Ah the 80's, a decade known for its flashy clothes, catchy tunes, and big hair. However, to horror fans the 80's is probably best remembered for the sheer excess of slasher films released throughout the decade. After the success of Halloween in 1978, many studios and filmmakers sought to achieve similar success by releasing a sheer plethora of comparable horror films which became known as the slasher genre. Some succeeded, and franchises such as Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street were born, however many simply faded off into obscurity only to gain cult followings in the years to come. With so many slasher films released in the 80's it's easy to overlook a lot of them, however, amidst all of those gory deaths and debaucherous teens there are some sheer gems. The following are just 5 of these films that I personally love and that I feel stand out among some of the more generic of the 80's slasher flicks.
The New York Ripper (1982)
What's it about?
A series of grizzly deaths lead New York police Lieutenant Fred Williams (Jack Hedley) on the trail of a deranged killer who is targeting beautiful women across the city. Along with that, the killer also personally taunts the police over the phone in a bizarre Donald Duck voice. In order to catch the killer, Williams allies himself with criminal psychologist Dr. Paul Davis (Paolo Malco) before more bodies begin to pile up...
Why you should watch it:
Italian filmmaker Lucio Fulci is notorious for the use of graphic violence in his films, and The New York Ripper is no exception. In fact, this is perhaps one of Fulci's most brutal films of his career, even getting itself banned in the UK for years after its release. The violence is graphic, it's detailed, and at times it just feels so real. The infamous scene in which the eponymous ripper slices through a woman's nipple is one of the many wince-inducing moments in the film courtesy of the Italian godfather of gore himself. The effects are surprisingly impressive for the time and their realism adds to the films overall sense of terror. The film retains many characteristics of Italian giallo, from the portrayal of violence to the overall tone. On the other hand its American setting and general sleaziness make it more akin to the slasher films at the time, making it a sort of intersection between both. It's an interesting film by Fulci that sees him bring these very Italian characteristics to a very American film, something that many Euro horrors would do throughout the decade. While The New York Ripper is often dismissed by critics due to the excessive violence and sexuality throughout, it is an entertaining film regardless and a memorable one too. I mean, how many other slasher films have a killer that talks like Donald Duck? A must watch for gore hounds and Fulci fans everywhere.
Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)
What's it about?
When he was just a boy, Billy Chapman (Robert Brian Wilson) witnessed his mother and father being murdered by a maniac in a Santa Clause outfit. On top of that, Billy was then sent to an orphanage where the mother superior (Lilayn Chauvin) subjected him to years of psychological abuse, teaching him all about 'sin'. However, things begin to look up for Billy upon reaching adulthood... that is until Christmas comes. When Billy is forced to dress as Santa for the toy shop in which he works, all that childhood trauma catches up on him, leading him on a murderous yuletide rampage.
Why you should watch it:
It's not often that the killer is the main character of their slasher film, most of the time they prowl in the shadows awaiting their next kill for most of the film. However in Silent Night, Deadly Night, the killer is the main character and we spend a significant amount of time watching him develop. We witness all of the childhood trauma, all of the emotional abuse, and we watch as Billy tries to fight it all off in order to keep himself sane. He is a sympathetic character, to a certain extent, while he does carry out a number of brutal murders, the fact that we see his development beforehand almost makes us feel sorry for him. He was never necessarily a 'bad person', just a boy who was pushed too far over the edge. The juxtaposition between the festive merriment of Christmas and Billy's murderous rampage make this film particularly disturbing, and it contains some truly grizzly Christmas kills. My personal favourite is when Billy impales unsuspecting teenager Denise (played by scream queen Linnea Quigley) on the antlers of a stuffed deer head on the wall, if that's not creativity I don't know what is. Silent Night, Deadly Night is a different sort of slasher film as it allows us to sympathise with the killer himself, something a lot of films at that time tended to avoid.
Slaughter High (1986)
What's it about?
Marty Rantzen (Simon Scuddamore) was a nerdy, but harmless high school student who fell victim to a botched prank by his peers that left him horribly disfigured. Years later, those same peers are invited to a high school reunion where they can catch up with each other over a few beers and some food. However, upon arriving at the reunion things begin to take a sinister turn as the former students are picked off one by one by a killer in a jester mask. The sins of the past begin to catch up on each individual as Mart Rantzen exacts his vengeance upon them at last.
Why you should watch it:
A lot of people think that Slaughter High is just your generic, trashy slasher film with nothing that we haven't seen before. Well I'm here to tell you it is more than just that, in fact, it's one of the most fun and inventive slasher films of the latter half of the 80's. While it does have its fair share of flaws such as several plot holes, bad American accents (it was a predominantly British production), and that AWFUL excuse for a 'twist' ending, Slaughter High has some incredibly creative kills, a fantastic soundtrack, and at times is genuinely intense. Some of the most memorable deaths include a poisoned beer can that causes a man to tear out his innards, spinning tractor blades, and a particularly grizzly acid bath. The killer really doesn't hold back when it comes to his murders and the film has a lot of fun coming up with these creative, and often ironic, death scenes. Simon Scuddamore is extremely entertaining in his scenes as Marty, which makes his subsequent suicide after the production had finished even more upsetting. While its unnecessary twist ending and usual slasher tropes do bring Slaughter High down a bit, it is still a fun and memorable sleazefest that's better than your average slasher. It knows what it is and it's not afraid to be a bit silly at times, sometimes this works very well for slasher films and Slaughter High is one example. Plus, the soundtrack is unreal, I found myself humming the main theme constantly upon viewing it for the first time.
The Burning (1981)
What's it about?
Another film about a killer who goes on a killing spree after becoming disfigured in a prank gone wrong, only this time instead of Marty Rantzen, It's a former camp caretaker named Cropsy who embraces their homicidal tendencies. After his face was horribly disfigured in a crude prank years ago, Cropsy makes his way to the nearby Camp Stonewater. Armed with his trusty pair of sheers, Cropsy begins to pick off the campers one by one, taking a particular interest in camp counselor Todd (Brian Matthews) who shares a past with the killer.
Why you should watch it:
Ok so it's not exactly an obscure film, The Burning is quite acclaimed among 80's slashers, but due to the sheer amount of similar films of that decade such as Sleepaway Camp and the Friday the 13th franchise, I feel as though many have forgotten about this film. One of the strongest aspects of The Burning is its characters. A lot of slashers treat their characters as mere disposable victims which can take away the steaks at times. However, many of the characters in The Burning are actually quite likeable which makes us root for them from start to finish. We care about some of the characters, we want them to survive. This is in part due to some of the cast members who would later go on to have relatively successful careers. Brian Backer went on to appear in the iconic Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Seinfeld alum Jason Alexander features heavily throughout, and Holly Hunter even has a very minor role too. Along with its likeable characters, The Burning also boasts one of the most gruesome scenes in slasher film history, the infamous raft massacre. I won't spoil it, but honestly I would say it's definitely in my top ten horror film death scenes due to the sheer shock value, and brilliant score by prog rock legend Rick Wakeman. The Burning is a well written, well made, and well acted film that would go on to influence countless similar films in the years that would follow. Oh, and did I mention that it was the film that launched the careers of the Weinstein brothers? That's right, those Weinstein brothers. Forget about Jason, Cropsy is the true king of summer camp killers.
Curtains (1983)
What's it about?
In order to get into the role for a new film called Audra, veteran actress Samantha Sherwood (Samantha Eggar) checks herself in to a mental institution. However, when she discovers that the films director Johnathan Stryker (John Vernon) has decided to recast the character of Audra, Samantha leaves the asylum and makes her way to his isolated mansion where he has gathered six actresses to audition for the part. Upon her arrival, a mysterious killer in a hag mask begins to target the young actresses in order to eliminate the competition. This ultimately leads the actresses into a fight for more than just a mere role, but for their lives as well.
Why you should watch it:
I'm going to go right out and say that since watching Curtains for the first time earlier this year it has easily become one of my all time favourite slasher films, this is due to the simple reason that 34 years after its release it still holds up brilliantly. The atmosphere is still incredibly unsettling and the film contains some of the most suspenseful death scenes in slasher history. From the scene in the prop house to the iconic ice skating scene, Curtains makes sure that every death scene is as impactful as the last. On top of that, the killers hag mask itself is quite creepy to look at and adds an extra layer of eeriness to the film. Along with all of this, Curtains is not afraid to mess with its audiences head and throw a few curve balls here and there. My personal favourite moment from the film is Amanda's (Deborah Burgess) death scene that fools the audience not only once, but twice. It's a clever little sequence that sets the tone for the film nicely. Take my word for it when I say that Curtains is scary, it holds up a lot better than many 80's slasher films do. The film has some excellent performances too from both Eggar and Vernon, along with Black Christmas star Lynne Griffin as comedienne Patti O'Connor who brings her own sense of genuine charm to the role. It's hard to believe that Curtains had such a troubled production, with major re-shoots, re-casting, and re-writes, along with the original director clashing with the producer and subsequently leaving the film, it's a wonder it was ever made at all. But Curtains overcomes its troubled background and still holds up as one of the most thrilling slashers of the 80's. This one is definitely a must see for horror fans everywhere.
That is just a mere snipped of the countless slasher films of the 1980's. I could go on for ages naming more obscure and underrated 80's horrors, god only knows there's enough of them, but I think 5 is enough to suffice for now. Take a look at those films if you're interested, or if you have any recommendations for similar films let me know in the comments, I'm always looking out for new horror films to watch. Until next time!
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