Slasher Films
1 Apr
So, I’m sitting here watching Bob Clark’s “Black Christmas” (the one from 1974, not the shitty remake), and I’ve realised we’re probably going to review “Scream 4″ in the near future (fuck, was “Scream” really 15 years ago? Damn…), so heck, why not give you a brief run through of some of the best (well, in my self-exaggerated opinion) of the horror subgenre has to offer.
This is by no means a complete list of influencial slasher flicks, nor is it aiming to cover all flicks that have influenced or built conventions for the subgenre. Further, I’ve ignored many great films because I feel that while they can be considered slasher films, they primarily belong in different subgenres.
Let’s begin.
1960: Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock)
The proto-slasher from the master of tension, Psycho brought conventions such as the first girl (ie: the person you think is the protagonist, but dies before the halfway mark) as well as brutally violent deaths (for it’s time), but it also brought the concept of the damaged child, a trend you can see evident in the sequels to Sean S. Cunningham’s “Friday the 13th”. Sure, the blood in the shower is Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup, but it doesn’t look any less real in black and white.
1974: Black Christmas (Bob Clark)
Ever seen five of those 80s VHS slasher flicks? Ever seen John Carpenter’s Halloween? Yeah, thank Bob Clark. If Porky’s was the first time you ever saw boobies, now you owe him double.
1978: Halloween (John Carpenter)
Speaking of Halloween, while it’s a film that utilised many concepts seen previously, it is also deftly directed and, while slow to start, you can see why it became an iconic horror film – because it’s execution far excells it’s source material.
1980: Friday the 13th (Sean S. Cunningham)
While Black Christmas and Halloween spawned a subgenre, Friday the 13th spawned a franchise. Important distinction. Paramount was embarassed at the film (and it’s sequels) for it’s success, but the almighty dollar rules all. Watch the first four, part six, and skip the rest. Except for when Jason Voorhees crosses Freddy Krueger…
1984: A Nightmare on Elm Street (Wes Craven)
A quality flick that’s a cut above (hah!) the slasher fare. Once again, as with Friday the 13th, it has spawned a load of sequels (see parts 1, 3, 4, and New Nightmare – although number 2 is a bizarrely homoerotic flick, worth watching for the supporting performances alone, and Freddy’s Dead is probably worth a watch if you’re a truly hardcore 1980s John Waters fan).
1996: Scream (Wes Craven)
Redefined the slasher film after annual installments of Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street. Made every horror film in the following five years have an ironic or self-aware tone. But you know what? It’s still got a star dying early in the film (ref: Psycho), it’s still got the reveal of the crazy killer (ref: Friday the 13th), and quite frankly, it’s still a fucking great film. Just be thankful that Party of Five is no longer on the air, and weap for the loss of Jamie Kennedy’s dignity.
If you’re still stuck on what to watch before Scream 4 besides the previous sequels, try a triple bill of A Nightmare on Elm Street, Shocker, and New Nightmare. You’ll see the development of ideas from a writer/director. What better way to prep yourself for Wes Craven’s return to one of his most successful films?
