FINAL GIRL explores the slasher flicks of the '70s and '80s...and all the other horror movies I feel like talking about, too. This is life on the EDGE, so beware yon spoilers!

Jan 12, 2016

Always a slasher bridesmaid...

Over yonder at My New Plaid Pants, our pal Jason wrote a piece today lauding the oft-unlauded 1981 slasher flick Just Before Dawn, and you know what? He's right in his a-laudin', and Jason's done got me fixin' to give it another watch. I'd been thinking about it recently along with a few other films that are essentially the bridesmaids or second stringers of the slasher genre. Let's face it, "slasher" conjures up images of Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger and Michael Myers and Leatherface, right? Maybe a few others have worked their way into the major leagues–dudes like Harry Warden of My Bloody Valentine. But there's a whole tier of films that have never quite achieved the status afforded to the Fridays and the Halloweens even though...hey, some of them deserve it. Like Just Before Dawn!

I mean look at these guys

Maybe it's because they never spawned a zillion sequels, or maybe the killers were unnamed or not as "compelling" as the icons. Maybe they weren't gory enough, or they misfired just a tad. Who knows why they're neglected in the big picture! What I do know, however, is that I'd pit House on Sorority Row, Hell Night, He Knows You're Alone, and April Fools Day against any number of the Halloween, Friday, or Nightmare sequels and they'd be better, more interesting films. Sure, you can feel differently if you want to be wrong about things, go ahead! That's not my business. But it is my business (and part of my community service requirements) to give these second stringers some respect, goldurnit. They deserve their moments in the sun, so watch a slasher bridesmaid today!

6 comments:

http://lugnetfanclub.blogg.se/ said...

I will watch a slasher bridesmaid!

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"Who will survive and what will be left of them?"Watch! Lugnet´s Grindhouse Exploitation Double Feature "All The Way" "It Ain´t Easy" ! A Double feature that´ll tear you in two! Starring Tarantino´s favorite 70´s icon/actress Christina Lindberg!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2luOuo5-iQ&list=PL2M7luJCDh3GWGlg04BscaQjOKLkaRvVV



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Stacie Ponder said...

Comment published only for the A++ spam/pimp game

Eliot Blades said...

Lesser slashers I like -

The Mutilator
The Slayer
Unhinged
Offerings

The Mutilator gets a bluray release here in the UK soon!

Stacie Ponder said...

DOn't think I've ever seen UNHINGED...but THE MUTILATOR is so much fun and THE SLAYER is terrific! Thanks for reminding me, it's about time for a re-watch.

Eliot Blades said...

Here's the trailer for Unhinged

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRTAQCgV-EQ

Now, how can you resist that?

The Slayer as far as I know is only available on crummy transfers largely sourced from VHS or Vipco (UK)'s poor 4:3 transfer from tape. A real shame. Great film.

Stacie Ponder said...

Nice! Definitely looks right up my alley. Gonna track it down.

And THE SLAYER...yeah, I have a copy that a friend burned for me off of who knows what source material. Maybe it'll get a nice cleaned up Blu? It's happened for more obscure/worse films...