As long as there have been horror movies, there have been teen slasher films -- with
the genre hitting a huge surge in the late 70’s and 80’s -- with most horror movies
featuring a group of teenagers getting slaughtered by a mysterious killer.
Now, the genre has died a little bit, there is a resurgence with many 80s horror remakes
hitting the big screen.
So, today on Top 5 Scary Videos, I’m going to be counting down the Top 5 Scariest Teen
Horror Movies.
Let’s jump in.
5 Final Destination Ok -- I’m just talking the first one here,
and only the first.
Though the third was entertaining, the first released in 2000 is the only one in the franchise
that holds up.
The film follows Alex Browning who is embarking on a trip to Paris with his school -- but,
while on the plane he experiences a premonition of the plane exploding right after takeoff.
In a panic him and 6 others get off -- with the plane exploding just moments after.
Following that, all 7 passengers that left the plane must fight to cheat death as it
hunts them down in the order they would have died on the plane.
The first film is excellent, as there’s novelty in it’s concept -- however the rest
of the franchise falls flat, with them essentially being a gore fest.
The series is noteworthy among other films in the horror genre in that the antagonist
is not a stereotypical slasher -- but is instead Death personified.
Manipulating circumstances in the environment to kill off the heroes.
4 Urban Legend Now this movie is an absolute classic and
perhaps one of my all time favourite teen slasher movies.
Released in 1998, this film follows a university that is beset by a rash of gruesome murders
that resemble classic Urban Legends, with the college campus transformed into the hunting
ground for a crazed killer.
What makes it so great is that numerous comparisons can be made between the film and Wes Craven’s
Scream.
Though it received negative reviews from critics, it was a financial success, and was incredibly
entertaining for fans of the slasher genre.
Not only that, but that cast was stacked, with people like, Jared Leto, Joshua Jackson,
Tara Reid, and horror legend Robert Englund -- aka, Freddy Krueger.
Even if you’re not a fan of this movie, the opening scene will sends shivers down
your spine, as a young teen leaves a gas station in the middle of the night -- with the stuttering
clerk yelling after her that someone is in the back seat.
Chilling.
3 I Know What You Did Last Summer Released in 1997, this american slasher is
a classic, and a fan favourite even to this day.
The premise?
A year after running over a fisherman and dumping his body in the water, four friends
reconvene when one of them receives a frightening letter stating, “I know what you did last
summer”.
What ensues is the battle between a group of teens and a man with a meat hook for a
hand.
It’s grisly, and bloody, and just downright amazing.
Like most of the other numbers on our list, I Know What You Did Last Summer comes from
the same self-aware, witty, slasher horror style as Scream -- and it was even penned
by the same writer.
The film is very 90’s, yes, but that’s not a bad thing.
Many elements of the film have stood the test of time -- and the slow-walking murderer and
brutal kills -- though a classic slasher trope -- still holds up.
2 Halloween When you think teen horror, you think Halloween.
Fact.
Aside from our number one point, Halloween may just be the most important and influential
teen slasher to date.
It follows deranged killer Michael Myers, 15 years after he brutally killed his 17 year
old sister, and was subsequently locked away for 15 years.
He breaks free from his restraints and heads back to his hometown, Haddonfield, Illinois,
hunting for his next victim.
So -- why exactly is this film so popular?
Upon its release in 1978, John Carpenter’s horror-thriller became the most successful
independent movie of all time, setting the bar high for modern horror movies.
One of the main reasons it’s such a hit with horror movie fans is that it pays respect
to women.
While Carpenter wrote the majority of the screenplay himself, producer Debra Hill wrote
the dialogue between the three female high school leads, which gave it authenticity.
It’s funny and believable.
Not only that, but the film itself is still highly influential to this day.
While the slasher formula has been duplicated repeatedly, Carpenter’s distinct style still
continues to inspire young filmmakers.
From synth music, retro feel, and audiovisual aesthetic -- you can find influence of his
work in many films and tv shows today.
1 Scream Could I possibly put anything else as number
one?
No.
The answer is no.
Scream has gone down in history as one of the greatest slasher horror films to date.
And was arguably the most influential trailblazer in the slasher subgenre, with an iconic final
girl at its helm.
Wes Craven’s Scream high school student Sidney Prescott one year after her mother
was brutally murdered by a deranged killer.
Now upon its release in the 90’s, the slasher genre had all but died down, creating an opening
for a brand new, blood-thirsty horror, and as we know, slashers are a hit with the teens.
Now, what set Scream apart was that it approached the genre with a meta-awareness, something
that was so vastly different for horror films at the time.
It was transparent about horror movie tropes, gifting us with a group of characters that
were painfully aware of the slasher genre, and what comes with that.
Scream ultimately ushered in a wave of 90’s teen horror, and meta films, and was arguably
one of the most influential films in the slasher genre.
Well, there we have it!
Do you agree with our list?
Were there any that we missed?
Leave us all your thoughts and feelings in the comments down below and perhaps we can
do a part 2.
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And until next time, see ya later.