AHHH!—Oh wait, it’s just you guys. You startled me there for a second because I’ve been watching too many slasher movies. Jump scares, shocking red goo explosions, and a hint of crass humor, slasher movies are the pinnacle of cinema in the horror genre. It may be controversial, but there’s nothing quite like the visceral combination of fear and fanatics that gets the film world oozing with creativity. 

So while other genres are beholden to producers and shareholders and actor prowess, slashers channel our inner storyteller. With a flashlight under our chins, we gather like wayward souls around the campfire, hoping for a spooky moment that will sit with us all through the night and into the morrow. Slashers may never be recognized with an Oscar, but there’s no mistaking the scary mask of Jason, the burnt face of Freddie, or the inhumanly fast walk of Michael Myers. 

Down in the Halloween Hall of Fame, these icons live rent-free for all time, slashing away at their hapless victims and teaching us all survival skills in the process.