Plagued by dirty phone calls, a houseful of rowdy sorority girls barks back at the perpetrator and prepares for the holiday break, unaware that a psychotic killer looms in the attic. When one sister goes missing, local police don't give the case much thought until it's almost too late.

Written and directed by Bob Clark (who would, amusingly, go on to direct the perennial holiday classic _A Christmas Story_ almost a decade later), _Black Christmas_ is an efficient, low budget proto-slasher with a nice blend of character moments, tension-breaking humor and moody suspense. Rather than observing in fist-balled terror from a distance, the audience takes a direct, active role in the murders thanks to an persistent hand-held, killer's-eye perspective during the bloodiest scenes. While an obvious gimmick, this approach does add a unique dimension to the screen and lends the killings an intimate, face-to-face quality that feels different to its many peers and imitators.

The cast is surprisingly human and relatable for the genre, from the most experienced players (Margot Kidder as a wise-cracking, foul-mouthed lush) to the relative rookies (first-timer Lynne Griffin, whose last suffocated gasp is pictured on all the promo materials), and tackles a number of social taboos between all the stabbings. The creepy phone calls still hold their own, too, a powerful reminder of just how invasive and personal an intimidating voice could feel in the days before voicemail or caller ID.