"Slasher" is a term used to describe a sub-genre of horror films. Slasher films come in many forms, but there are a few characteristics they generally demonstrate. The first is a fairly large teenaged cast. Slasher flicks usually follow a group of friends who are traveling, camping, sneaking into places they shouldn't sneak into, partying, etc. Said friends normally include certain types of characters including The Virgin (this almost always becomes the Final Girl), The Tramp (usually one of the earlier characters to die, she is sexually active, perhaps with several boys throughout the film), The Jerk (the guy who picks on other characters, is loud and obnoxious, and for some reason usually manages to stay alive longer than many of the other characters), The Nice Guy (the boy who treats others with kindness, often opposes The Jerk, and usually ends up romantically involved with The Virgin; he also has a chance of being revealed as the killer, or being involved with the killer, by the end of the film), and the Disbelieving Adult (an adult character who rarely appears and never believes the teenagers who claim that something is going on, until it's too late). Of course many other characters are thrown into the mix, to provide a higher body count or to just flesh out the story.

Another distinguishing trait of the Slasher genre is a knife (or other sharp, dangerous object) wielding killer, often masked or merely unseen until the end of the movie. The killers are often far more interesting and entertaining than the teenaged characters, making it easy for the audience to root for the "villain". Some killers are seen as near-immortal, hulking monsters who never speak (Jason, Michael Myers, Leatherface), while others are simply crazed humans (Angela, Jason's mother, Billy and Stu). And of course we also get the occasional supernaturally powered killers such as Freddy Krueger. The only common thread seems to be that the killers use sharp objects to hack people up.

The third major characteristic of the Slasher genre is its tendency to display bloody, creative kills. In the beginning, a simple stabbing was interesting enough, but over the years audiences became jaded. Now, Slasher films try to come up with the most original, gruesome ways to kill their characters. These kills often result in the most memorable moments of the films, as each kill is an attempt to outdo the previous on in terms of shock value and creativity.

I have always been a huge fan of horror movies, and a large portion of my favorites fall into the Slasher category. I've always admired them for being bold, raw, and visceral. They're easy to relate to because it's easy to imagine yourself in those types of situations. What would you do if a crazed killer was stalking you? How would you deal with seeing your friends get picked off around you? How much would you fight to survive? Slasher films force you to ask yourself these questions. But at the same time, they can be ridiculously funny, hip, and energetic. And while I prefer the Slasher gems from the 80's, I'm open to Slasher flicks from all eras. Below is a list of some of my personal favorites. I recommend them to all!

A Nightmare on Elm Street Series
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Series
Sleepaway Camp Series
Halloween Series
Friday the 13th Series
Scream (the first film)
April Fool's Day
Silent Night Deadly Night