Halloween and the 10 best horror movies to watch on Shudder

4.  Black Christmas

Without 1974’s Black Christmas (AKA Silent Night, Evil Night), John Carpenter’s Halloween may never have happened; Carpenter has cited it as the inspiration for his own holiday-themed slasher flick. Both films are also similar in that there is very little blood present, despite the brutal murders.

Another interesting fact: Black Christmas was produced and directed by Bob Clark, who wrote and directed the beloved holiday classic A Christmas Story.

Black Christmas opens during a Christmas party in a sorority house, where most of the girls are getting ready to depart for the holiday. What they don’t know is that a strange man is hiding in their attic.

The girls have been receiving some disturbing and phone calls, but pretty much laugh them off. After drunk Barb (Margot Kidder) mouths off to the caller, he threatens to kill her, upsetting Claire, who leaves the party in a huff. When she goes to her room to pack, she is attacked and suffocated with a plastic bag.

In the most chilling scene, we see Claire’s body in a rocking chair in front of the attic window. The plastic bag is still on her face, her mouth open in a silent scream, as the chair rocks. Brrrr….

Nothing good comes from a killer hiding in a house full of young women, so you can guess what happens next. Though the plot may sound familiar, Black Christmas is special, so you owe it to yourself to watch it at least once in your life. Who knows? Maybe it will become your new Christmas tradition!