Slasher Flicks

1. LAID TO REST (09): One of the best modern slasher flicks, period. I’ve noticed horror fans are divided on this one, but I for one, loved it. The acting is a bit weak at times, but not bad enough to distract. The story grabs you from the get-go as a young woman wakes up in a coffin with amnesia. Soon, she’s on the run from a psycho killer wearing a creepy chrome mask. While many detractors were peeved by the lack of a thorough backstory or motive behind the madman’s murder spree, I felt that this only made his character more frightening. Instead, the real mystery is who the girl is and how she ended up here and while it’s not much of a doozy the explanation is sufficient. What really made me a fan was the creative kills and exceptional make-up effects. This one’s a treat for gorehounds, even if dwelling on a kill a bit much here and there dulls the impact occasionally. I’m looking forward to a sequel, or at least the director’s next project. 7.6/10
2. HATCHET (06): Fun throwback to ‘80s horror, the slasher heyday. Set in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, this one’s about a group of tourists on a haunted boat tour through a swamp that gets far scarier than anyone anticipated when they get stranded and a mutant maniac starts hacking people to bits. Entertaining horror comedy with some of the most creative kills I’ve ever seen. 7.3/10
3. SEVERANCE (07): Great British horror comedy about the sales division of a multinational weapons corporation on a team building exercise in Hungary forced to fight for a survival against mysterious enemies. Great characters, original story and brilliant murder set pieces are complemented by inspired dark humor. Don’t ever go on a company retreat in the mountains of Eastern Europe! 7/10
4. THE TRIPPER (07): David Arquette wrote and directed this tongue-in-cheek homage to horror romps of the ‘70s and ‘80s. In the only politically satirical slasher I can recollect, a maniac in a Reagan mask is slaughtering hippies at a music festival in the woods. Often hilarious send-up of political ideals is also a fine slasher, featuring some unique kills and a fascinating premise. 6.7/10
5. HIGH TENSION (04): Excellent French flick about two college coeds, Marie and Alexa, on vacation at Alexa’s parents’ country home and the mysterious madman who disturbs their quiet holiday. It’s truly more of a psychological horror thriller, but it plays out like a slasher flick. The kills are extremely inventive and shocking, and the big twist is quite a doozy. 8.2/10
6. SCREAM (96): This movie manages to lampoon the genre and be a part of it at the same time. Horror maestro Wes Craven wrote and directed this ingenious slasher about high school kids plagued by a series of murders in a small town. Followed by two sequels that are well worth the watch if you dig this one. 9/10
7. BEHIND THE MASK: THE RISE OF LESLIE VERNON (07): Excellent mockumentary-style dark comedy about a psycho killer who fancies himself the next Michael Myers or Jason Voorhees. The lead actor, Nathan Baesel, is superb as Leslie Vernon, and what begins as an amusing character study/educational course in horror becomes a full-blooded slasher flick with some fun kills. 7.8/10
8. COLD PREY (06) Norwegian slasher flick about a group of friends on a ski trip who unwittingly hole up in the home of a brutal killer when one gets injured. Well-executed modern slasher. Followed by a sequel that I have yet to see. 6.7/10
9. MIDNIGHT MOVIE (08): Very original slasher flick about a late night screening of an obscure horror film that goes terribly awry when the killer from the movie comes out of the screen and attacks the audience. I was a bit disappointed with some of the kills, but enjoyed the premise and execution. 6.3/10
10. EVIL ED (95): Bizarre Swedish flick where a man working as an editor for extremely gory horror films goes crazy and begins a murder spree of his own. Fans of the Evil Dead Series or Peter Jackson’s Dead Alive should seek this strange gem out. 6.8/10
11. THEM (a.k.a. Ils) (06): Very creepy French flick about a couple who are terrorized by a group of unknown assailants wearing hoodies. This movie genuinely scared me, effectively generating tension and suspense consistently throughout the duration and building up to a shocking revelation. Not for the gore fiends, but scary as hell. This was the film The Strangers (08) wanted to be. 8/10
12. KING OF THE HILL (a.k.a. El Rey de La Montana) (07): Well-done Spanish mystery thriller about a man and woman who are being targeted by a sniper for unknown reasons. Much like Them, the twists and turns lead to a surprising and disturbing denouement. 7.4/10
13. I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER (97): Jennifer Love Hewitt leads a cast of teens who are being killed off one by one a year after their involvement in a tragic car accident that resulted in a fisherman’s death. It’s clichéd but entertaining. 6.5/10
14. THE PROWLER (82): Gorehounds will delight in some of the inventive kills in this slasher about a crop of New Jersey campus murders that start up 35 years after a double homicide at the Graduation Dance. The killer dons army fatigues and the high body count and Tom Savini’s marvelous makeup FX are the highlight, but the story is kind of weak. 6/10
15. THE BURNING (81): Probably the best Friday the 13^th clone, this slasher also set at a campground features Jason Alexander and Helen Hunt early in their careers. A decent story with some good kills makes this a cut above many ‘80s slashers. 6.4/10
16. FRIDAY THE 13th (80): Horror classic about mysterious murders at Camp Crystal Lake. Popularized the slasher genre and has spawned 9 sequels and a re-imagining to date. 8.6/10
17. HALLOWEEN (78): Horror classic about a masked murderer who escapes from an institution and is now on the loose in his hometown of Haddonfield, searching for his sister (Jamie Lee Curtis) amidst a bloody rampage. 8.8/10
18. THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (74): Tobe Hooper’s horror classic about a group of teenagers’ run-in with a psychotic family of cannibals. Loosely based on the true story of Ed Gein, this movie introduced the chainsaw-wielding horror icon Leatherface to the world. 8.2/10
19. MY BLOODY VALENTINE (81): This Canadian slasher flick is one of the best of the ‘80s. It has a good story, above-par writing (for this genre at least), decent acting, and some damn good kills. Thanks to some good red herrings, the revelation of the killer is a nice surprise too. 6.9/10
20. MANIAC (80): Unique and somewhat frightening slasher about a psychotic murderer stalking the streets of New York. Doesn’t follow the normal slasher format, but rather plays out a bit like a demented character study, revealing the killer early on in the film. Generally unpleasant and raw film but well-made. 6.4/10
21. MY BLOODY VALENTINE (09): This 3-D remake of a Canadian slasher is a fun ride. It’s just a vehicle for gratuitous sex and violence and a showcase for new 3-D technology, but if you know what you’re getting into it’s suitable entertainment. 6.5/10
22. FRIDAY THE 13th (09): This re-imagining starts off with such a bang that the rest of the movie is a bit of a letdown, but I was pleasantly surprised. It’s littered with tributes and references to the first four films in the series and features some great kills. 6.6/10
23. HALLOWEEN (07): Rob Zombie’s re-imagining of John Carpenter’s classic is a worthy addition to the genre. Sure, far too many F-bombs are dropped and the characters are despicable to the point that you want them to die, but this blood-soaked film is genuinely scary. Michael’s murder spree causes some jumps and jolts, but what really creeped me out is Zombie’s portrayal of Michael’s childhood. 6.8/10
24. THE COLLECTOR (09): The grainy look both suits the film and irks me a bit simultaneously, but the character of the collector is a worthy addition to the horror canon. While it resembles Saw (which is no coincidence since the writer/directors were behind the screenplays for several films in that series) and could be described as another torture-porn horror flick, it had enough originality in its premise and enough creativity in its kills to keep me captivated. Genuinely frightening at times and even generates some suspenseful moments amidst all the gore and screaming. It had its problems, but I was sufficiently entertained and wouldn’t mind seeing the collector return to theaters for a grisly sequel. 6.6/10
25. MADMAN (82): Pretty bad low-budget slasher but gorehounds will enjoy some of the ingenious kills. 5/10