Here’s why Black Christmas (1974) is a feminist figurehead in the horror genre
okay, literally only one person asked for this but I love talking about this so bare with my jumbled mess of a rant lmao
You might be wondering how a movie about a house of sorority girls all being murdered by an unhinged, faceless antagonist could possibly be feminist. I mean, almost every female character in the movie meets an awful end. At first, I didn’t see how it could be either, but as I looked more into the characterisation of these women, it became more and more clear.
First of all, the women in this movie are all strong, independent and sex positive. Following the fight for gender equality during the 1960s and 70s, being sex-positive and proud of it was a big deal. This was a time (and somewhat still is) when women were shamed for being sexual and looked down upon for being so. The sorority house, however, is covered in suggestive posters and the women all joke about sexual subjects. This openness already exhibits the feminist progression within this film and the attitude towards sexual expression by women, something that is still rather controversial today. Often in the media, women are expected to be virginal, innocent beings which this movie challenges. It’s unapologetic in the way it depicts the women in their attitudes towards sex which I think was very important for 1970s audiences. It shatters this construct that women are forced into, exposing a fresh and more progressive attitude. In the beginning of the movie during Billy’s first phone call, he uses harsh sexual imagery to threaten the women, but Barb does not let this bother her and instead stands up to him. This act alone emphasises the female defiance in this movie and how they do not let this kind of hateful, sexual language constrain them in the way that Billy hopes. These women are not shocked by what he has to say because they are not constrained by this toxic trope of innocence often associated with young women.
Additionally, I think it’s really important to look at the way that men are characterised in this movie. They are a direct juxtaposition to the women’s calmness and unity. Instead, they are emotional, quick to anger, rude, arrogant and violent. For example, when Peter learns that Jess wishes to abort their baby, he becomes emotional and angry, calling her names and crying at her whilst she remains calm and confident in her thinking. Peter looses all rational whilst Jess speaks clearly and calmly to him about her decision. He even goes so far as to smash the piano in a fit of anger. This clear swap of gender stereotypes is a further sign of progression within this movie as it presents women as the stronger characters. Men are further characterised as such through the cop, Clare’s father and Billy.
Clare’s father is especially interesting to look at as he almost seems to be leading his own storyline. When he arrives at the sorority house, he is appalled by the liberalness of it and immediately wishes to make a complaint. Shocked by the suggestive posters and nature of the women, he cannot fathom that his ‘perfect’ and ‘innocent’ daughter can live in such a place; he does not believe that she can be like the other women in the house. From an older and more conservative generation, he has a certain perception of how women are to behave, and when he learns that his daughter does not behave in that way, he is truly shocked. As he stays at the house for longer, I think he is actually scared by how little he knows of his daughter; she is like a completely different person to how he had wanted her to be. I think his desire to control further emphasies the toxic expectations of women to be innocent and perfect which is obviously just unattainable. Clare’s rejection of her father’s values shows the generational disconnect and the progression in the attitudes towards women during this period. Despite all of these expectations that Clare was subject to, she still broke away from them to lead the lifestyle that she wanted which I think is pretty great. Although she dies very early in the movie, I think she’s a pretty complex character and acts somewhat as a symbol for this generational break that we see within expectations towards women.
Billy is also a complex character who is very difficult to investigate considering we never actually learn much about him. I think it’s important to note that he only killed women excluding the surveillance cop who he killed out of necessity. His attacks somewhat symbolise the oppression and control of women as he mercilessly kills them; they are not people to him. I could delve into his backstory if you want in another post but it’s very twisted and just further presents his violence against women as senseless and purely evil. I think he wishes to gain a sense of control over these women which is especially apparent within his treatment of Clare’s corpse. He places a baby doll in her arms and rocks her which initialises her, reverting her back to that construct of innocence and perfection. The only way he is able to truly control these women is in death which is exactly what he does. In death, these women’s individuality are stripped away, reducing them to whatever Billy pleases. Even Barb’s death creates this idea. She is stabbed with a glass unicorn which seems to represent childhood innocence. In a way, this act of violence further develops the idea of female oppression; her character is being destroyed by this symbol of innocence.
Jess’ character is the most important one to contemplate throughout the whole movie. She acts as a symbol for the progressive women through her clear decision making regarding her future and the female unity she exhibits when she goes to rescue Barb and Phyll. Her character is so interesting as she deals with Peter’s tantrum over her decision to get an abortion and her refusal to marry him. She is focused on her future and her independence; she is not going to give it up simply because Peter demands it. In a way, I think her killing Peter at the end is a reclaiming of that power. She believes he is the killer, but I also think it acts as a symbol for fighting against male oppression; she defeats the person trying to control her. That might be a stretch but I thought it was an interesting idea.
Pls feel free to disprove me or add your own ideas, these were just my thoughts as I watched the movie :)
