In defense of slashers
Illustration by Daisy Nguyen.
Dylan Hostetter, Opinions and Humor Editor
Of all film genres, horror is the most versatile. If done correctly, it can encompass aspects of any other genre; Horror can have comedy, romance, action or even take place in a sci-fi world. Within this near-boundless genre there are, of course, many subgenres — my favorite being slashers.
Slasher movies get a bad rap. They are known for being exploitative, cliche and cheaply produced. I’m not here to tell you they aren’t any of those things, many of them are, but many of them also outshine these negatives.
Slasher movies were not always cliche, they became cliche. Fans of “Scream” will remember Jamie Kennedy’s famous monologue on the three rules of surviving a horror movie: Never have sex, never do drugs and never, ever say “I’ll be right back.” But such concrete rules for slasher survivors were not always set in stone — they had to start somewhere.
The concept of a slasher film has its roots in the Italian film subgenre known as giallo, named after popular yellow-covered pulp crime novels of the 1920s. Giallo films, popularized in the 1960s by directors like Dario Argento and Mario Bava, follow in the footsteps of their pulp mystery roots and often feature a killer who was left unknown until the film’s conclusion. They made their name with colorful, intense set pieces and point-of-view killer shots.
Some of the most creative and visually memorable horror films came out of the giallo genre. Argento’s “Deep Red” and “Suspiria” are both pinnacles of the form, setting the bar high for what film at large can accomplish with color and shot composition. Both films are also backed by breathtaking prog-rock scores courtesy of Italian band Goblin.
When American filmmakers caught wind of these tropes, the slasher, as we now know it, was born. Early films like “Alice, Sweet Alice” maintained the psychological thriller elements of giallo, while implementing more American stylistic elements such as a visually iconic killer.
Whereas giallo killers would often be faceless with black gloves, a staple of American slashers would be their distinct appearances. The killer in “Alice, Sweet Alice,” for instance, dons a slick yellow raincoat and an eerie mask resembling a painted female face.
Certain slashers, like “Friday the 13th’s” hockey mask-wearing Jason Vorhees, are so visually iconic that they have come to represent the entire genre. Every new slasher film renders a new opportunity to do something fresh, giving audiences something to look forward to at each new turn.
Slashers can have a domineering and physically oppressive stature like the miner Harry Warden of “My Bloody Valentine,” or they can be something as harmless and child-friendly as the Good Guy doll in “Child’s Play.” Slashers can even be children, as is the case in 1983’s “Sleepaway Camp.”
Once again following in the footsteps of giallo classics, slashers also have some of the most iconic scores in American film. John Carpenter’s score for “Halloween” has basically become the anthem of the season, and the repetitive “ki ki ki ma ma ma” of “Friday the 13th” is synonymous with spooky scenes.
The genre has survived long enough that it can even be self-referential. As the first slasher movie I ever saw, “Scream” holds a special place in my heart. It’s a near-perfect film and a shining example of the genre’s capabilities. “Scream” is funny, but it is also tragic — you care about the characters on screen as much as you, sadistically, want to see them killed.
It is not fair for a few poorly made films to sink the entire ship of slashers. Cheaply produced sequels and exploitative scenes give the genre a bad reputation as something that belongs on the bottom of the entertainment barrel — but that simply is not the case. The high points of this genre far outweigh the lows.
I proudly return to slasher films every Halloween season, and I recommend everyone to do the same. These movies deserve their day in the sun — or rather, the dark and spooky woods.
