In the immortal words of Jack Skellington, "life's no fun without a good scare." Seeing how the spooky season has once again rolled around, many will be flocking to their streaming services to binge-watch their favorite scary movies. While some might favor the traditional monster flick, it's the slasher genre that seems to get the most love this time of year.
Freddy, Jason, and Leatherface might be the titans of terror, but not everyone is ready for the guts and gore they bring with them. Fortunately, the genre is flexible and loaded with tons of other mild thrills for new fans to dip their toe in the water.
Everyone has to start somewhere, and the slasher genre itself began with a shower, a scream, and a sharp knife. Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho shocked audiences to their core way back in 1960 and still has some viewers wary of showers to this very day.
By today's standards, the film is a mild thrill at best. Psycho relies way more on suspense and shocking horror than it does anything else. With maybe a small sampling of jump-scares, it's a great way to ease into the genre.
It might seem strange to put this Agatha Christie classic on the list, but it has all the elements of a traditional slasher movie without any unnecessary scares or bloodshed. At its core, the film is about a group of victims in a secluded place being picked off by a murderer one by one.
Whether they offer meant it or not, it's set up the foundation for a slew of scary movies that follow the exact same motif. Newer fans of the genre will certainly appreciate the building tension and suspense created by the mistress of the murder mystery.
Clowns in horror movies are hardly ever a good thing, and many still are terrified of this 1990 miniseries. That being said, it's a lot less gruesome than the remake. The original TV adaptation certainly softened with time, but that doesn't mean it has lost its scares.
Tim Curry's Pennywise is equal parts funny and frightening, and practically the best element in the movie. It will definitely leave some viewers shaking in their boots, but it feels a little more balanced.
Those looking for something genuinely scary but without excessive bloodshed might want to give Clownhouse a try. It's a chilling film with incredible intensity, scares, and shock factor. Needless to say, this is no trip to the circus.
When a trio of escaped mental patients murder and assumed the identity of three clowns from a traveling circus, they decide to set their sights on three brothers home alone on a stormy night. The film is exactly as frightening as it sounds, and the sound of the grinning ghouls snapping their victims' necks will definitely keep some up at night.
Often called a slasher movie in space, Ridley Scott's Alien is a sci-fi classic that fans of both genres can certainly enjoy. It's not necessarily gory, but it is still pretty gross. The facehugger and chestburster forms of the film's titular monster will definitely make a few viewers queasy.
Watching the crew of the Nostromo trying to escape the clutches of the Xenomorph is a nail-biting and heart-racing experience that is just scary enough to leave a lasting impression. Maybe avoid watching on a full stomach.
John Carpenter's original Halloween is about as classic as slasher movies get. Despite the franchise's reputation, the original film is a slow-burn, very subtle, and manages to ease the viewer into its horror rather than throw it right in their face.
Unlike many who would come after him, Michael Myers doesn't just come out of the background hacking and slashing. Like the film, he takes his time and eases his way into the production. With very little gore and tons of suspense, viewers can't go wrong with this one every October.
Granted, fans might appreciate Fear Street a little more if they have a more rudimentary knowledge of the genre, but there's no denying that classic slasher vibe that practically drips from this scary Netflix trilogy. Bearing the mark of horror author R.L. Stine, it definitely feels like an edgier version of Goosebumps.
The series is a love letter to classic slasher movies like Halloween, Scream, and Friday the 13th, but there's enough there in terms of story and substance for casual fans to enjoy. Whether they've read the books or not, it's still one of the most enjoyable experiences on the list.
The Friday the 13th series is iconic in the horror genre, with many films going insanely graphic with their kills and graphic imagery. But the third entry is easily one of the lighter films due to how ridiculously cheesy it got with age. Originally released in 3D, the film is incredibly gimmicky and over-the-top in almost its entirety.
Of course, Jason himself is still a nasty piece of work, but some of his kills in the film look comically fake by today's standards. While hardcore fans might find this a detractor, new viewers will find that it takes the edge off just enough for them to get sucked in.
Tim Burton is a director that truly loves the horror genre, and even he couldn't avoid dipping his hand into the slasher genre. Sleepy Hollow might not be the first movie fans of the genre think of, but it's certainly one of the most-watched.
A reimagining of Washington Irving's classic tale, the film sees Ichabod Crane as a detective on the hunt for the Headless Horseman wreaking havoc in an isolated village. With ghosts, witches, and even a dose of gore, it's one classic that truly lives up to its reputation.
Similar to Fear Street, some basic horror knowledge is required for this one. But even with only a handful of horror experiences, viewers will easily get sucked into Wes Craven's commentary on the genre. If Halloween was their entry point, Scream will be their final exam.
A serial killer using slasher movies as his MO is certainly a fascinating premise, regardless of how many horror movies like Halloween a viewer has seen. Though slightly dated by modern standards, fans can definitely get behind the suspense, jokes, and mystery of this '90s gem.
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