Horror cinema might be the most heavily subdivided genre. There are countless boxes that horror films can fit into with questionable definitions and endless debate. Which film belongs to which box borders on a matter of personal taste, but some films make waves in a few different subgenres.
The slasher film had its golden age in the late-70s and early-80s, but it has managed an almost shocking level of popularityalmost half a century later. Most slasher movies that come out in the modern-day are continuations, remakes, or self-aware parodies of old mainstays. Some slashers go beyond the classic man with knife formula and add in some fantastical elements to ramp up the terror with concepts from beyond.
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A Nightmare on Elm Street
One of the most beloved slasher film franchises of all time underwent a long history of peaks and valleys. Everyone knows Freddy Krueger, the dangerous resurrected spirit of a child murderer. Freddy is among the best-known slasher villains of all time, but the blades that decorate his hands are far from his only method.
As an evil spirit, Freddy attacks hisvictims in their dreams, dragging them through horrific nightmares before dispatching them in esoteric ways. Fans will debate the best of these films, there are a few excellent choices and plenty of awful ones. The one that started it all, Wes Cravens’s 1984 opus, swiftly and efficiently establishes his supernatural powers.ANightmare on Elm Streetis one of the best supernatural slasher films ever been made, and countless horror experiences were inspired by its success.
Candyman
Bernard Rose’s 1992 horror classic has more intelligence in one line than a hundred of the 80s VHS slashers managed in their entire runtime. Through excellent acting, writing, and world-building,Candymanestablished a gripping horror story that has remained important thirty years later.Last year’s entry wasan excellent follow-up, cleverly excising the two unworthy sequels to create a haunting modern adaptation. The story follows a determined student who investigates a series of mysterious deaths, only to uncover the dark history of a vengeful spirit.
The eponymous Candyman was technically created by Clive Barker in a short story, but Rose and star Tony Todd devised basically everything about the character that made it to the screen.Candyman, both 1992 and 2021, tells a powerful story with some deep and moving themes, making it one of the most important slashers ever made.
Child’s Play
Another franchise that has withstood the test of time, despite a few terrible entries.Child’s Playcenters around serial murderer Charles Lee Ray, who is gunned down trying to escape the police. Luckily, Chucky is also a practitioner of voodoo magic, which he uses to transfer his soul into a popular doll. Picked up by a young child,Chucky has to murderhis way through almost every person he encounters to reattain his body and return to humanity.
The bizarre magic elements of the story ebb and flow throughout the stories, it’s mostly an excuse to carry the killer doll horror. Characters seem to make up the rules of the universe’s magic, cast spells, transfer souls, and use artifacts at will.Child’s Playmight not be asclever as its peers, but it’s a much better representation of how most slashers use sorcery.
Leprechaun
Starringa young Jennifer Anistonand the eternally underappreciated Warwick Davis, this silly horror outing follows the quest of a vengeful fantasy creature to kill those who steal his gold. This film evolved past its tiny budget to reap a substantial return and spawn a long-running franchise. Almost every film in said franchise is terrible, but there is a certain comedic charm to the original.
The eponymous diminutive Irish creature is capable of just about anything, seemingly bound only by the rules of physical comedy. Like Robert Englund did for Freddy Krueger, Davis added a lovable lightness of tone to the Leprechaun that really elevated the text.Leprechaunborders on a parody of the slasher genre, but the fun kills and tight runtime makes it worth a watch for horror fans.
Freaky
Released in 2020,Freakyis the continuation of the concepts established in theHappy Death Dayfranchise. The blending of classic slasher tropes with the premise of supernatural comedy films to create breezy horror comedies. Where the earlier film is a slasher combined withthe time-loop formatof movies likeGroundhog Day,Freakyblends serial murder with the body-swap comedy.
Vince Vaughn and Kathryn Newton star as the Blissfield Butcher and Millie Kessler respectively, then alternatively. This blood-drenched comic take on the genre plays with the tropes from a fun perspective. Both Vaughn and Newton are entertaining in their original roles, but once Newton gets to take on the serial killer role, she’s outstanding. Some might balk at the idea of a comedy slasher, but slasher films have always had a sense of humor.Freakyis a solid black comedy and the supernatural twist is a simple, but effective joke that carries the film.
