slasher

A slasher is a subgenre of horror film and fiction defined by a serial or single killer who stalks and murders a group of people, typically with a bladed weapon. The narrative emphasis is on suspense, pursuit, and the mechanics of the kill, often showcasing elaborate set pieces and a final confrontation between the killer and a last-surviving protagonist.

Common elements include a masked or anonymous killer, a focus on young victims in isolated or claustrophobic settings, and frequent point-of-view shots during pursuit. Slasher plots often build from a series of murders that escalate in frequency and brutality, leading to a climactic showdown with a survivor who may become a symbolic or moral counterpoint to the killer.

Historically, the genre traces roots to earlier thriller and horror works, with Psycho (1960) cited as a major precursor. The release of Halloween (1978) helped codify the template: a seemingly unstoppable killer, a small cast of vulnerable characters, and a final confrontation. The 1980s saw a boom in franchised slashers, such as Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street, expanding gore, tropes, and modes of surveillance and chase. The 1990s brought meta-horror and deconstruction with Scream (1996), which reinvigorated interest in the genre and spurred self-aware variations. Since then, slashers have varied from traditional, high-violence entries to hybrid forms incorporating comedy, social satire, or supernatural elements.

Notable examples include Psycho (1960), Halloween (1978), Friday the 13th (1980), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) as an influential precursor, and Scream (1996) as a watershed revival.