Podcast Summary:

The Political Scene | The New Yorker
Episode: Sophia Takal’s “Black Christmas,” and the Producer Jason Blum on Horror with a Message
Date: October 28, 2019
Host/Interviewer: David Remnick
Guests: Sophia Takal (director), Jason Blum (Blumhouse CEO & producer)

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the ways modern horror movies, specifically Sophia Takal’s “Black Christmas” and productions from Jason Blum’s Blumhouse, are being used to interrogate pressing social issues. The show explores Takal’s motivation in remaking a classic slasher through a feminist lens, and the evolution of socially conscious horror under Blum’s guidance. It also looks at the business and artistic philosophies that drive Blumhouse, and how current political and cultural anxieties are reflected in contemporary horror cinema.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Sophia Takal and the Reimagining of Black Christmas

• Setting the Scene (01:46–03:45):
  The episode begins on the Brooklyn set of Black Christmas. Takal, her crew, and actors stage a “snowy” car escape—complete with fake snow made from diapers—demonstrating the tactile ingenuity involved at this budget level.

• Remaking a Classic (02:44–03:09):
  Takal discusses how the original 1970s Canadian slasher inspired her, but her version sets the story in 2019, centering on the threat of toxic masculinity.

  “Black Christmas is a remake... set now in 2019. That's a modern take on the threat of toxic masculinity in the form of a slasher movie.”
  — Sophia Takal (02:44)

• Meta-commentary on Safety and Misogyny (04:47–06:23):
  Takal wanted the film to externalize the feeling of unease that many women face, especially after #MeToo.

  “You can never really feel totally like you've beaten misogyny. ...I wanted to make a movie that kind of captured that uneasiness that I felt. And I think a lot of other women I knew felt of not knowing, like, not ever knowing, feeling safe.”
  — Sophia Takal (05:14)

• Purpose of Horror (04:47–05:17):
  Takal frames horror as a genre for externalizing anxiety, providing catharsis when characters survive dangers mirroring real societal threats.

2. Jason Blum on Socially Conscious Horror

• Origins of “Black Christmas” Collaboration (07:09–08:40):
  Jason Blum reflects on spotting Takal’s talent through her work in Into the Dark. The opportunity to remake Black Christmas as a “feminist take on a very sexist... slasher movie” came serendipitously.

  “Her eyes got really wide, but she never wavered, you know, and she did it. And I'm very proud of that. The movie is really like a feminist take on a very sexist, you know, slasher movie.”
  — Jason Blum (08:15)

• Mission of Blumhouse (08:40–09:26):
  While Blumhouse films often have social causes at their core, Blum stresses their process is organic rather than agenda-driven:

  “We rarely...find a cause and try and marry a movie to it... I'm a political person. I'm attracted to things that have something to say.”
  — Jason Blum (08:55)

3. Blum’s Path to Horror—a Mix of Art and Business

• Personal Journey & Industry Lessons (09:29–11:38):
  Blum fell into horror with Paranormal Activity after years unsure of his place in Hollywood; it was the ultimate indie success—a $15K movie earning nearly $200M.

  “I made one [studio movie] called the Tooth Fairy, starred the Rock... process frustrating... The making of a studio movie...there was so much pressure on every decision. ...What Paranormal Activity did was coalesce those two lives that I had. It was the ultimate independent movie released by the most traditional of studios.”
  — Jason Blum (09:37)

• Why Low-Budget = Creative Freedom (12:45–13:43):
  Blum credits the low budget model as key to innovation and risk-taking—exemplified by giving Jordan Peele control over Get Out.

  “When you're making expensive movies... the only way to greenlight the movie is to have movies that the movie you're green lighting feels similar to.”
  — Jason Blum (12:50)

4. The Ending of "Get Out" and the Importance of Audience Reception

• Changing the Ending (13:53–15:39):
  Blum recounts persuading Peele to change Get Out’s bleak final scene to allow audiences hope, given the film’s pioneering themes.

  “You can't ask the audience to digest something they've never seen before and then punch them in the face... There's so much new going on in that movie.”
  — Jason Blum (14:57)

5. Themes and Evolution of Modern Horror

• Trending Themes (15:39–16:19):
  Identity—including gender, race, and social status—is now central. Movies like The Purge explore gun control; filmmakers are waiting for a climate change horror hit.

  “Seems to be very strong, a ton of identity... gun control... The Purge is about gun control.”
  — Jason Blum (16:00)

• What Makes Horror Scary? (16:22–17:49):
  Blum insists it's not the jump scares alone, but the social tension between them—referencing Get Out’s deer scene.

  “What makes horror movies scary is what's in between the scares. Not so much the scares.”
  — Jason Blum (17:36)

6. The Enduring Appeal and Business of Horror

• Communal Experience (18:13–18:51):
  Horror thrives at the box office because people crave the communal fear and excitement—like a “roller coaster” for the mind.

  “It's much, much scarier to watch a horror movie in a movie theater than at home.”
  — Jason Blum (18:41) “Same reason you want to take a roller coaster... It raises your adrenaline.”
  — Jason Blum (18:52)

7. Diversity at Blumhouse

• Representation and Business Sense (19:03–19:57):
  Blum argues hiring women and people of color is good business, as they reflect the actual horror audience (55% women, 45% men).

  “We hire it because it reflects our audience... You want to have the storytellers reflect your audience.”
  — Jason Blum (19:42)

8. Controversy Over “The Hunt”

• A Movie Shelved (20:22–22:01):
  The Hunt was pulled after mass shootings, highlighting the sensitivity around violence and politics in America. Blum hopes audiences will see it one day.

  “Looking back at it, I still think it was the right decision because it was the wrong time in the country for that movie.”
  — Jason Blum (21:10)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Externalizing Anxiety:
  “The reason horror is so popular is because it takes her everyday anxieties and dread and externalizes them for us and allows us to witness the character going through it and usually surviving.”
  — Sophia Takal (04:47)

• Blum on Creative Freedom:
  “By making low budget movies... We can read a script and we can say, first of all, I like it. And second of all, it feels like nothing I've ever seen.”
  — Jason Blum (13:35)

• On the Business of Diversity:
  “We hire it because it’s great business. We hire it because it reflects our audience.”
  — Jason Blum (19:42)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Set Recording & Takal’s Reflections: 01:46–06:23
• Jason Blum on Collaborating with Takal: 07:09–08:40
• Blumhouse’s Socially Conscious Origins: 08:40–09:26
• Blum’s Path to Horror: 09:29–11:38
• Creative Freedom in Low Budget Filmmaking: 12:45–13:43
• Changing Get Out’s Ending: 13:53–15:39
• Modern Horror Themes: 15:39–16:19
• What Scares Us in Movies: 16:22–17:49
• Communal Fear in Horror: 18:13–18:51
• Diversity in Blumhouse’s Model: 19:03–19:57
• Controversy over The Hunt: 20:22–22:01

Episode Takeaways

• Sophia Takal's Black Christmas aims to reframe the slasher genre as a vehicle for exploring gendered violence and unease in the #MeToo era.
• Jason Blum’s Blumhouse has pioneered low-budget, auteur-led, socially aware horror that challenges Hollywood norms both artistically and commercially.
• Horror as a genre is uniquely equipped to explore contemporary social anxieties, offering viewers both catharsis and commentary.
• The rise of communal entertainment experiences—and the power of representation behind and in front of the camera—are shaping the future of horror cinema.