What Have You Done?: The Remaking of 'Black Christmas' is a making of documentary featured on the Black Christmas remake DVD (both theatrical and unrated). After almost completely skimming over how writer/director/producer Glen Morgan got the job of doing the project, it chronicles almost every aspect of the production of the remake including casting, directorial choices made by Morgan, original Black Christmas director Bob Clark's involvement with the film, the characters, the story, and the subtle themes of the picture. While most of the information provided is amusing and/or insightful, I have to say if I hadn't just finished watching it, I'd have trouble writing this comment later as there's nothing spectacular or mind-blowing here. It's far from a fluff piece, but it's barely above average for its type. Recommended for fans of the remake. 6/10
What Have You Done?: The Remaking of 'Black Christmas' (2006 TV Movie)
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Decent making of a remake TV special.
poolandrews29 November 2007
Warning: Spoilers
What Have You Done? The Remaking of 'Black Christmas' is a 28 minute long made-for-TV documentary focusing on the making of Black Christmas (2006) & I would have thought it would have found it's way onto at least some of the various DVD releases around the world.
As far as it goes this is a perfectly watchable making of documentary, it's not the greatest one I've ever seen or the most in depth but if you want to get a feel of the production, see some behind-the-scenes sequences & get the thoughts of the main cast & crew then you can't really go wrong with this.
There is a fair amount of behind-the-scenes footage including an interview with a stage hand who has to make the trees sway in the wind with two ropes attached to the branches which he has to pull on! There's also the story of how one of the girls hurt her ankle when a hatchway fell on it during the first days shooting. I also liked the comments by those involved which seemed to suggest that they weren't trying to remaking the original Black Christmas (1974) shot-for-shot as such but just making a new film based on it, if that makes sense.
Unfortunately this has a couple of things against it, for a start it was made-for-TV so all the bad language is beeped out, the sequences chosen from the film are of the talky variety so as not to show any violence & because of the lack of blood there's nothing about the special effects which is sort of disappointing as the gory murders are one of the films highlights. Also another problem is that it was broadcast before Black Christmas actually hit theatres so everyone interviewed is on their best behaviour & basically big the film up as much as possible, there's plenty of he/she/they did a wonderful job type comments even though at the point they were interviewed (actually on set during the filming) I doubt any of them would have seen the finished film.
What Have You Done? The Remaking of 'Black Christmas' is a fine self congratulatory promotional piece designed solely to get potential viewers into theatres, for what it is it's fine but I'd have liked to have seen something on the gory special make-up effects.
As far as it goes this is a perfectly watchable making of documentary, it's not the greatest one I've ever seen or the most in depth but if you want to get a feel of the production, see some behind-the-scenes sequences & get the thoughts of the main cast & crew then you can't really go wrong with this.
There is a fair amount of behind-the-scenes footage including an interview with a stage hand who has to make the trees sway in the wind with two ropes attached to the branches which he has to pull on! There's also the story of how one of the girls hurt her ankle when a hatchway fell on it during the first days shooting. I also liked the comments by those involved which seemed to suggest that they weren't trying to remaking the original Black Christmas (1974) shot-for-shot as such but just making a new film based on it, if that makes sense.
Unfortunately this has a couple of things against it, for a start it was made-for-TV so all the bad language is beeped out, the sequences chosen from the film are of the talky variety so as not to show any violence & because of the lack of blood there's nothing about the special effects which is sort of disappointing as the gory murders are one of the films highlights. Also another problem is that it was broadcast before Black Christmas actually hit theatres so everyone interviewed is on their best behaviour & basically big the film up as much as possible, there's plenty of he/she/they did a wonderful job type comments even though at the point they were interviewed (actually on set during the filming) I doubt any of them would have seen the finished film.
What Have You Done? The Remaking of 'Black Christmas' is a fine self congratulatory promotional piece designed solely to get potential viewers into theatres, for what it is it's fine but I'd have liked to have seen something on the gory special make-up effects.
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