Slasher movies have been a huge staple in the horror genre, with many dedicated fans. For more than 60 years, we have been treated to many iconic and influential slasher movies. From Alfred Hitchcock’sPsychoin 1960which is considered the very first slasher film; Alongside the many iconic franchises likeFriday The 13th,A Nightmare on Elm Street,Halloween, andTheTexas Chain Saw Massacre.But, with the many beloved and influential films in the genre, there have been a lot of slasher movies that are underrated and criminally overlooked. Movies likeYou’re Next,Hush,The Final Girls, andSleepaway Campare among the best in the genre, but yet they don’t get the recognition and praise that they deserve. So with that, here are some of the most underrated slasher movies of all time.
8The Burning (1981)
As an obvious imitation ofFriday The 13th,The Burningmanages to stand out from its competition with its excessive and glorious violence, which got the movie banned in many countries; most notably being a part of the UKs Video Nasties. The film is beloved among the horror community, with many claiming the film isbetter than any film in theFriday The 13thfranchise. The film was overlooked by casual audiences due to its more successful competition, withFriday The 13th Part 2, releasing in the same summer, and faring much better at the box office.
7The Prowler (1981)
The Prowlerreceived mixed reviews upon its release, with many comparing the film to the slasher movie;My Bloody Valentine, released in the same year. More than 40 years since the film’s release,The Prowlerhas more recently gained a cult following, with fans praising the film’s violence; showcasing disturbing, but impressive special effects by Tom Savini. Critics do, however, praise the film’s impressive cinematography, and for not shying away from showing us all of its excessive violence.
6Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994)
Written and directed by horror legend Wes Craven, this meta slasher film was groundbreaking, but most audiences didn’t even know it.Wes Craven’sNew Nightmarewas a very successful experiment that paved the way for other meta horror movies, and in part was responsible for the creation ofScream.Scream’s success, however, overshadowed what was one of the first movies to ever successfully deliver meta commentary on the genre.
5Related:These Are The Best Wes Craven Movies, RankedSleepaway Camp (1983)
Yes, we have another slasher movie set on a summer camp, and no, it won’t be the last. WhileSleepaway Campdidn’t get much recognition from audiences at the time, the film garnered fairly positive reviews, saying even though the film follows a very similar whodunnit story asFriday The 13th, Sleepaway Campmanages to deliver a compelling story with a shocking and completely unexpected twist. The film has more recently gained a cult following due to the twist ending, with many claiming it to the be one of themost shocking twist endings in the genre.Sleepaway Campmanaged to spawn numerous sequels; however, the series still didn’t manage to reach the success of theFriday The 13thseries.
4The Final Girls (2015)
We arrive at the third and final slasher movie on the list, where the killer is let loose at a summer camp.The Final Girls, however, does not follow the same formula as its predecessors, which results in a hilarious meta-slasher flick, and allows for plenty of traditional tropes from the genre. But, the film appropriately reduces the elements that made films likeFriday The 13thso famous and controversial in the first place. This slasher flick is most notable for poking fun at the staples that were very prevalent in ’70s and ’80s slasher movies, such as the racism and sexism portrayed in the genre, and the stupidity behind them.
The plot follows a group of friends as they are transported into a fictional 1983 slasher movie; Camp Bloodbath.The Final Girlsis a hilarious and fresh take on slasher movies, being very self-aware and portraying lots of meta commentary on the genre, the movie is very in line with the likes ofScream, The Cabin In The WoodsandTucker and Dale Vs Evil.Nominated for numerous awards,The Final Girlsreceived the awards for “Best Screenplay” at Stiges Film Festival and the Fright Meter Awards.
3Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)
Behind The Maskhad a very limited US release, with the film only being released to a handful of movie theaters across the states. This meant casual audiences may have missed this hilarious mockumentary-style slasher film. Hardcore horror fans and movie goers were really the only audiences who truly knew about this film, due to its lack of advertising and limited release. The movie premiered at South by Southwest film festival to a lot of praise. The critical reception was very positive, with many admiring the film’s sense of humor and the love that it shows for the slasher genre, while still poking fun at the sub-genre; the film does so with much respect.
2You’re Next (2011)
This film was a smash hit that completely turned the slasher genre on its head, reverting to the cat and mouse formula. What makes this movie so special is the instinctual and beloved final girl; Erin. As one of themost resourceful and efficient final girlsin the genre, Erin goes from being hunted to becoming the hunter, as she displays her exceptional survival skills. Erin single-handedly manages to dispatch all the killers in very impressive ways.You’re Nexthas a huge cult following; however, this movie still isn’t talked about enough and doesn’t receive the recognition it deserves.
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1Hush (2016)
As one of the best and most innovative slasher movies of the past few decades,Hushis praised for its terrifying and realistic atmosphere, alongside theperformance from Kate Siegelin the lead role.Hushsees a deaf and mute writer (Maggie), who resides in a secluded house in the woods, and is forced to fight for her life when a masked killer appears at her window.Mike Flanagan, best known forThe Haunting of Hill House, delivers a masterful atmospheric horror flick, using the main character’s lack of hearing to create a disturbing and tense atmosphere. The movie has only 15 minutes of spoken dialogue, with the rest of the 70-minute run-time dedicated to a silent and electrifying cat and mouse chase.Hushwas praised by audiences and critics alike, with the consensus admiring the atmospheric slasher movie for being innovative in a crowded genre that uses the same formula over and over again.
