The slasher film is a sub-genre of horror that has been beloved by gorehounds since the day Norman Bates first stabbed Marian Crane in the shower. Blood, spectacle, and murderous maniacs are what glue eyes to screens, and there have been many a villain and victim find popularity in the medium thanks to the slasher film.
Keeping that all in mind, all that glitters is not gold. For every serious slasher character, there are always one or two copycat killers right on their heels. Some films have done well from themselves over the decades, but others have relied on pure puffery to gain ground in the genre.
OVERHYPED: Scream (1996)
Wes Craven's tongue-in-cheek tribute to the slasher genre might have been novel back in the '90s, however, it hasn't aged well. Simply put, Scream is a product of its time.
Scream was fun while it lasted, but the meta-narrative approach to a certain genre has been done to death, and this insufferable trend has this film series to thank for it. By the time Scream 4 rolled in, the self-aware jokes, deconstructions, and constant winking were beyond tiresome and even predictable at points. But to its credit, there are few costumes and masks more recognizable than Ghostface.
A TRUE CLASSIC: Psycho (1960)
Alfred Hitchcock's spine-tingling Psycho will forever be known as the true genesis of the slasher genre. To this very day, it still has some people nervous around showers. Hitchcock pulled out all the stops when creating this terrifying piece, and at the same time created many of the classic tropes used by horror directors even today.
Ideas like killing off a main star early in the film, practical gore effects, and a killer in a relatively mundane disguise all found their origins in this black and white bloodfest. The less said about Gus Van Sant's 1998 remake, though, the better.
OVERHYPED: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
During its time, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was considered to be one of the most gruesome and terrifying film experiences ever released in theaters. Even today, the cannibal dinner scene near the end is one of the most uncomfortable horror sequences to watch.
That being said, the movie is actually quite tame compared to modern horror flicks and even some of its sequels and reboots, especially the absolutely bonkers The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. The first film might be shocking in parts, but it uses less blood and gore than one might think. This subtlety works wonders for some, but not all horror junkies.
A TRUE CLASSIC: It (2017 & 2019)
One of the newest creature features on this list is the theatrical two-part adaptation of Stephen King's It and while it might be more than a touch goofy at times, it's not only a scary experience but an entertaining one as well.
Bill Skarsgård might not be as manic as Tim Curry in the 1990 miniseries that most people know and love, but his take on Pennywise the Dancing Clown aka It is a monster in every sense of the word. Surprisingly accurate to the novel, It doesn't skip on the scares, disturbing imagery, and (most importantly) the kills.
OVERHYPED: House of 1000 Corpses (2003)
Singer, songwriter and filmmaker Rob Zombie is one of the most prolific directors in today's horror scene, but it wouldn't be wrong to say he improved with age. His debut film, House of 1000 Corpses, is terrifying and nightmare-inducing, no argument there.
That being said, it relies too heavily on its shock-value, gore, nudity, and profanity just to stand out. Truth be told, House of 1000 Corpses is more scares than substance, and it just comes off as loud and obnoxious by today's standards. At the very least, this movie did lead to the sequel The Devil's Rejects, which is by far Zombie's most critically acclaimed work.
A TRUE CLASSIC: Candyman (1992)
There are few characters more chilling and haunting than Candyman, which is loosely based on Clive Barker's short story titled The Forbidden. While the source material is par for Barker's course, the film Candyman could be considered an urban-Gothic masterpiece. Candyman features a hypnotic and charismatic villain in a long cloak, abandoned and decrepit ruins (i.e. the Cabrini-Green housing projects), and a beautiful damsel in distress.
Tony Todd as the titular Candyman is the best part of this film, and he has since become a legend of the genre. What makes Candyman timeless and hauntingly relevant today is that it's one of the few mainstream horror movies that actively tackled themes of racial prejudice and America's racist past, arguably paving the way for similarly-themed modern horror hits like Get Out or Lovecraft Country.
OVERHYPED: Friday the 13th (1980)
After the premiere of John Carpenter's Halloween in the late '70s, the slasher genre erupted and spewed several knockoffs and copycats, and one of the most (in)famous was Friday the 13th.
Although every true horror fan knows the name of the hockey mask-wearing and machete-wielding Jason Voorhees, it was his vengeful mother Pamela Voorhees that started his series. This is a uniquely fascinating origin as far as slasher movies go but when compared to her son's work, Pamela's first and only appearance is a little bit underwhelming. Divorced of the franchise's pop culture legacy, its original entry just doesn't really hold up.
A TRUE CLASSIC: Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)
Speaking of Mrs. Voorhees' son, while many are quick to consider the campy Part III and the then-conclusive Part IV: The Final Chapter the best the series had to offer, Jason Lives truly displayed the carnage Jason Voorhees was capable of.
While it certainly took a more tongue-in-cheek approach to the horror genre, Part VI worked far better than several other slasher comedies one could mention. It's a self-aware Friday the 13th entry that definitely deserves more attention and certainly stands out better than the likes of Jason X.
OVERHYPED: Saw (2004)
Violence for violence's sake does not a good horror movie make. But like so many characters in the genre, the Saw series and its penchant for sadistic traps and torture just keeps coming back, stronger than ever. In fact, after what seemed like the end, Saw came back twice in the reboot Jigsaw and the ominous reboot Spiral: From the Book of Saw.
The first film was novel for its time, but it soon led to repetitive and unoriginal sequels that tarnished whatever good Saw accomplished. There's only so many deathtraps, pig masks, and puppets one can stand before it gets old. If modern viewers were to watch Saw, it's surely not for the plot or nihilistic philosophical jabber about the human condition.
A TRUE CLASSIC: Halloween (1978)
This one goes without saying since it's the one that started an entire genre of horror films. John Carpenter's simple yet effective masterpiece about a masked maniac stalking babysitters through a quiet suburban town will always be a classic, not just because Halloween is that good but because it also set a trend that many have imitated but failed to replicate.
Halloween might have little in ways of gore, but the suspense and scare factor are exquisite. Though the Halloween name is somewhat synonymous with countless sequels/spin-offs/reboots and a convoluted timeline, nothing beats the original No supernatural force, no Camp Blood death curse, no meta-narrative, no one-liners here. Just pure, classic horror.