The first film which could be described as a Slasher film is
called Thirteen Women (George Archainbaud, 1932) however the genre become
popular with the releases of Peeping Tom (Michael Powell, 1960) and Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960) both of these films were controversial when first released,
despite the latter film only having two killings in the film. The reason for
this is that the film features the "whodunit" plot structure, knife
wielding and mentally disturbed killer, twist ending and 'stalking' camera
aspect. However since release the shower scene has become a classic scene from
the horror genre as well as Psycho now being called "the mother of all slasher films".
Following the success of Psycho, director Francis Ford Coppola rushed into production for Dementia 13 or as its better known in the UK "The Haunted and the Hunted". The film was released in 1963.
However it was not until the 1970s until it is considered the first proper slasher film was released. This was Black Christmas (Bob Clark, 1974). The reason for this is that Black Christmas was noted as one of the earliest films to include conventions associated with the genre. These conventions included: a mysterious stalker, a set of adolescent or young adult victims, a secluded location with little or no adult supervision, point-of-view camera shots representing the killer's perspective and graphic depictions of violence and murder. Despite this there are other firms which are also noted for helping the genre establish itself, these films were: Savage Weekend (David Paulsen, 1979), Scream Bloody Murder (Robert J. Emery, 1972), Silent Night, Bloody Night (Charles E. Sellier Jr., 1984), The Toolbox Murders (Dennis Donnelly, 1978), Drive-In Massacre (Stu Segall, 1977), The Driller Killer (Abel Ferrara, 1979), and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (Tobe Hooper, 1974).
Although it was not until 1978 were a slasher film received huge box office success, the film was Halloween (John Carpenter, 1978) and then in 1980 with Sean S. Cunningham's Friday the 13th. Both of these films have produced numerous sequels and remakes. These two films were gained the genre huge popularity.
In the following years whilst the slasher genre was in its prime, the three films Black Christmas, Halloween and Friday the 13th, were inspirational with many films with the time of the being associated with special days or holidays. Also films used Friday the 13th's idea of having youth camps in wooded areas, although it was not until A Nightmare on Elm Street (Wes Craven, 1984) and Child's Play (Tom Holland, 1988) until the format changes with supernatural aspects now being included. However the genre has now come into decline and the majority of the genre's film now goes out straight to DVD with the exception of a sequel or a re-make of one of the films which introduced and established conventions in the genre.
However it was not until the 1970s until it is considered the first proper slasher film was released. This was Black Christmas (Bob Clark, 1974). The reason for this is that Black Christmas was noted as one of the earliest films to include conventions associated with the genre. These conventions included: a mysterious stalker, a set of adolescent or young adult victims, a secluded location with little or no adult supervision, point-of-view camera shots representing the killer's perspective and graphic depictions of violence and murder. Despite this there are other firms which are also noted for helping the genre establish itself, these films were: Savage Weekend (David Paulsen, 1979), Scream Bloody Murder (Robert J. Emery, 1972), Silent Night, Bloody Night (Charles E. Sellier Jr., 1984), The Toolbox Murders (Dennis Donnelly, 1978), Drive-In Massacre (Stu Segall, 1977), The Driller Killer (Abel Ferrara, 1979), and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (Tobe Hooper, 1974).
Although it was not until 1978 were a slasher film received huge box office success, the film was Halloween (John Carpenter, 1978) and then in 1980 with Sean S. Cunningham's Friday the 13th. Both of these films have produced numerous sequels and remakes. These two films were gained the genre huge popularity.
In the following years whilst the slasher genre was in its prime, the three films Black Christmas, Halloween and Friday the 13th, were inspirational with many films with the time of the being associated with special days or holidays. Also films used Friday the 13th's idea of having youth camps in wooded areas, although it was not until A Nightmare on Elm Street (Wes Craven, 1984) and Child's Play (Tom Holland, 1988) until the format changes with supernatural aspects now being included. However the genre has now come into decline and the majority of the genre's film now goes out straight to DVD with the exception of a sequel or a re-make of one of the films which introduced and established conventions in the genre.
Sourced:
Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slasher_film
IMDB - http://www.imdb.com/
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