A cut above: 20 underrated slasher films

“Tourist Trap” is a genuinely odd movie about a group of young friends who are driving through the desert, get a flat tire, and end up at a rundown wax museum. Unlike most slashers, this film has a supernatural element, as not only do the victims fall prey to a masked killer, but also to some mannequins and random objects being controlled by telekinetic forces. People likely pass on this 1979 horror film because the premise sounds too familiar, yet “Tourist Trap” takes a different turn than most would expect and becomes a journey that’s absolutely worth taking.

Possibly the most twisted and brutal film in this list, “Maniac” also stands out for its lack of camp or humor. Instead, it’s a gritty glimpse into the mind of a deranged serial killer (played perfectly by Joe Spinell) who scalps his victims and uses their hair for his collection of mannequins. An exploitation film through and through, “Maniac” includes heaps of gruesome gore right up until the disturbing final scene. This one is the epitome of serious slashers and acted as a blueprint for future films in the genre.

In addition to being a slasher film, 1980’s “Motel Hell” might also be one of the first slasher satires. Ostensibly, it’s about a pair of motel owners who prey on their unsuspecting guests, but the absurdity of their ruse — burying the victims up to their necks, cutting their vocal cords, and fattening them up to turn them into a line of smoked meats — soon becomes apparent, drawing amused groans and laughs from the audience as the story progresses. Putting a respected actor like Rory Calhoun in the lead role only adds to the insanity, especially when he’s seducing a much younger woman and using a chainsaw to fight a cop while wearing a pig mask.

On the heels of “Friday the 13th” (1980) and “Friday the 13th Part II” (1981), the plot of “The Burning” wasn’t all that unique: someone wronged at a summer camp returns years later to exact their revenge on a group of teenagers. But don’t dismiss this film (or any others) just for these similarities. After all, the urban legend of New York State’s Cropsey killer — from which “The Burning” and numerous films drew their inspiration — has been around since at least the ‘70s. To its credit, “The Burning” and its shear-wielding killer didn’t try to reinvent the wheel, but still managed to bring plenty of suspense, style, and gore (courtesy of the legendary Tom Savini), and is also notable for featuring future big-name actors Holly Hunter, Jason Alexander, and Fisher Stevens.

Makeup master Tom Savini also deserves a lot of the credit for “The Prowler,” a 1981 slasher about a mysterious fatigue-clad G.I. that terrorizes a group of recent college grads. Director Joseph Zito’s tone and atmosphere set the stage — and framing the traumatized killer as a war vet was a unique and bold choice — but the best part is Savini’s gore, which was so prominent that “The Prowler” had to be edited down for release in countries outside of the U.S. Horror fans mustn’t leave this one off their list of mandatory movies.

“Madman” received some international attention upon its release in 1982 — not because it was a box office or critical success (it was neither), but because it was seized in England during the “video nasty” panic of the early ‘80s. Still, the story of Madman Marz (another Cropsey-inspired character) deserves respect for its constantly creepy tone, exceptional photography, solid practical effects, and dependable albeit predictable plot. It also stars scream queen Gaylen Ross of “Dawn of the Dead” fame!

There are some scenes with substandard acting and dialogue in “Pieces,” but don’t let your opinion of this Spanish slasher film fall apart based on that alone. It’s a semi-campy yet well-crafted tale from start to finish that includes two big twists and so much gore and brutality that it was also among the titles seized during the aforementioned video nasty panic. Fun fact: More people die in “Pieces” via chainsaw (four) than in “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (one).

While “The Slumber Party Massacre” carries a generally generic title that could be easily confused with other ‘80s slasher films like “The House on Sorority Row” (1982) and “The Last Slumber Party” (1988), it has a unique angle. “The Slumber Party Massacre” was written by feminist author Rita Mae Brown as a satire but shot by director Amy Holden Jones as a serious slasher, resulting in an occasionally funny but often exploitative movie whose female leads walk the line between being powerless and powerful. Decide for yourself whether the killer’s implement of choice — a power drill — is a metaphor in this smart and suspenseful slasher.

“Sleepaway Camp” gets a lot of adoration from horror fans, but it still doesn’t have that mainstream level of respect given to the “Friday the 13th,” “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” and “Halloween” slasher franchises. (It was even the subject of a “How Did This Get Made?” comedy podcast.) Most of the cast performances vary from forgettable to stereotypical to over-the-top, but Felissa Rose shines in the starring role, there are plenty of creative kills to keep slasher fans appeased, and the twist ending still comes as a shock to first-time viewers. If you find the original too absurd, then you’re going to hate the first two sequels (which we love).

We don’t understand the disdain for 1984’s “The Mutilator.” Yes, the acting is terrible — but we’d have to toss out a lot of beloved slasher films if this was a standard by which to judge their quality. As a reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes expertly stated: “You watch slasher flicks for the quality slashing,” and this flick has plenty of it. Victims are gutted, shredded, impaled, decapitated, and otherwise mutilated with plenty of gore and blood to grease the wheels of this tale of very delayed revenge. Then again, we were hooked as soon as the college kids sped off in a convertible for fall break to the tune of a song about going on fall break while openly drinking and driving. Ah, the ‘80s…

Not only is “Friday the 13th Part VI” criminally underrated, but it might also be our favorite film of the franchise. While the first few films were presented as serious slashers, “Jason Lives” is acutely aware of its audience’s expectations: They want a wide variety of killings, enough gore to satisfy their bloodlust, some scares sprinkled in, and to laugh at the absurdity of the slasher genre. Jason delivers this exact product from start to finish, making “Part VI” the most entertaining “Friday” film to date.

“Blood Rage” is easily the best Thanksgiving horror movie about twins that you’ll ever see. But seriously, this one is worthy of putting into the regular rotation. There’s a high kill count, plenty of gore, both intentional and unintentional laughs (including some holiday humor), creative camera work, and a commendable performance by Mark Soper, who plays both a homicidal maniac and the twin brother he framed for murder. You’ll smirk, you’ll laugh, and you’ll never look at cranberry sauce the same way again.

We’re shocked how little “Stage Fright” is discussed among horror fans. Italian director Michele Soavi made his debut in a big way, keeping the suspense and savage killings found in fellow slasher films but eschewing many of the tropes and cliches that weigh them down. Most notably, it’s a whimsical, beautifully shot movie that unmistakably establishes Soavi as both a skilled director and an obvious protege of Dario Argento (“Suspiria”). And as far as we know, it’s the only horror film featuring a villain in an owl costume.

“Intruder” is literally underrated, as no freshness rating exists on Rotten Tomatoes. But this supermarket-set slasher deserves your patronage. The story keeps you guessing as the shop’s night crew begin disappearing one by one in a series of creative and gory murders, with their body parts reappearing throughout the store in equally imaginative ways. The core cast might not be familiar to you, but “Intruder” also includes appearances by Bruce Campbell, Renee Estevez (of “Sleepaway Camp II” fame!), and both Sam and Ted Raimi. 

Fans of the original “A Nightmare on Elm Street” movies might protest the lack of cheesy humor and the meta storyline that sees some of the iconic figures from the first film playing themselves — including Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp, John Saxon, and even Wes Craven himself — but this refreshing take on the Freddy films shouldn’t be overlooked just for trying something new. It’s still dark and disturbing but also includes some extra intelligence and innovation and acts as the inspiration for a Craven movie that would come out two years later: “Scream.”

Legend has it that people who say slasher anthologies are dead will be haunted by the ghost of Victor Crowley. Okay, not really, but this 21st-century horror franchise seriously deserves much more attention. Every film in writer/director Adam Green’s series (and there are now four) follows the classic formula — a group of future victims enter the territory of an infamous killer and are picked off one by one — but the first installment from 2006 is still the best. It’s over-the-top gory, creative in both its kills and camera work, and features a veritable who’s-who of horror names. Kane Hodder plays Victor Crowley, “Candyman” Tony Todd has a supporting role, and even Robert Englund appears in a cameo, with scream queen Danielle Harris joining the franchise after the first film.

We’re surprised more people don’t talk about 2012’s “Stitches.” It’s one of our favorite clown movies, and it generally garners good reviews among those who have seen this darkly funny slasher. British actor/comedian Ross Noble stars in the titular role as a grimy birthday party clown who has an unfortunate accident and returns from the dead for revenge on the kids and adults partially responsible for his demise. Buckets of blood gush, spray and pour from the victims of Stitches’ multitude of imaginative and grotesque kills, which, coupled with some laugh-out-loud moments, make for a memorable and rewatchable killer clown flick. 

Before modern-day horror mastermind Mike Flanagan wrote and directed the hit TV shows “The Haunting of Hill House” and “The Haunting of Bly Manor,” he made several movies, most notably “The Shining” sequel “Doctor Sleep.” Yet Flanagan’s best work remains unknown to most people: 2016’s “Hush.” Kate Siegel (who co-wrote the film with Flanagan, her husband) stars as an author who cannot hear or speak, lives alone in a secluded house in the woods, and is terrorized by an intruder. The almost completely dialogue-free movie keeps viewers on edge for all 81 minutes as the cat-and-mouse game plays out in a grisly and sadistic manner that will keep you cheering for Siegel at every turn — if you can manage to pull your hands away from your eyes.

“Terrifier 2” (2022) received plenty of attention for its ability to shock and scare audiences (with reports of theatergoers vomiting and passing out during screenings) while slashing its way to an 86% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes. But let’s not forget about the original. “Terrifier” was a simpler and, at times, creepier indie film that relied on director Damien Leone’s practical effects and the sinister antics of Art the Clown to drive the film, as opposed to the second, which had a larger budget and much more intricate plot that included a gun-heavy dream sequence and attempts to establish a backstory that detracts from Art’s mystique. (The original Art the Clown movie, 2013’s “All Hallow’s Eve,” is also worth a watch!)

Sequels, remakes, and reboots are so common nowadays that they often get overlooked, and 2019’s “Child’s Play” is a perfect example. Not only was this remake/reboot a worthy addition to the franchise, but some say its gore, wit, and satirical commentary on technology and consumerism actually make it superior to the 1988 original. We won’t go that far, but Mark Hamill nevertheless shined as the voice of Chucky, and Aubrey Plaza, Gabriel Bateman, and Brian Tyree Henry rounded out the exceptional cast of this extremely entertaining flick.