Everyone remembers their first. The heady cocktail of excitement and anxiety, the blood, the afterglow of doing something that feels wicked and wrong yet also, somehow feeling inexplicably in love.
Yes, everyone remembers their first horror movie experience.
There are movies that we probably keep in the mix for when we’re “in the mood,” but they never get back to that first-time feeling. And when you see or find out other people are about to have their first time with those movies, a tug of nostalgia and envy stirs in your stomach as you wish you could be where they are now.
For Hack or Slash’s Slasher Enthusiast, Kris Rojas, no movie conjures up such a feeling like Black Christmas (1974).
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How old were you when you first watched Black Christmas?
My earliest memory of this movie is from when I was around five years old. I’ve gained something new every time I’ve watched it, but the lingering impact of fearing my attic after my first watch was significant.
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Describe the first watch. Where were you? Who were you with? How did it make you feel?
I first watched it with my siblings, at my childhood home in Miami. I was immediately struck by how different a world the location in the film seemed. I was a child born from a tropical family in the sunshine state -- and there were the seemingly snowy streets of Canada.
I originally knew of this film by its television title: Stranger in the House. I remember being struck by how much Jess resembled my oldest sister, and Barb's asthma reminded me of her as well. My sister often needed her inhaler or a nebulizer, and I remember one scene in particularly striking me with the realization of how completely vulnerable that made her.
Of course, much of the film’s subtext was beyond what I could’ve comprehended as a child (and, thankfully, my family counted on me not being able to understand the horrific, perverse language in that initial phone call from Billy).
There was a gravitational pull from this film, though — something that kept drawing me back to poke, prod, and re-examine every ounce of its story.
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What about this movie made such a strong impression on you?
This was one of the earliest films where I felt a sense of relatability. I grew up with an incredibly close bond to my sisters, and this film presents us with a world in which these characters feel genuine, with real consequences for seemingly mundane choices. The sorority sisters have real relationships.
Real dreams.
Real flaws.
Real fear.
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When was the last time you watched Black Christmas?
I watch this every year. It has become a winter ritual for me, and it's one of few films I own multiple physical copies of (including a vinyl of its soundtrack).
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How does the experience differ now from your first time?
The aforementioned fear in these women is, perhaps, what stands out the most to me — especially now as a woman in my 30’s. This film was crafted with a bounty of unintentional feminist subtext on the heels of Roe v Wade. Canada was grappling with its own legislation surrounding abortion, and the climate bleeds through subconsciously into this film. It does so, however, in a palatable way that doesn't distract from the horror of the core plot. When I watched this film again for the first time since Roe v Wade was overruled in 2022, it gave me a new depth with which to reflect on the film.
Jess is a woman with agency, who does not compromise her sense of self for the comfort of her emotionally volatile boyfriend. While she may be seen as an imperfect character, she is the exact woman many of us need to see in film.
You never forget your first horror milestones. They stay with you, they sometimes comfort you, they can even show you how far you’ve grown. They are important even years later to the makeup of who you are today.
So go ahead, be kind, rewind and press play again.
Stay tuned for future editions of “Like A Virgin” featuring your favorite members of the Hack or Slash family!
