Slasher motion pictures present the form of consolation for horror followers that’s merely unequalled. The method is at all times acquainted. There’s a masked killer, a bunch of unsuspecting teenagers, a distant location, and a remaining lady who someway makes it out alive. However inside that framework, horror at all times finds a strategy to shock us. It’s both by way of creative kills, atmospheric dread, or characters we root for even after we know they’re doomed. Horror, as a style, thrives on rigidity and releases, and slashers are the messy and thrilling playground for that ritual.
At their core, slashers are about spectacle and survival. They’re campfire tales of the VHS period, the place even the best setups spiral into the goriest chaos. And whereas the unique entries get all of the love, slasher sequels are the place issues get wild. The Eighties have been a golden age for horror franchises, and slasher sequels exploded in these ten years. Studios doubled down on what labored, amped up the gore, and typically ventured into absurd territory. Freddy acquired funnier, Jason got here again, and killers have been wielding drills that appeared like guitars. It was a time of extra and experimentation, and it resulted in some genuinely underrated gems.
Now, over 40 years later, many of those slasher sequels have slipped by way of the cracks and are overshadowed by their iconic predecessors. However the reality is, a number of the most inventive, weird, and entertaining moments of ‘80s horror stay in these sequels.
So in case you’re able to dive again into the archives, listed below are 10 ‘80s slasher sequels you shouldn’t skip.
‘Slumber Occasion Bloodbath II’ (1988)
Courtney Bates, survivor of the unique bloodbath, is now a highschool senior making an attempt to get pleasure from a weekend getaway together with her all-girl rock band and their boyfriends. However Courtney is haunted by visions of the Driller Killer, now reincarnated as a rockabilly greaser wielding a guitar and an enormous drill bit. As her goals bleed into actuality, the killer emerges from Courtney’s psyche and dispatches her buddies in bloody methods.
Pillow Fights and Energy Drills
Slumber Occasion Bloodbath II takes the gory, high-octane thrills of the unique, cranks them as much as eleven, and provides a wholesome dose of satire. Director Deborah Brock crafts an over-the-top sequel that revels in its personal absurdity, combining slasher tropes with a punk rock aesthetic that’s unhinged for non-horror followers however infectious for horror aficionados. The film’s cult standing has grown because of its weirdness. And whereas it will not be probably the most delicate horror sequel of the ‘80s, it certain is a relentlessly entertaining one.
‘A Nightmare on Elm Road 3: Dream Warriors’ (1987)
Directed by Chuck Russell in his function directorial debut, A Nightmare on Elm Road 3: Dream Warriors follows Kristen Parker, who’s tormented by terrifying goals of Freddy Krueger, the killer who stalks youngsters of their sleep. After a near-fatal encounter, Kristen is institutionalized with different teenagers affected by comparable nightmares. However as a result of Kristen has the distinctive capability to tug others into her goals, she varieties a bunch with the unique survivor from Elm Road and fights again.
The place Horror Meets Creativeness
That is a kind of few horror sequels that redefined a complete franchise. With Russell behind that digicam and a script co-written by Wes Craven, the film injects visible aptitude and sentimental depth to Freddy’s mythology. Patricia Arquette’s susceptible but fierce Kristen leads the ensemble, whereas Robert Englund’s Freddy hits peak cruelty. The asylum setting solely makes it extra claustrophobic and the dream logic opens up a thousand prospects for creative horror. When you determine to look at just one Elm Road sequel, ensure that it’s this.
‘Silent Evening, Lethal Evening Half 2’ (1987)
On this ‘80s slasher sequel, Ricky Caldwell, the youthful brother of the unique killer Santa, talks about his traumatic previous to a therapist. By means of flashbacks (a lot of that are lifted immediately from the primary film), we see Ricky’s actions and the way they’re formed by abuse, grief, and a twisted sense of justice. However the true story begins when Ricky escapes and goes on his personal holiday-themed killing spree.
Campy Vacation Horror
To be very trustworthy, Silent Evening, Lethal Evening Half 2 is notorious for its recycled footage and the now-iconic “Rubbish day!” second. Nonetheless, its meme-worthy floor hides a weird and oddly compelling slasher that ends with a Christmas Eve massacre that’s each absurd and brutal. Eric Freeman’s efficiency is unhinged in one of the simplest ways, and Lee Harry’s route creates a tone that’s half parody, half menace. So the film isn’t boring.
‘Promenade Evening II: Whats up Mary Lou’ (1987)
In 1957, promenade queen Mary Lou Maloney is killed in an accident after a prank goes unsuitable. Thirty years later, her vengeful spirit returns to own highschool pupil Vicki Carpenter, turning her right into a vessel for supernatural revenge. As Vicki’s habits grows erratic and lethal, her classmates start to die in more and more gory methods (suppose locker room electrocutions or crucifixion by neon).
Revenge Served With a Supernatural Edge
Promenade Evening II: Whats up Mary Lou takes the slasher method and injects it with a wholesome dose of camp. It’s a style shift that works, because of director Bruce Pittman, who trades masked killers for ghostly possession and telekinetic assaults. The film’s aesthetic is all about surreal landscapes and Catholic guilt, and it’s total bizarre, fashionable, and surprisingly well-crafted. Over time, the film earned respect for making promenade night time genuinely terrifying.
‘Sleepaway Camp II: Sad Campers’ (1988)
The second installment within the Sleepaway Camp movie collection options the return of Angela Baker, however this time, she isn’t just a camper. She is the camp counselor at Camp Rolling Hills, and she or he’s acquired a strict ethical code. When campers misbehave, break the foundations, or get slightly too frisky, Angela eliminates them. One after the other, the our bodies pile up in creative methods and intrepid counselor Molly begins to suspect that one thing is unsuitable.
Self-Conscious Humor and Campy Loss of life Scenes
Directed by Michael A. Simpson, Sleepaway Camp II: Sad Campers ditches the psychological fringe of the unique and goes for full-on slasher satire. Pamela Springsteen (sure, Bruce’s sister) performs Angela with a menace that’s really charming. Her kills are outrageous, the film’s tone is darkish, and it embraces the low-budget aesthetic with confidence. It’s a cult favourite for followers who like their horror with a wink and a scream, so in case you’re into slashers that don’t take themselves too severely, you can’t sit this one out.
‘The Texas Chainsaw Bloodbath 2’ (1986)
The Texas Chainsaw Bloodbath 2 begins with Stretch, a radio DJ in Dallas, by chance recording a brutal homicide throughout a stay broadcast. When she performs the tape on air, she attracts the eye of Lefty Enright, a former Texas Ranger obsessive about avenging the loss of life of his nephew. Collectively, the 2 navigate the underground lair of the Sawyer household, which now operates a meat enterprise. Leatherface additionally returns. This time with Chop High, his Vietnam vet brother.
A Daring and Sensible Detour in Slasher Historical past
Tobe Hooper’s long-awaited sequel to his seminal 1974 basic is a tonal pivot, and it revels in its personal anarchic vitality. Gone is the suffocating sense of dread that permeated the unique. The sequel dives headfirst into darkish comedy, grotesque visuals, and absurd violence. Dennis Hopper goes full throttle as Lefty, whereas Invoice Moseley’s Chop High turned an immediate cult icon. The manufacturing is wild, the kills are theatrical, and the ultimate catharsis is earned. It wasn’t beloved on launch, however time has been variety to this ‘80s slasher sequel.
‘Friday the thirteenth Half VI: Jason Lives’ (1986)
Tommy Jarvis, haunted by his previous encounters with Jason Voorhees, returns to Crystal Lake to verify the killer is actually useless. However in a second of misguided closure, he finally ends up resurrecting Jason with a bolt of lightning and turns him into an undead, unstoppable power. Jason wastes no time, slashing his manner by way of camp counselors and paintballers. In the meantime, the native sheriff refuses to consider Tommy’s warnings and will get caught within the crossfire.
Most Rewatchable Entry within the Franchise
The sixth entry however technically nonetheless a sequel, Friday the thirteenth Half VI: Jason Lives, revitalizes the franchise with its intelligent mix of humor and horror. Directed by Tom McLoughlin, this one introduces a self-aware tone that predates Scream by a decade. C.J. Graham’s Jason is hulking and relentless, and the kills are so enjoyable. The cemetery opening, the RV crash, the underwater climax, are all standout moments.
‘Psycho II’ (1983)
After spending 22 years in a psychological establishment, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) is deemed sane and launched again into society. He returns to the notorious Bates Motel, hoping to rebuild his life and depart his murderous previous behind. However peace is short-lived, as a result of mysterious notes signed “Mom” begin to seem, telephone calls from the useless hang-out him, and folks round him start dying, main Norman to lose his grip on actuality.
The Smartest Horror Sequel of the Decade
Psycho II defies the norm and raises a variety of questions. Is Norman being framed? Is “Mom” again? Or is he merely dropping management once more? Which is to say that Richard Franklin’s film respects its predecessor however carves its personal id. It’s a psychological thriller, however the rigidity peaks and the colour palette evokes Hitchcock with out mimicry. Perkins is each sympathetic and terrifying, and he elevates Tom Holland’s script by cleverly toying with viewers expectations.
‘Halloween II’ (1981)
Choosing up simply minutes after the unique, Halloween II finds Laurie Strone being rushed to Haddonfield Memorial Hospital after surviving Michael Myers’ assault. However the nightmare is clearly not over. As Dr. Loomis continues his hunt for Michael, the killer stalks the hospital’s dimly lit corridors and dispatches employees with surgical precision. In the meantime, the film provides a brand new layer of intrigue by revealing Laurie’s connection to Michael.
The Terror Continues
Directed by Rick Rosenthal (with uncredited reshoots by John Carpenter), Halloween II dials up the gore by turning the hospital right into a claustrophobic maze of dread and ends all of it with a confrontation that was meant to complete the story. A minimum of for some time. Although it acquired combined evaluations on the time of launch, Halloween II has develop into a must-watch for followers of atmospheric horror that by no means lets up.
