spend enough time with. I hope your Shudder watches spark as much joy for you as I expect mine will this July.
In the 90 years since its release, The Bride of Frankenstein is still the Universal Monsters franchise’s strongest film.
I first watched The Bride of Frankenstein on cable around 15 years ago. Director James Whale’s fable of a misunderstood creature’s quest for a bride really stayed with me after subsequent viewings. Speaking of The Bride, she’s the Universal Monster with the most potential for a gripping and modern reimagining that hasn’t been fully tapped into yet. Universal’s newest theme park Epic Universe, opening back in May, inspired a deeper dive into The Bride of Frankenstein, the titular role and its legacy.
Unveiling The Bride: The Plot and Power of the 1935 Classic
Immediately following 1931’s Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein centers on Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive) as the sinister Dr. Pretorius (Ernest Thesiger) urges him to collaborate on creating a mate for The Monster (Boris Karloff). In the meantime, The Monster travels across the countryside, learns to speak, and meets Pretorius. When both scientists complete and unveil The Bride (Elsa Lanchester), she rejects The Monster, motivating him to pull a lever and famously say, “We belong dead.” Pulling the lever ignites an explosion, killing The Monster, The Bride, and Pretorius.
Just as it took two scientists’ minds to create her onscreen, two individuals gave life to The Bride’s characterization and look: Lanchester and makeup master Jack Pierce, who designed nearly all the original Universal Monsters.
The Bride’s Hiss: How Lanchester Stole the Show with Limited Screentime
The Bride not being the film’s main protagonist is ironic since she’s the title character. Making the most of her brief performance, Lanchester’s swan-like mannerisms as The Bride sharply contrast with the humanity Karloff brings out of The Monster. After her dual role as The Bride and author Mary Shelley herself in the film, Lanchester took on more horror film roles like Henrietta Stiles in Willard (1971). It’s not hard to imagine what could’ve been for her career if she reprised her role in The Bride of Frankenstein’s sequels Son of Frankenstein and Ghost of Frankenstein. If a lab explosion couldn’t kill The Monster, wouldn’t it be the same for The Bride?
Besides the white streaks, Lanchester surprisingly didn’t wear a wig to portray The Bride since Pierce shaped her red hair to look the way it does. Pierce’s work on The Bride is just as iconic if not more so than Lanchester’s performance, ensuring the character became inseparable from her intended suitor in pop culture’s eyes. Case in point: There’s so much officially licensed merchandise playing up a romance between the two characters, even though The Bride can’t stand her intended mate. Beyond Lanchester and Pierce, there is one man responsible for how the film itself would come out.
James Whale’s Masterpiece: Directing The Bride of Frankenstein
Whale stitched great set designs, fantastic performances and composer Franz Waxman’s eerie score together to create a masterpiece.
Having Frankenstein, The Old Dark House and The Invisible Man under his belt by the mid-‘30s, it’s clear Whale creatively peaked while working on The Bride of Frankenstein. Although so much about Whale’s talents has been said, there’s a reason why his work on the film stands out across his filmography: He really went wild when directing it. Every character is practically cartoony, the sets are more elaborate and the plot is thematically richer than the original’s. Being an openly gay filmmaker, he cranked up The Bride of Frankenstein’s camp to legendary heights.
The Bride of Frankenstein is the final horror movie Whale directed. The novel Father of Frankenstein and its film adaptation Gods and Monsters, starring actor Ian McKellen as Whale, dramatize his life after directing the film. According to the reference book Universal Horrors by Tom Weaver, Michael Brunas and John Brunas, he initially didn’t want to direct his horror work’s apex. Just like Henry Frankenstein’s relationship with the monster he created, The Bride of Frankenstein’s production is a case of life imitating art. The Monster’s in-universe infamy further parallels Whale’s Frankenstein duology’s lasting popularity.
How The Bride of Frankenstein Shaped Horror Sequels and Adaptations
The Bride of Frankenstein’s influence can be seen across other horror films and Frankenstein adaptations.
Having “Bride of” in a horror sequel’s title is synonymous with including the main character’s female counterpart, leading to Bride of Re-Animator, Bride of Chucky, etc. The similarities go further than the titles, with The Bride of Frankenstein inspiring the former’s plot and furthering Tiffany’s arc in the latter. The Bride of Frankenstein inevitably shaped Frankenstein’s future adaptations as well.
Directed by Kenneth Branagh, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein from 1994 closely follows the original novel. Breaking away from the novel’s narrative, its third act pays homage to The Bride of Frankenstein when Victor brings Elizabeth back to life with similarly brief screentime. Mia Goth’s seemingly red hair on the set of Guillermo Del Toro’s upcoming Frankenstein may hint at her character similarly becoming The Bride.
The Bride’s Untapped Potential for a Modern Horror Remake
With Warner Bros. releasing its own take on the character with The Bride! in 2026, it makes Universal’s reluctance to make a new remake downright egregious.
The Bride is still the literally redheaded stepchild among the Universal Monsters. When it comes to being neglected by Universal, The Creature From the Black Lagoon is the only character who rivals The Bride, but that’s another story. Universal did plan a remake directed by Bill Condon, who helmed Gods and Monsters, for its aborted Dark Universe film franchise.
The Bride’s Absence in Epic Universe’s Monsters Unchained Ride
Looking at Epic Universe, the Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment ride apparently leaves The Bride out, even though she makes more sense to be in it than The Phantom of the Opera. However, The Bride does make meet-and-greet appearances across Dark Universe’s grounds.
Several ideas can be incredible for when Universal finally releases a remake of The Bride of Frankenstein someday. Based on what I’ve heard about 2023’s Poor Things, it’s exploration of a mad scientist’s creation’s experiences in a restrictive society is closer to what a modern reimagining should be. Having a woman behind the camera can lead to a feminist vision, delving into The Bride questioning her life’s purpose.
Until the day a proper remake debuts, the original 1935 film remains The Bride of Frankenstein’s definitive incarnation.
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