The success of Halloween (1978) directed by John Carpenter unleashed the released of a number of slasher films year after year, for this reason, I want to share my top 5 favorite slashers that premiered in the year 1981.
5. Just Before dawn
Directed by Jeff Lieberman, this movie portrays the story of a pair of hunters who encounter a machete-wielding killer in an abandoned church. Then, the story of five campers who began hearing strange noises in the woods and began disappearing one by one. “Will all of them survive?” Is what I wondered when I started watching the movie. At first, it seemed like “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (1974) knock off. However, as the movie unveiled, I realized how good it was, and how it had nothing to do with the one of 1974.
4. The Prowler
A movie that will definitely play with your head. In a small New Jersey town, a masked killer is determined to relive a murder that took place 35 years ago. Is it the same killer? We do not get to know until the end. All we know from the beginning is that the murder will take place in the same college, during the annual Spring Dance. This movie was directed by Joseph Zito, the same director of the final chapter of “Friday the 13th,” although The Prowler came out first, if you are a fanatic of Jason Voorhees, you will appreciate the originality of the bloody killings, and the choice of weapon of the murderer.
3. The Burning
What better motive to go on a killing spree than revenge. This movie begins with a group of kids who wanted to prank their caretaker at summer camp, but everything went wrong and the caretaker was burned alive. Decades later, while some teens decided to camp close to that abandoned place, the burned caretaker will unleash his anger on everyone at the camp.
2. My Bloody Valentine
Acclaimed decades later after its release, this bloody movie takes place in a mining town of Valentine Bluffs where a horrible disaster occurred on Valentine’s Day, the survivor of the accident warned the people of the town to never celebrate such a day. Despite this warning, 20 years later, a group of friends decided it was time to celebrate the day again, not thinking it will be the beginning of bloody killings in very creative ways.
1. Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker
This is one of my favorite slashers of the 80s, the reason why is because most slashers take place in settings outside the city, such as summer camps in the forest. Nevertheless, this movie tells the story of an orphaned teenager who is really close to his aunt. She is in charge of protecting him, or dare I say overprotect him by not letting anyone take him away from her. A great movie to watch and make you lose trust in everyone who “cares” about you. Are you sure you can trust your own family?
