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the 13th
(1980) delivers some,
er, cutting edge makeup effects
from Tom Savini, the guy who
put the red into
Dawn of the
Dead
(1978).
Halloween
was
the prototype but Sean S.
Cunningham's film created the
template for the '80s slasher
movie, existing as a showcase
for gory murder set-pieces and
ignoring things like plot, dialogue
and character development. Who
needs them? It also has the best
shock ending of any slasher movie.
Halloween
and
Friday the 13th
are the
popular progenitors, but the seminal slasher is
actually
Black Christmas
(1974), a cult horror-
thriller directed by Bob Clark in which a group
of sorority sisters are stalked and murdered
after receiving obscene phone calls (1979's
When a Stranger Calls
blatantly steals its big
twist from this film). There's more emphasis on
plot and character, not to mention some decent
actors (Margot Kidder, Kier Dullea, Olivia
Hussey), but its direct influence on the films
that followed is obvious.
The slasher movie craze began to wane
around 1984, leading Wes Craven to add
a dose of fantasy to
the ingredients in
A
Nightmare on Elm
Street
(1984). It's still
technically a slasher
movie, but the rules
have changed. Razor-
gloved child-killer Freddy
Krueger (Robert Englund)
invades the dreams of
his teenaged victims and
consequently, the death
scenes are more surreal
and inventive. It's also
genuinely scary.
FURTHER VIEWING
You'll no doubt feel tempted (or
obliged) to check out the numerous
sequels to
Halloween,
Friday the
13th
and
A Nightmare on Elm
Street
, but you should first explore
further permutations of this prolific
sub-genre. Stick with '80s vintage
for now.
My Bloody Valentine
(1981) is a
wonderfully atmospheric Canadian
slasher that's largely set in a mine,
where partying townsfolk ignore the warnings
that killer Harry Warden is out to steal their
heart on Feb 14. Highlights include a body in a
tumble dryer and death by shower nozzle.
The Burning
(1981) is another good summer
camp screamer, even if it is basically a
Friday
the 13th
clone. The disfigured killer favours a
pair of garden shears – cue lots of moist make-
up effects by Savini – and you also get Holly
Hunter and a pre-
Seinfeld
Jason Alexander in
supporting roles.
Other choice cuts include
The Prowler
(1981),
The House on Sorority Row
(1983) and
the Jamie Lee Curtis double from 1980,
Terror
Train
and
Prom Night
.
Now you're ready to fully appreciate Wes
Craven's
Scream
(1996). Both a cheeky satire
of the genre and a
full-blooded entry in its
own right, this clever
meta-slasher also asks
the question, "Do you
like scary movies?"
If you've made it
this far, the answer
is undoubtedly "yes".
Now proceed directly
to all those Michael,
Freddy and Jason
sequels.
39
MICHAEL MYERS
Halloween
"What was living behind that boy's eyes was
purely and simply... evil." After killing his sister on
Halloween night, aged six, Michael spent 15 years in
a sanitarium before escaping and stabbing his way
through seven sequels and two Rob Zombie films.
JASONVORHEES
Friday the 13th
The boy who supposedly drowned at Camp Crystal
Lake while the counsellors were making love and
not paying attention. Jason racked up the biggest
bodycount in slasher film history over the course of
nine sequels, a Freddy crossover, and a remake.
GHOSTFACE
Scream
The distinctive mask modelled on Edward Munch's
famous painting concealed the identity of a number
of different serial killers across four films
.
ICONIC
SLASHERS
FREDDY KRUEGER
A Nightmare on Elm Street
A child murderer armed with a razored
glove, this "bastard son of a hundred
maniacs" was incinerated by the
vengeful parents of his victims,
only to return to stalk the
dreams of a new generation of
Elm Street youngsters.