If you’re a horror buff, then chances are the first horror film you saw was a slasher film. WIth the exception of those whose entry into the genre was through a more “sophisticated” path, most of us evidenced horror for the first time through the wrath of Freddy, Michael, Jason, and Chucky — the icons of the slasher genre who already have their places cemented in popular culture.
Nevertheless, they aren’t the only ones. The slasher subgenre of horror has grown in various directions that range from the ridiculous to the extremely unsettling. To help populate your watchlist during spooky season, we went through the horror bins and dug out some underrated slashers you don’t hear about enough.
10 Urban Legend (1998)
In Urban Legend, students at Pendleton University are facing the ultimate threat: A killer who uses famous urban legends to stage horrific crimes. Natalie is at the center while her student friends are killed one by one, but she has a dark secret that may be the reason behind the killings, and she will have to face it if she wants to save herself.
Sometimes Good Screenwriting Is All It Takes
Accused of being a Scream rip-off in an era where horror was going through a rebirth, Urban Legend is actually a pretty solid standalone horror film with a great cast that includes Jared Leto, Alicia Witt, Loretta Devine, Robert Englund, and Rebecca Gayheart. The film was a blockbuster success that launched an entire franchise and featured an opening sequence worthy of study.
9 All the Boys Love Mandy Lane (2006)
All the Boys Love Mandy Lane follows a group of teenagers who are still going through the aftermath of an accidental death. Mandy Lane has ended her friendship with Emmet, and she gets invited to a weekend party on the outskirts of town. When people start dying, all suspicions fall on Emmet.
The One Only a Few People Have Heard About
The film went through development hell when its distributor went bankrupt, and it was shelved for more than seven years. When it was released, viewers were able to see the depth of Jonathan Levine’s feature film debut, which also followed the rules of the slasher genre. Its final twist will blow your mind.
8 The Burning (1981)
The Burning is the story of a group of camp counselors at Stonewater Summer Camp who face a vendetta carried on by a killer named Cropsy. Years ago, he was burned beyond recognition during a prank, and now he’s come back to kill those who resemble the camp guides responsible for his disfigurement.
One of the Best Slashers of the 1980s
While it feels like yet another “horror in a summer camp” film, The Burning is actually very original in its execution and kills. It features three Hollywood actors in their debut on the big screen: Jason Alexander, Holly Hunter, and Fisher Stevens. This cult low-budget slasher from the ’80s that’s not anywhere as bad as some of its peers, was based on a story conceived by the producer who fell from grace, Harvey Weinstein.
You can stream The Burning on Prime Video.
7 Cherry Falls (2000)
On the surface, Cherry Falls looks like just about any other slasher film from the 1990s. The thing is that the story required a major rule change: It told the story of a group of teenagers living in Cherry Falls who are being hunted by a killer who preys on virgin teens. At one point, someone thinks an orgy is a great solution, but we swear Cherry Falls is actually a good movie.
Changing the Rules Didn’t Exactly Pay Off
The content and theme of the film caused it to go through release hell in 1999 when it was sold. It never opened as a theatrical film, and it went through several edits until a few people saw it back then. One mysterious fact is that the original uncut version of the film has never been available for audiences to watch. Starring the late Brittany Murphy in the lead role, it is an extremely underrated slasher movie that will make you smirk a few times.
6 The Collector (2009)
The Collector follows a former convict named Arkin O’Brien, who works as a handyman for a very wealthy family. In order to pay a debt, he decides to plan a heist and rob the Chase family. The problem is that a masked killer has beaten him to it, and the mysterious slasher has a few plans that don’t exactly include theft.
The Rules of the Genre Applied to a New Era
Originally conceived as a spin-off to Saw, The Collector was then turned into a standalone movie that fully works on its own with an underrated lead character in the hands of Josh Stewart. Even though it feels like a low-budget, straight-to-video movie, it executes its premise with enough gore and violence to satisfy horror hounds. It was successful enough to launch a franchise that’s still going on.
5 Hatchet (2006)
Adam Green’s Hatchet follows a group of tourists who go on a swamp tour in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. The official tour has been closed because of the guide’s negligence, but in replacement, they’re taken on a ride where a disfigured killer, Victor Crowley, waits for them to do some butchering.
Extremely Gory and Funny
Hatchet quickly became the cult film it deserved to be as it didn’t take itself too seriously, featured a plethora of horror stars (Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, and Tony Todd are some of them), and had enough grisly violence to make gore hounds cover their eyes for a few seconds. It launched an entire franchise where basically the same concept was reiterated, and fans kept coming to watch the sequels.
4 Sick (2022)
Based on a script by horror legend Kevin Williamson and Katelyn Crabb, Sick follows a group of young people who are going through the first weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic. They decide to spend the quarantine on lockdown at a lake house, but soon, they fall prey to a group of masked assailants.
One of the Best Films of the COVID-19 Era
The modern slasher film Sick is a terribly underrated feature that uses the COVID-19 “culture” for a twisty plot that never stops unraveling. It’s truly remarkable where this one goes in terms of the storyline and the simplicity of its villains, who are just trying to avenge the death of a loved one.
3 Clown (2014)
Clown follows Kent McCoy, a good husband and father who will do anything for his son. He even wears a clown suit he finds in an abandoned basement when he fails to rent the attire at a costume shop. The problem is that Kent doesn’t remove the suit or makeup and his body begins to fuse with it when he wakes up the next day. The solution to his problem? Decapitation.
A Great Modern Slasher Is Born
The film doesn’t follow the usual slasher structure in terms of narrative, but Kent’s story is funny enough to make you fall for his clown even when the moral code of his character is turned around. It was the feature directorial debut of Spider-Man’s Jon Watts, and it’s a great addition to the horror subgenre of creepy clowns.
2 Child’s Play (2019)
Child’s Play follows a boy named Andy whose mother gives him a unique birthday present: a Buddi doll that she has acquired as a defective product. Soon, the doll powered by AI becomes sentient, names himself Chucky, and becomes a murderous robot capable of hacking into all sorts of technology in order to defend Andy.
A Horror “Remake” That Dared to Change the Rules
The reboot of the Chucky franchise made a few changes to the canon. It put the killer doll under the umbrella of dangerous technology and removed the possession theme. The result was an underrated horror-comedy blend with a bonkers third act that’ll make you distrust all the technological devices around you.
1 Venom (2005)
In Venom, a group of teenagers awakens an ancient demon by accident when a local man is killed, his body is bitten by snakes, and he’s revived by the spirits trapped in the reptiles. Yes, Venom sounds ridiculous, but you can’t imagine how valuable it is; it’s a remarkable piece that lives in the underbelly of lesser-known slasher films.
A Very Crafty and Noteworthy Slasher
Released in the mid-2000s to poor reviews by critics, Venom was released just days after Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana, and audiences weren’t happy with it. Regardless, the camerawork is outstanding, and the performances by the young cast aren’t too bad. This one is worth revisiting.
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