Slasher films have been commonly featured in the list of popular kinds of horror movies for many years. These movies afford fans suspense, gore, blood, and exciting storylines.
These movies often follow a sequence that has a serial killer, victims with no idea as to what is going on, and many victims in the multiple sense of the word. Every person under the sun has made it their mission to refine the model of the slasher movie and very few have managed to do that. Following is the list of the 10 slasher movies that have been produced over the years.
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10. Halloween (1978)
John Carpenter’s ‘Halloween‘ is often credited as the one that has set the precedent for the slasher subgenre. Michael Myers, a man who dresses as a masked killer, escapes from an asylum, and returns to Halloween giving the babysitters a good fright. The final girl was portrayed by Jamie Lee Curtis who played Laurie Strode in what is seen as a classic role. This film is a classic movie to watch during Halloween due to the way Carpenter built tension and the tunes being played.
9. Psycho (1960)
An influential movie which is of the horror subgenre slashes is ‘Psycho‘ directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Marion Crane is the lead character in the film and she utilizes the Bates Motel before being murdered by Norman Bates. Another legendary movie in the history of horror films, Psycho by Alfred Hitchcock, is a movie possessing an original plot, twists, and turns, and the famous shower scene.
8. A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)
Another great movie directed by Wes Craven was ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street‘ where the audience met the main character – Freddy Krueger, a killer with sharp-tipped gloves and burns, who invades children’s dreams. Due to its plot and the methods of the murders, the film can be distinguished from previous films of the slasher genre. One of the most memorable and efficiently shocking villains was portrayed by Robert Englund as the movie’s main maniac – Freddy Krueger.
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7. Friday The 13th (1980)
The notorious ‘Friday the 13th‘, helmed by Sean S. Cunningham, is renowned for its graphic killings and the debut of Jason Voorhees, one of the most iconic murderers in horror history. While Jason doesn’t emerge as the main antagonist until much later in the series, the first film established a subgenre of camp-based slashers and inspired other sequels with its mix of gruesome slayings and mystery.
6. Scream (1996)
Around the middle of the 1990s, the revived ‘Scream‘ franchise by Wes Craven highlighted the self-ironizing characteristics of the so-called slasher cinema. The storyline of the film is based on Sidney Prescott’s endeavors through a series of killings by a mentally disturbed murderer Ghostface, who has a fascination with horror movies. As a result, we can conclude that the movie ‘Scream‘ can be considered as a true cinematic masterpiece of the 90s because it takes the viewer through a new value of slasher cliches.
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5. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
As a terrorizing flick, ‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre‘ directed by Tobe Hooper does not leave audiences disappointed with a grim and horrifying view of terror. It is a film about a group of friends who fall prey to the psychopath Leatherface and his kin who are into cannibalism. Unpredictably mean and vicious, it looks like a documentary and definitely belongs to the list of the most eerie slashers ever made.
4. Black Christmas (1974)
Viewed as one of the pioneering slasher movies, Bob Clark’s ‘Black Christmas‘ tells the story of a sorority house where the ladies are tormented by an unidentified murderer through the holiday season. Due to the level of effective use of such cinematographic elements as the atmosphere and the level of tension, as well as its influence on the further shooting of other films in the slasher genre, this work deserves its place on the list.
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3. Child’s Play (1988)
Chucky originally appeared in the 1988 film ‘Child’s Play‘ by Tom Holland and is the vengeful spirit of a murdered man residing in a possessed doll. Brad Dourif who played Chucky was exceptionally good and the blend of slasher and supernatural movies differentiated it from other such movies.
2. My Bloody Valentine (1981)
One of the best films from George Mihalka is for sure ‘My Bloody Valentine‘, which remains quite popular for the peculiarities of killings and setting – a mining town. Thus, the given movie remains one of the most loved examples of the years as it combines the moments of mystery with the cliches of slasher, not to mention the unique character of Harry Warden.
1. Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)
Laurie Strode is again portrayed by Jamie Lee Curtis and in ‘Halloween H20‘ where she with a new identity fights Michael Myers. Over all the movie is a good addition to the Halloween series because it deals with trauma and finally respects the first movie.
The films belonging to the slasher subgenre remain breathtaking and horrifying and they deserve to be placed in the history of the horror genre. They range from the good old cerebral thrillers to the positively evil ones where the axe murderers rule the roost.
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