Originally posted October 17, 2020 at Cinema76.com
Spooky season is the perfect time to add some slashers to your watch list. While classics like Halloween, Scream, Friday the 13th are all solid choices when trying to pick films, there are plenty of other masked murderers out there just waiting to meet you. The horror genre is not lacking at all in this category, but there are plenty of bad slashers out there. So this is your guide to some of my favorite underrated slashers
Now, what exactly makes a good slasher? For me, there are three main areas that should be satisfied in order for the film to be a good one.
1. Great kills (both quantity and quality)
Now I am not saying this rules out PG-13 films but I mean come on, we all want some bloodshed, don’t we?
2. Design of the killer
The killer should definitely look cool or at least have something interesting and distinct about them. You would be surprised at the number of insane costumes and masks that have been utilized for slashers.
3. Badass Final girl
Ultimately it is nice to have someone to root for and the final girl is one of my favorite horror character types. The more badass the better it is awesome to see a woman who is out there fighting for herself.
Now if you are already into horror many of these titles might not be unfamiliar to you but if you are newer to horror or slashers hopefully this list will provide some fun suggestions. I tried to only pick one film from each director, especially since there are some horror legends on here. Many of these are 80s films, it really cannot be helped I love the 80s and there are so many good slashers from this time. There are also several Giallo films (Italian films with black-gloved killers) and I tried to add some newer titles as well. Unfortunately, the choices are lacking in diversity for both actors and creatives there are few women directors and the films mostly star white people. I hope that as the horror genre, in general, becomes more diverse we get some diversity in our slashers.
But anyway get slashing!
13. Stagefright Aquarius (dir. Michael Soavi, 1987)
Theater and murder, a classic combination. A theater troupe is practicing for an upcoming show and through a series of insane events, they become locked in the theater with a murderer. With plenty of primadonnas and a sexist director, there are plenty of deaths to root for. The murderer is adorned in an owl head that might be one of my favorite choices for a masked killer. There are several creative death scenes and plenty of theatrics to make this a fun watch.
12. Prevenge (dir. Alice Lowe, 2016)
One of the few female directors on my list is Alice Lowe, who also stars in this dark comedy slasher. She plays Ruth who is pregnant and grieving. We learn that her partner died in a climbing accident and she blames the other people he was with for his demise. Convinced that her baby is speaking to her and telling her she needs to get revenge she goes off and hunts down those who destroyed her family. Lowe is such a fun presence and he is exceptional in this role. Watching a pregnant woman go around and find ways to murder multiple people just proves how capable women are, in most situations. It is also an interesting study of a person who is learning something about themselves, is the baby talking to her? Or does Ruth just want to kill these people for herself?
11. Pieces (dir. Juan Piquer Simon, 1982)
I mean the title says it all right? Pieces is a Spanish film also known as “The Night has 1000 Screams”. The story follows a serial killer who is stealing different pieces of women. He stills a head, legs, etc. If you love a blood-soaked slasher then this one should be right up your alley. Oftentimes going after his victims with a chainsaw he leaves behind quite the gore-fest for the police to clean up. Like several of these films, it is obviously one about a man who has some serious repressed issues with women. The end of this film is another insane ending that is both inexplicable and rather fitting for the killer.
10. The Stepfather (dir. Joseph Ruben, 1987)
I weirdly love this film. Maybe it is because Terry O’Quinn is so great at being a dad type and also being a complete psycho. O’Quinn plays Henry, a man who just wants to be the father of a perfect family. However, when his family disappoints him he has no problem murdering them all and starting over. The film does have an interesting idea about gender norms, traditional values, and what toxic men are willing to do in order to uphold them. This is also a fascinating film essentially about how white guys can get away with murder, start a new life, get a new job, with very little issue. It is also just a very chilling and fun slasher. When a film opens with a blood bath, you know the rest of it is going to be a wild ride. I also love Jill Schoelen as the daughter Stephanie. She also appears in When a Stanger Calls Back, a wild made-for-TV movie sequel ofWhen a Stranger Calls. Although I have not seen them, this film also has several sequels and a reboot so clearly the stepfather is a favorite villain.
9. The Final Girls (dir. Todd Strauss-Schulson, 2015)
I can say with confidence that this is the most heartwarming slasher that is on the list. The Final Girls follows Max (Taissa Farmiga) who is still dealing with the loss of her mother who was a former “scream queen” Amanda (Malin Akerman). While attending a screening of one of her mom’s old slashers she and her friends are transported into the film. When they realize they can be killed in the film they try to save themselves and all the horny camp counselors. This movie is way better than it has any right to be. It functions as a really fun and campy slasher while also being a tender story of a girl trying to bond with her mother. The actresses are wonderful together and make an amazing pair of final girls.
8. Torso (dir. Sergio Martino, 1973)
The 70s is another great era for slashers. Torso is another amazing Giallo entry that features a “psychosexual” killer who kills women and chops up the bodies. Jane and her friends are all enrolled in a university in Perugia, Italy. When one of their friends is murdered, Jane and the girls decide to go to her uncle’s secluded house to get away while the police track down the killer. Unfortunately for them, the killer has followed them and it seems there are few who would be able to help them. One aspect of this film that works so well for me is how suspicious almost every single man in the film is. Early on it is easy to suspect several characters, however ultimately only one of them is the killer. It is unclear if Martino is making a commentary on men and how their creepy treatment of women is sometimes normalized, but it makes for an interesting slasher to dissect.
7. Happy Death Day (dir. Christopher Landon, 2017)
It is amazing how the Groundhog Day plot device has worked so well for so many types of media. It is always impressive when they are able to find new and unique ways to utilize it. I was not initially interested in Happy Death Day when it was advertised. However, when I finally gave it a chance this was another fun campy slasher. Although the time loop is a unique slasher twist what really makes this film work so well is Jessica Rothe in the lead role. She plays Tree, who is set to celebrate her birthday with her sorority, unfortunately for her, she is murdered by a baby masked killer. She cannot escape the loop until she is able to unmask the killer. Rothe is so much fun in her role she starting off as a typical sorority girl with too many enemies to count. As she tries to solve her murder she also tries to become a better person. The film adds in a tragic backstory and adorable romance that all make this a fun ride. It’s also another film that spawned on a worthy sequel and we may even see it become a trilogy.
6. Psycho 2 (dir. Richard Franklin, 1983)
Yes, there are sequels to Hitchcock’s classic film Psycho. Yes, they all star Anthony Perkins as Norman, and yes they are all pretty good. Shockingly, the second installment is more than pretty good it is actually a great follow-up. Taking place 22 years after Norman is put away, he is finally released and ready to move on with his life. Lila, Marion Crane’s sister long protested his release and is ready for him to slip up again. That is not his only problem, it also seems that “Mother” does not want to let Norman go, and as he tries to go live his life, and even spend time with young women, “Mother” becomes angry. This franchise works so well because Perkins adds the level of sympathy we need to root for Norman, even though we know he is a killer. There are plenty of twists and turns in this film and if you like this then you might be pleased to know Perkins directs Psycho 3.
5. Slumber Party Massacre (dir. Amy Holden Jones, 1982)
It is no shocker that the 80s is full of every type of slasher film imaginable, but there are not many that are directed by women. Although originally written as a slasher parody, as the insane name suggests, this evolved into your standard 80s slasher with sex, drugs, and power drill murders. I love the girls in the film, they all feel like they can really hold their own. They also seem to be trying to genuinely have a good time and it does not feel that the film is trying to punish them for their “sinful” behavior as many other horror films do. Also as opposed to having a masked killer, we see his face and his denim on denim ensemble throughout the film. The female lens is an interesting twist to this because as many of us know killers do not need to wear masks to be scary. Men can be plenty scary all on their own. And if you like this film it also spawned a crazy sequel that features a punk rock killer armed with a drill at the tip of his guitar.
4. Hush (dir. Mike Flanagan, 2016)
I have become a huge fan of Flanagan’s work and he has proved himself to be an essential horror director over the years. His film Hush proved him to be a talented storyteller in this slasher/home invasion film. The film does not try to necessarily reinvent the wheel or give the audience a lot of twists and turns to figure out. However, by making the lead Maddie (Kate Siegel) deaf, you get to watch someone fight for their life while utilizing special technology meant to help her live a more normal life. John Gallagher Jr. is chilling in the role of the masked killer. He has long been one of my favorite actors but I had never seen him in a role like this one. It is a heart-pounding thriller with another amazing final girl, and it is well worth your time.
3. Tenebre (dir. Dario Argento, 1982)
I really wanted to try to stick to one film per director on the list so ultimately I bumped off Opera for my favorite Argento slasher Tenebre. It’s a classic Giallo with the knife-wielding, black-gloved killer. The story follows an American writer, Peter Neal, who is famous for his thrillers. However, a killer takes inspiration from his writings and bodies begin to pile up around Peter and those close to him. Filled with memorable kills, including an insane chase sequence featuring a young girl and an angry dog, this is a memorable Argento piece. It also features the legendary John Saxon (R.I.P) and Argento’s former partner Daria Nicolodi who is always wonderful in his films. The ending of the film is a truly bonkers blood bath that any horror fan would enjoy.
2. You’re Next (dir. Adam Wingard, 2011)
I am a huge Adam Wingard fan for his love of 80s genre films and synthesized soundtracks. You’re Next is a true delight and a great example of great modern-day horror films. You’re Next was advertised in a way that made me assume this was another entry in the Strangers franchise but it ends up flipping the traditional slasher on its head and becoming an interesting commentary on the rich and affluent. Director Ti West is in the film and it was the comeback for one of my favorite horror stars Barbara Crampton. Erin is also probably the best of the final girls being fully equipped to take care of herself against the masked murderers that assail her.
1. The Burning (1981) Dir. Tony Maylam
Although I love the Friday the 13th franchise they fail to deliver many very good films. Even the original pales in comparison to The Burning which was released the following year. Labeled as a Friday the 13th rip off (even though production started before F13) it often does not get the credit it deserves. Every time I watch this I remember how entertaining this summer camp slasher is. With Tom Savine behind the makeup and the bloodiest of scenes, it is hard for this film to be anything but epic. There are fun and likable characters you get to watch fight survival and several bone heads that meet a satisfying demise. The tale is loosely based on the New York horror legend “Cropsey” and the killer, with the same name, is a terrifying and memorable slasher.
The Neon Banshee 