Summary
Slasher is one of the most popular horror subgenres, thrilling the viewers with terrifying killers and brutal deaths that would shock even the most iron-stomached fans. The hapless victims in these movies can fight, run, or hide, but most are fated to meet a grizzly end.
In these movies, the killers are the most iconic and entertaining part as they relentlessly pursue their prey until none are left — or untilthey meet their match with the Final Girl. And even then, sometimes they return from the grave to finish what they started.
Spoiler Warning: major plot spoilers are touched on and discussed in several entries on this list.
9Johnny (In A Violent Nature)
This Experimental Movie Places The Audience In The Killer’s Shoes
Horror movies are almost always projected from the perspective of the survivors, allowing audiences to easily put themselves in the shoes of the victims to make the experience even more frightening.In a Violent Natureturned the concept of slasher movies on its head by having the viewers follow the steps of the killer, Johnny, as he searches for his precious locket he believes was taken by a group of friends camping out in the woods.
The long stretches of quiet and walking are juxtaposed by the brutal deaths visited upon the poor victims, which were executed with skillful acting and realistic practical effects. The calmness of Johnny during every brutal and bloody murder marks him as a truly terrifying killer, and one that will be remembered for years to come.
8Pearl (X/Pearl)
Pearl Is An Unlikely Killer
Ti West’sXtrilogy introduced audiences to the interwoven stories of Peal and Maxine, bothexpertly portrayed by Mia Goth. AlthoughXwas released first,Pearlis the origin movie of the series, in which farmhand Pearl dreams of greatness and will not allow anyone or anything to stand in her way. As it turns out, she remains on the farm that Maxine and the rest of the adult film crew rent out for their next movie.
Her descent into the depths of murderous madness is executed brilliantly inPearl, as she is all too happy to kill anyone she thinks is interfering with her goals, including her parents and her sister-in-law. This rampage continues on inX, showing that old age has done nothing to slow her down, picking off members one by one with the help of her husband, Howard. But, there is no mistaking that Pearl is indeed the star of these movies.
7Art The Clown (Terrifier Franchise)
A Legend In The Making
The new kid on the block, Art the Clown from theTerrifierfranchise, has splashed onto the screen in bloody and gruesome fashion, providingsome of the most shocking killsin modern cinema. This evil (and potentially supernatural) clown loves to terrorize his victims, ruining their holiday fun. With a fourth movie already planned, it would seem there are no signs of Art stopping anytime soon.
While there are many whose stomach churns just at the mere recollection of Art’s antics, there is no doubt he will go down in history as one of the greatest slashers. He may never quite reach the hallowed fame of iconic legends further down on this list, but his bloody, brutal, and torturous kills will solidify him as a horror legend.
6Jason Voorhees (Friday The 13th Franchise)
Jason’s Legacy Remains Alive
One of the longest runningfranchises,Friday the 13thhad its ups and downs, with some movies being received better than others. Although the first movie subverted expectations with the shocking reveal of Pamela Voorhees as the killer, the series went on to cast the iconic Jason as the main killer, donning his hockey mask in the third movie.
The relentless tenacity of Jason kept the franchise alive and well, for better or for worse. He dealt terror in camps, in cities, in space, and even faced off against Freddy Krueger. His undying nature and the brutality of his kills mark these movies, and this slasher, as one of the best in history. Though fans may never see another movie in the franchise, the legacy of Jason survives to this day.
5Chucky (Child’s Play Franchise)
Even In Doll Form, There Is No Stopping Chucky
When serial killer Charles Lee Ray finds himself backed against his wall, he takes one hell of a gambit, using voodoo to transfer his soul into the nearest suitable vessel — a good guy doll. These well sought-after dolls are all but sold out for Christmas, but Andy’s mother, Karen, manages to snag one from a shady back-alley seller, thinking she has gotten the perfect gift for her son. As it turns out, they have thepossessed dollin their possession, who goes on to spawn an entire franchise.
Despite his small stature, Chucky turns out to be more than a match for his victims, proving himself to be stronger than anyone could realize. His series takes some strange turns, with Chucky gaining a wife inBride of Chuckyand a child inSeed of Chucky. But, wherever the series goes, Chucky’s murderous intents always follow.
4Freddy Krueger (A Nightmare On Elm Street Franchise)
His Witty One-Liners Set Him Apart From The Silent Killers
Juxtaposing the more serious and straight-edge slashers in the 80s wasA Nightmare on Elm Street, starring the dream demon Freddy Krueger who terrorized the descendants of the parents who burned him alive. His vengeance is quite a sight to behold, summoning nightmarish visions as he stalks his prey in their nightmares, in particular Nancy, the Final Girl of the series.
Freddy Krueger’s quest for revenge isn’t one he will undertake with silence or seriousness, as he taunts all his would-be victims with witty one-liners to make their end even less dignified. Hilarious as he is horrifying, Freddy has gone on to become a slasher icon, and Robert Englund’s tenure as the nightmarish villain is a performance that will be remembered for centuries to come. Tapping into the real fear of death while sleeping, no one and nowhere is safe from Freddy Krueger.
3Michael Myers (Halloween Franchise)
Reigned Bloody Terror Through Generations
Everyone knows the movie seriesHalloweenand its murderous mascot, the mask-wearing Michael Myers. Starting his work as a slasher villain in childhood, he was sent to an institution and escaped in adulthood, resuming his reign as a serial slasheron Halloween night. The unfortunate Laurie Strode and her friends find themselves as his prey, as he murders them with silent and cold callousness.
In everyHalloweenmovie he outfits himself with the ghoulish white mask and blue overalls, returning time after time in an attempt to finish what he started, even when Laurie has entered elderly age and had a family of her own. His reach seems long and never-ending, his undying nature making him one of the most formidable slashers ever come face to face with.
2Ghostface (Scream Franchise)
Anyone Can Don The Mask
Slasher movies, and horror movies in general, follow certain trends and employ tropes in their productions.Screamsets itself apart from these horror movies with its meta-commentary and poking fun at these tried and true elements. These movies arenot to be taken seriously, as they parody themselves. It all started with the first movie, when a string of murders grip Woodsboro in terror and paranoia. The masked killer targets Sydney and her friends, and it seems the call was coming from inside the house all along.
Her boyfriend Billy Loomis and friend Stu Macher were the Ghostface killers all along, donning the iconic outfits and using voice changers to disguise their identity. This is the essence of the killer — it is more a mask than a single person. Anyone can don the mask, and anyone can be the killer, and more often than not, it is someone on the inside with their own twisted agenda.
1Norman Bates (Psycho)
The Original Slasher Hides Beneath A Veneer Of Civility
Hitchcock is a household name when it comes to horror, proving himself with his excellent movies, withPsychobeing his magnum opus. It was a true gift to horror fans, introducing one of the most influential horror movie villains of all time, and the infamous shower scene that will forever be remembered and celebrated by horror fans.
Norman Bates hides his vicious nature beneath smiles and an air of civility, and even then there is something unsettling about his mannerisms and words. Marion Crane doesn’t realize there is something deadly wrong about Norman until it is too late, as he stabs her to death in the shower before she can make off with the money she stole. He will forever be celebrated for being the first of cinema’s slasher killers, birthing the entire genre that will try to, but never quite, capture the magic ofPsychoand the character of Norman Bates.
