Horror fans are currently in the middle of a second slasher renaissance with franchises like Halloween, Scream, and Texas Chainsaw Massacre making their bloody return in recent years. This has caused new genre enthusiasts to go black to the classic slashers of the 70s and 80s that turned horror into the haunted household moneymaker it is today. However, one slasher that never got a proper sequel and is often wrongly forgotten by general audiences is 1974’s Black Christmas directed by Bob Clark. Yes, the same Bob Clark who would go on to direct another holiday classic A Christmas Story. However, for the horror community, this claustrophobic cold nightmare starring Olivia Hussey as Jesse Bradford is the director's definitive Christmas story.
Now, almost 50 years after the original festive murder spree, it has been announced that Hussey will be reprising her final girl role as Jess in the fan film sequel It’s Me, Billy: Chapter 2. The film will once again be directed by Dave McRae and Bruce Dale. In a statement released this week, the pair of filmmakers said:
“It’s Me, Billy was always designed to be the first part of a two-part story, hence the cliffhanger ending. It was always our hope that we’d get a chance to complete our vision and bring this story to a conclusion. Now is that time. We are excited to invite horror fans from around the world to help us complete the final step of our journey, one that will continue to pay honor and respect to the incredible legacy of the original Black Christmas and everyone involved in the making of that film.”
The original fan film followed Jess’ Granddaughter Sam who gets entangled in the killer “Billy’s” dreadful return. Jess is presumed dead throughout the film, but the previously mentioned cliffhanger revealed that Jess was alive and had been captured by Billy. We never see Hussey in the first fan sequel, but this got fans clamoring for the actress' return. It’s Me, Billy was the best thing to happen to Black Christmas in five decades and the filmmakers did a great job recapturing the cold-blooded magic of the original slasher.
The Legacy of Black Christmas
While films like Halloween, Friday the 13th, and A Nightmare on Elm Street are more fondly remembered in the slasher space, Black Christmas predates all those films by a good number of years. When Billy was introduced in 1974, there was nothing like their creatively shot atmospheric hellscape. We can talk about Clark’s cold to the touch direction, the literal chilling sorority setting, the warm Christmas color palette, and the film’s surprisingly great sense of humor, but why Black Christmas stands the test of time is because of the dark relevant themes tied to Jess’ character.
This slasher bravely tackled abortion in such a nuanced way in a time when just mentioning the topic was unheard of. Films today wouldn’t even dare tackle it in the same tragic manner. This is what makes Jess standout from every other final girl and the way Hussey played her was so brilliant with a calming subtlety that will both warm and break your heart. Characters like Laurie Strode and Sidney Prescott are better known in the horror community, but Jess is the most underrated final girl thanks to Hussey. After Black Christmas she would continue her horror journey in films like IT and Psycho IV: The Beginning, but Black Christmas is the rare slasher from this iconic era that never got an official sequel. That’s what makes Hussey’s return so exciting.
Where Can You Stream Black Christmas?
While there have been two remakes of this slasher, one that’s underrated and one that’s best left in a sorority house attic, the original Black Christmas can be streamed on Shudder. The film also came to stunning 4K for the first time thanks to Scream Factory this past December. If you’re a physical media nut, this edition is a must-own.
It’s Me, Billy: Chapter 2 is set to start shooting sometime this winter and will be released in 2024 for Black Christmas’ 50th anniversary. It will be available online for free just like Chapter 1. Along with Hussey, this fan made sequel will see the return of Victoria Mero as Sam, Caro Coltman as Agnes, and Bryan Charles Peter as Billy. Also, Lynne Griffin who played Claire in the original will be returning as the character’s sister Nancy. While Black Christmas fans anxiously wait for this killer reunion, you can contribute to the film’s campaign here and watch the original classic’s trailer down below.