Comments on: Early 80′s Vs. Late 80′s Slashers

By: glenn

glenn — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 21:15:35 +0000

I’ve not read blood money. 81 is generally held as the peak year. As well as the famous slashers a number of other films were shelved and then put out later. I think the Final Terror was made around 80-81, but was only released after Splash became a hit. Evil Judgement was made around then and wasn’t released until 84. But until the VHS market took off hundreds of films never found distribution.

By: Alec Cizak

Alec Cizak — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 15:58:39 +0000

Have you read Richard Nowell’s “Blood Money”? He contends (and I agree) that the early slasher boom was finished by the end of 1981. Major distributors were already weary of the profit potential. His definition of what a slasher is/was is much more narrow, however. I believe the last great 1980s slasher was “The Prowler,” which was released at the end of 1981 (though I will always love “Silent Night, Deadly Night” for the outrage it caused and the fact that I had no trouble sneaking into a theater in the 7th grade to see it!).

By: John

John — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 23:28:53 +0000

Well articulated, Glenn.

By: glenn

glenn — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 22:22:59 +0000

The other thing about 70s and early 80s slasher is that they had an auteur theory influenced style. The way scenes were edited and framed was more cinema literate. After 84 or so the influence of MTV means you get shorter scenes, more sharp cuts, less tracking shots and a cleaner look. The characters also become more self consciously “teen”.

By: Christian Sellers

Christian Sellers — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 18:12:33 +0000

The most notable difference between early and late ’80s slashers was how much tamer they became. Because of the MPAA backlash against Friday the 13th and slashers in general, studios began to produce goreless and sexless slashers, often making them resemble made-for-TV movies. Late ’80s films like Offerings and Go Hide and Shriek were dull compared to the glory gory days of slashers.