Real Women of Gaming

  Hey there! Thia the Bard here. I am just one of the many horror fanatics here at Real Women of Gaming. Horror is my favorite genre of film and I have a very special place in my heart for the subgenre of slasher. I was scrolling on TikTok recently and saw that a bunch of people were posting about a “slasher summer” for the vibe they were hoping for this year. Music, clothing and just an overall tongue in cheek feel for what they want to make their summer a little bit more fun. I was immediately drawn to it and thought it would be funny to give some recommendations for movies to help inspire. 

I hate to have to type this but no, none of the persons using this tag are advocating physical violence against others. It is mostly just an 1980s camp vibe that has been inspired by those movies.  This is all meant with fun in mind.

First of all, let’s lay down some ground rules for what constitutes a slasher film. As it is a part of a subgenre, this should be easy. There are some of the tropes or criteria to look for:

• an effective killer
• some sort of a weapon that is typically not a firearm
• a high body count
• a “final girl”
• the killer is usually masked
• a small town/isolated area for the setting
• the main characters are often teenagers.

Other tropes are leftovers from the Reagan era of filmmaking where characters who drink, do drugs, or have sex will meet an untimely demise while a “virginal” final girl will make it out. Thankfully, some of those more problematic tropes have been thrown away in more recent movies. So with that out of the way let’s get into some recommendations! 

Here are some rules for me…which means some changes from the previous rules! This is it baby. The final in a trilogy. We all know that means new rules. Like, we need a basically super evil, if not superhuman, killer. The past will always come back to haunt you. So I need to look into my past for my favorite superhuman slashers. There is only one thing that could mean.

Yes. We are going to allow supernatural slashers this time! It is time to spotlight the bisecting movies that have “creature features” and traditional “slashers.” So we can bring on the Vampires and killer alien clowns as well this time. 

1. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. This is a quintessential slasher summer movie. I would argue that its use of practical effects have scarred generations of horror fans. A group of friends is on a trip to see an old family home. Unfortunately, horrors await them in the backroads of rural America in the summer. This one might make you think twice before you and your friends go on that road trip.

1. IT. Based on a book by Stephen King that I used to reread with frightening frequency you can take your pick of a movie series or a mini series to watch for this story. The mini series was watched so much by my friend Maggie and I that her husband will simply sigh when he comes in and hears us quoting it. The movies were an amazing retelling of the book that really captured the kids on bikes element of the story. There is something wrong in the town of Derry and a bunch of young losers will be the ones who will face it. I love both versions, just go in knowing this is a movie about a lot of terrible things that happen to children. 

1. The Lost Boys. I think if I was forced to say a favorite horror movie this would have to be it. I rewatch this movie constantly and it has shaped my view of vampires, and fashion. When a family is forced to move to a beach town with their grandfather they are expecting a fairly lame summer. That proves to not be the case quite quickly. This movie has EVERYTHING. 1980s music and fashion. Vampires, kids on bikes as Vampire slayers and a stacked cast. 

As this is the final chapter in this series I would like to give you an honorable mention.

 

4. Stranger Things-season three. While this show does not hit all of the rules it does get enough of them for it to have an honorable mention for me. In the small town of Hawkens there have been a, well, a lot of strange things happening. Now it is the summer, there is a new mall and the kids are hoping for days full of fun. Well, nothing is ever that simple in Hawkins. This is an interesting show and this season very much feels like a slasher summer. I would warn that, like with It, there are a lot of terrible things that happen to children in this series. Also you will need to watch the rest of the series first. 

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There we have it. Summer is coming to an end but we have had a great time. Also, you made it through this trilogy of articles! Congratulations. I hereby give you the title of, in a non gendered way, a Final Girl. You have the movies to give you the tips to make it through any summer slasher now. 

Did I miss your favorite summer slasher? Did I put one of your favorites in this series? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for hanging out with me all summer! It was, like, totally rad.

ALWAYS KEEP SPARKLING!!!