10 underseen slashers for any horror fan

You've seen Freddy and Jason. Now meet the rest.

There's something special about the slasher subgenre. To many of us, it's the gateway to a whole world of horror. There are so many overlooked and underrated titles to discover. One can spend days rifling through the used DVDs at a local shop, scouring the crop for choice slasher cuts. 

Whether you're new to slashers or a die-hard veteran, we wanted to collect some that you may not have seen. This way, you have some new entries for your "To Watch" lists. And if you have seen these ones, even better! You can vouch for them in the comments section below. Let us know which you love, which you hate, and which ones you're excited to check out!

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1. Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon

 

This self-aware slasher is for fans with a little genre familiarity. It's filled with references and wink-wink-nudge-nudge acknowledgments of earlier horror icons. So check it out after you've done your Halloween homework. This one's presented as a documentary! Innovative!

2. The Prowler

 

This grisly, early-'80s slasher sees the first team-up of director Joseph Zito and effects artist Tom Savini. The pair would reunite three years later for the legendary Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter. Even for a slasher movie, The Prowler is exceedingly violent. 

3. Tourist Trap

 

Tourist Trap is notable for a few different reasons. First and foremost, it features Chuck Connors from The Rifleman in a role that really breaks type. Then there's the fact that the movie features telekinesis, which is pretty rare for a slasher movie. It'll have you second-guessing every mannequin you pass from here on out!

4. New Year's Evil

 

Sure, there are other, more famous holiday-based slasher movies. Halloween gets all the praise, and deservedly so. But other slashers based on the calendar should catch your attention too! Fonzie's girlfriend is in this one!

5. April Fool's Day

 

This late-cycle '80s slasher was helmed by Fred Walton, who directed the proto-slasher When A Stranger Calls. By 1986, audiences were familiar with the formulas of the genre. But April Fool's Day employs plenty of plot twists to buck expectations. Plus, it's not nearly as violent as a lot of its contemporaries!

6. Maniac

 

More great work from special effects legend Tom Savini. The Pittsburgh native employed real-life memories in his gruesome work. Savini was an Army photographer during the War in Vietnam, and he used what he learned to create believable gore effects!

7. Dark Night of the Scarecrow

 

Dark Night of the Scarecrow is the only entry on this list that was made-for-TV. That's really one of the best pats: Picturing the movie unleashing terror on unsuspecting viewers cozied up in their own homes. This is a perfect revenge slasher. 

8. Cherry Falls

 

The mid-to-late '90s were a rough period for horror movies. Everything had to be self-aware, and everyone had to be beautiful. "Subverting the formula" became the formula, and tons of slashers presented themselves as part of a continuum. Despite all that baggage, one fun example that's both great and totally indicative of its era is Cherry Falls. The ways it both sticks to and upends cliches are really fun!

9. Freaky

 

This movie was filmed under the name Freaky Friday the 13th, and that working title perfectly encapsulates the story. It's a slasher movie. It's a bodyswap movie. It's one of Vince Vaughn's best performances, and he's still upstaged by the incredible Kathryn Newton. Give Freaky a shot.

10. Laid to Rest

 

Warning: Laid to Rest is strictly for the hardcore horror hound. Featuring some of the most over-the-top gore effects in the whole list, Laid to Rest is a blood 'n' guts highlight reel. Not for the faint of heart or the squeamish of tummy.

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12 Comments

MamaNitaVelez 1 month ago
Good list! All are definitely underrated.
greenhornet66 2 months ago
with the exception of april fool's day and maybe new year's evil i haven't heard of any of these.
Gillman54 8 months ago
Hey fellow Svengoolians! Looking forward to tonight’s movie. Saw it when it first came out and I was impressed. Love Jack Palance anyway and he did a great job. 1973-That will give you some idea of how old I am (“I will never tell”). Kind of quoting Igor my other favorite Dracula only he said “No he will never tell”. Have a great night everyone! ✝️
ScottWatson 13 months ago
You left out Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker.
Tresix ScottWatson 8 months ago
I like that title!
jimmyvici 13 months ago
Laid to Rest is a gore fest. Actually pretty good. Dark night of the Scarecrow is probably the best movie on this list. Sad, and you root for the scarecrow for sure! 👌
Gillman54 jimmyvici 8 months ago
Hey Jimmy. “Dark night of the scarecrow” is a somewhat lost treasure. I used to own it on vhs but of course it finally bit the dust. Watched it many times before the tape broke and it was filled with quality actors of that time. Loved “Bubba”. Thank you for your review and God bless you brother! ✝️
CoreyC 13 months ago
Michael Landon's son directed Freaky.
MrsPhilHarris 13 months ago
I don’t think I’ve seen any of these. 🤔
Peter_Falk_Fan 13 months ago
Of this list, I remember watching "April Fool's Day" because I liked Deborah Foreman movies. It's okay as slasher movies go, but it does have good plot twists.
lbwilmoth 13 months ago
I just watched dark night of the scarecrow a couple of weeks ago. It was hard to get through it because it was so horrible. Never again.
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