If you’re ahorrorbuff, then chances are the first horror film you saw was a slasher film. WIth the exception of those whose entry into the genre was through a more “sophisticated” path, most of us evidenced horror for the first time through the wrath of Freddy, Michael, Jason, and Chucky — the icons of the slasher genre who already have their places cemented in popular culture.
Nevertheless, they aren’t the only ones.The slasher subgenre of horror has grown in various directionsthat range from the ridiculous to the extremely unsettling. To help populate your watchlist during spooky season, we went through the horror bins and dug out someunderrated slashersyou don’t hear about enough.
10Urban Legend (1998)
Urban Legend
InUrban Legend, students at Pendleton University are facing the ultimate threat: A killer who uses famous urban legends to stage horrific crimes. Natalie is at the center while her student friends are killed one by one, but she has a dark secret that may be the reason behind the killings, and she will have to face it if she wants to save herself.
Sometimes Good Screenwriting Is All It Takes
Accused of being aScreamrip-offin an era where horror was going through a rebirth,Urban Legendis actually a pretty solid standalone horror film with a great cast that includes Jared Leto, Alicia Witt, Loretta Devine, Robert Englund, and Rebecca Gayheart. The film was a blockbuster success that launched an entire franchise andfeatured an opening sequence worthy of study.
9All the Boys Love Mandy Lane (2006)
All The Boys Love Mandy Lane
All the Boys Love Mandy Lanefollows a group of teenagers who are still going through the aftermath of an accidental death. Mandy Lane has ended her friendship with Emmet, and she gets invited to a weekend party on the outskirts of town. When people start dying, all suspicions fall on Emmet.
The One Only a Few People Have Heard About
The film went through development hell when its distributor went bankrupt, and it was shelved for more than seven years. When it was released, viewers were able to see the depth of Jonathan Levine’s feature film debut, which also followed therules of the slasher genre.Its final twist will blow your mind.
15 Slasher Horror Movies with Perfect Killer Reveals
From the twisted minds of Stu and Billy to the sudden reveal of Leatherface, here are 10 perfect killer reveals in slasher horror movies.
8The Burning (1981)
The Burning
At summer camp, some teenagers pull a prank on the camp’s caretaker, Cropsy (Lou David). But the joke goes terribly wrong, and the teens leave Cropsy for dead after setting him on fire. But no one keeps Cropsy down. A few years later, the burned and disfigured caretaker returns to camp equipped with his trusty shears, ready to unleash his particular brand of vengeance on a whole new group of teens. The murderous Cropsy stalks the campers in the woods, one by one.
The Burningis the story of a group of camp counselors at Stonewater Summer Camp who face a vendetta carried on by a killer named Cropsy. Years ago, he was burned beyond recognition during a prank, and now he’s come back to kill those who resemble the camp guides responsible for his disfigurement.
One of the Best Slashers of the 1980s
While it feels like yet another “horror in a summer camp” film,The Burningis actually very original in its execution and kills. It features three Hollywood actors in their debut on the big screen: Jason Alexander, Holly Hunter, and Fisher Stevens. This cult low-budgetslasher from the ‘80sthat’s not anywhere as bad as some of its peers, was based on a story conceived by the producer who fell from grace, Harvey Weinstein.
You can streamThe Burningon Prime Video.
7Cherry Falls (2000)
On the surface,Cherry Fallslooks like just about any other slasher film from the 1990s. The thing is that the story required a major rule change: It told the story of a group of teenagers living in Cherry Falls who are beinghunted by a killer who preys on virgin teens. At one point, someone thinks an orgy is a great solution, but we swearCherry Fallsis actually a good movie.
Changing the Rules Didn’t Exactly Pay Off
The content and theme of the film caused it to go through release hell in 1999 when it was sold. It never opened as a theatrical film, and it went through several edits until a few people saw it back then. One mysterious fact is thatthe original uncut version of the film has never been available for audiences to watch.Starring the late Brittany Murphyin the lead role, it is an extremely underrated slasher movie that will make you smirk a few times.
6The Collector (2009)
The Collector
The Collector tells the story of a desperate man who plans a heist at a wealthy home, only to discover that a far more dangerous and sinister presence is already inside. As he navigates through a series of traps and horrors, his initial mission turns into a fight for survival against an unknown threat.
The Collectorfollows a former convict named Arkin O’Brien, who works as a handyman for a very wealthy family. In order to pay a debt, he decides to plan a heist and rob the Chase family. The problem is that a masked killer has beaten him to it, and the mysterious slasher has a few plans that don’t exactly include theft.
The Rules of the Genre Applied to a New Era
Originally conceived as a spin-off toSaw,The Collectorwas then turned into a standalone movie that fully works on its own with an underrated lead character in the hands of Josh Stewart. Even though it feels like a low-budget, straight-to-video movie, it executes its premise withenough gore and violence to satisfy horror hounds. It was successful enough to launch a franchise that’sstill going on.
5Hatchet (2006)
Adam Green’sHatchetfollows a group of tourists who go on a swamp tour in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. The official tour has been closed because of the guide’s negligence, but in replacement, they’re taken on a ride where a disfigured killer, Victor Crowley, waits for them to do some butchering.
Extremely Gory and Funny
Hatchetquickly became the cult film it deserved to be as it didn’t take itself too seriously, featured a plethora of horror stars (Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, and Tony Todd are some of them), and hadenough grisly violence to makegore houndscover their eyes for a few seconds. It launched an entire franchise where basically the same concept was reiterated, and fans kept coming to watch the sequels.
4Sick (2022)
Based on a script by horror legend Kevin Williamson and Katelyn Crabb,Sickfollows a group of young people who are going through the first weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic. They decide to spend the quarantine on lockdown at a lake house, but soon, they fall prey to a group of masked assailants.
One of the Best Films of the COVID-19 Era
The modern slasher filmSickis aterribly underrated feature that uses theCOVID-19 “culture"for a twisty plot that never stops unraveling. It’s truly remarkable where this one goes in terms of the storyline and the simplicity of its villains, who are just trying to avenge the death of a loved one.
3Clown (2014)
Clownfollows Kent McCoy, a good husband and father who will do anything for his son. He even wears a clown suit he finds in an abandoned basement when he fails to rent the attire at a costume shop. The problem is that Kent doesn’t remove the suit or makeup and his body begins to fuse with it when he wakes up the next day. The solution to his problem? Decapitation.
A Great Modern Slasher Is Born
The film doesn’t follow the usual slasher structure in terms of narrative, but Kent’s story is funny enough to make you fall for his clown even when the moral code of his character is turned around. It was the feature directorial debut ofSpider-Man’s Jon Watts, and it’sa great addition tothe horror subgenre of creepy clowns.
10 Deaths in Slasher Horror Movies We Cheered About
Slasher movies often give us fodder characters and villains that we can’t wait to see perish. Here are 10 from the horror subgenre we cheered about.
2Child’s Play (2019)
Child’s Play
Child’s Playfollows a boy named Andy whose mother gives him a unique birthday present: a Buddi doll that she has acquired as a defective product. Soon, the doll powered by AI becomes sentient, names himself Chucky, and becomes a murderous robot capable of hacking into all sorts of technology in order to defend Andy.
A Horror “Remake” That Dared to Change the Rules
The reboot of theChuckyfranchise made a few changes to the canon. It put the killer doll underthe umbrella of dangerous technology and removed the possession theme. The result was anunderrated horror-comedyblend with a bonkers third act that’ll make you distrust all the technological devices around you.
1Venom (2005)
InVenom, a group of teenagers awakens an ancient demon by accident when a local man is killed, his body is bitten by snakes, and he’s revived by the spirits trapped in the reptiles. Yes,Venomsounds ridiculous, but you may’t imagine how valuable it is; it’s a remarkable piece that lives in the underbelly of lesser-known slasher films.
A Very Crafty and Noteworthy Slasher
Released in the mid-2000sto poor reviews by critics,Venomwas released just days after Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana, and audiences weren’t happy with it. Regardless,the camerawork is outstanding, and the performances by the young cast aren’t too bad. This one is worth revisiting.
