With Halloween coming up, the desire for marathon franchises and horror movie sequences in the good old Scream style (1996) emerges: A group of friends, a killer and a loose chase. This basic principle of a serial killer in disguise who collects victims in the course of the plot began the subgenre of terror Slasher, which stood out in the 60s and 70s, bringing a new aesthetic to films that involved killers, transforming everything into a more grotesque setting, with masks and costumes. Feature lengths that keep up with the Slasher style will always follow this traditional script, with a lot of jump scare, blood and death without (much) reason. Check below some of the most famous and watched names of the genre:
- Halloween (1978)
-
John Carpenter’s film revolutionized the subgenre Slasher and was responsible for presenting the classic format of this type of film: with carnage, an aesthetic of the killer with a mask and a group of victims.
In the film, Michael Myers is imprisoned for 15 years after killing his own sister, and when he escapes, he returns to his hometown and continue his assassination plot. In the city, everybody knows Michael’s story and is terrified about the possibility of his return.
- A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
-
Wes Craven was already known in the field of terror. Craven directed A nightmare on Elm Street and built a classic that could not fail to be cited in this list.
In contemporary culture it is impossible not to know Freddie Krueger and his invasion in dreams. The film was so impressive at the time that it resulted in franchises, remakes and crossovers, since it presented a totally new concept: a murderer who invades dreams, leaving the victim with no way out.
- Friday the 13th (1980)
-
The plot directed by Steve Miner started in the 80s, but due to the great success it resulted in numerous sequences. On Friday the 13th we see the origin of the famous Jason, and how he became one of the most famous Slasher-style killers.
After his mother’s tragic death, the poor boy becomes a cruel psychopath who plagues the people of his hometown. He is well known for wearing a creepy mask that hides his face and carry with him a very big and sharp knife.
- The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
-
Tobey Hooper also directed one of the most famous names in the style. The Texas police end the investigation of a massacre of 33 people, but a new case arises when two brothers are approached by Latherface and taken to the famous “slaughterhouse” where Lather’s cannibal family lived. The killer used the skin of his victims to make masks.
Director Hooper was inspired by the true story of serial killer Ed Gein, who committed similar crimes in 64.
- Peeping Tom (1960)
-
The plot tells the story of a boy who was psychologically abused by his father as a child, and later becomes a photographer. As an adult, he begins the execution of serial murders in which only women were the victims. Mark Lewis, the killer and main character in this movie, records and produces a documentary with torture scenes of his crimes. Created by Michael Powell, Peeping Tom almost ended the director’s career for being too “bloody”.
Did you like any names or have you seen these classics before? The month of October is a propitious time to remember films that we already know what happens, but even so we are submerged in an atmosphere of suspense and terror. Happy Halloween!
———————————————————————
The article above was edited by Laura Enchioglo.
Liked this type of content? Check Her Campus Casper Libero home page for more!