Best of Slasher Horror Movies
Slasher Horror films comes in many flavors. But they all share a common theme of killers hunting their victims. From psychopaths to psychological thrillers to horror-comedies, this selection covers a wide variety. We hope you find something new, as we explore films that present you with the Best Slasher Horror Movies experience!
Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)
Rating: R
Runtime: 94 min
Language: English
Genre: Horror, Comedy, Mystery
Our Review
An unconventional slasher, the story focuses on a group of friends dying off one by one while being secluded in a mansion during a hurricane. Leading them to wonder who’s the killer within their midst.
IMDb, Letterboxd
The Black Phone (2021)
Rating: R
Runtime: 103 mins
Language: English
Genre: Horror, Suspense, Thriller
Our Review
As children are kidnapped and killed in a small neighborhood, Finney finds himself as another victim. Trapped in a room, he begins to receive strange calls while he searches for a way out.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Bloody Hell (2020)
Rating: R
Runtime: 93 min
Language: English
Genre: Comedy, Horror, Action
Seeking escape to Finland, a man hopes to find some reprieve from the hell he’s in. Instead, life took him out of the frying pan and right into the fire. Where a new horror awaits.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Freaky (2020)
Rating: R
Runtime: 102 min
Language: English
Genre: Comedy, Horror
A young high school girl swaps bodies with a crazed serial killer and has 24 hours left to undo the change. She must now hide as the wanted killer while the murderer has free reign to her body.
IMDb, Letterboxd
The Invisible Man (2020)
Rating: R
Runtime: 124 min
Language: English
Genre: Drama, Horror, Suspense, Thriller
Our Review
Cecilia escapes her abusive husband and suddenly hears of his death, inheriting a fortune. But her relief is short-lived, as she suspects she’s being watched and hunted.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Summer of 84 (2018)
Rating: Not Rated
Runtime: 105 min
Language: English
Genre: Comedy, Horror, Thriller
A teenager suspects his neighbor is a serial killer. Unfortunately, his claims of the local police officer being the killer land him in trouble, and things only become more dangerous the closer he gets to uncovering the truth.
IMDb, Letterboxd
The Babysitter (2017)
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 85 min
Language: English
Genre: Dark, Comedy, Horror, Thriller
A babysitter’s kind and loving nature turns out to be a ruse. As she begins to hunt him down in this brilliant, comedic horror gem.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Happy Death Day (2017)
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 96 min
Language: English
Genre: Comedy, Horror
A woman relives the same day each time she’s killed. Stuck in an infinite loop, she decides to find out who her killer is and break free from the endless cycle of death.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Better Watch Out (2016)
Rating: R
Runtime: 89 mins
Language: English
Genre: Comedy, Horror, Suspense
A babysitter finds herself hunted by a killer during the Christmas season. Unprepared for the mysterious threat, she tries to find a way to protect a young boy and survive the invasion.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Don’t Breathe (2016)
Rating: R
Runtime: 88 min
Language: English
Genre: Horror, Suspense, Thriller
A group of thieves expecting an easy score from a blind man with a fortune suddenly find themselves trapped within his home. Only to realize he isn’t as helpless as they originally thought.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Hush (2016)
Rating: R
Runtime: 82 min
Language: English
Genre: Horror, Suspense, Thriller
A masked killer stalks a woman living alone in the woods. Unable to speak or hear, the killer turns their situation into a game he’s more than happy to play.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Split (2016)
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 117 min
Language: English
Genre: Horror, Thriller
A man diagnosed with 23 personalities kidnaps three girls. As each personality comes out, they try to escape before the dangerous 24th personality emerges.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Bone Tomahawk (2015)
Rating: R
Runtime: 132 mins
Language: English
Genre: Western, Horror, Dark, Thriller
A group of brave men search for a cannibalistic tribe deep in the desert. Lacking knowledge of the land, only a brutal and violent encounter awaits them.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Green Room (2015)
Rating: R
Runtime: 95 mins
Language: English
Genre: Thriller, Horror, Drama, Action
A punk band plays at an isolated location to a raucous audience. But the crowd isn’t what they expected, as they’re soon forced to fight for their very lives.
IMDb, Letterboxd
True Detective (2014)
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 457 min
Language: English
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Horror, Suspense, Drama
Despite being a show, True Detective is a brilliant dark tale following two detectives tracking down a killer while dealing with their own personal demons.
IMDb
The Collection (2012)
Rating: R
Runtime: 82 min
Language: English
Genre: Horror, Action
The Collector, a calculated serial killer with a deep blood thirst, continues his rampage. Meanwhile, a wealthy father of one victim hires mercenaries to track him down and save his daughter.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Terrifier (2011 Short)
Rating: Not Rated
Runtime: 20 min
Language: English
Genre: Horror, Dark
A vicious entity sets its sights on a young woman after she witnesses one of his brutal killings during Halloween.
IMDb, Letterboxd
I Saw the Devil (2010)
Rating: Not Rated
Runtime: 144 min
Language: Korean
Genre: Dark, Thriller, Horror, Crime, Drama
A serial killer becomes the prey in a vengeful game of cat & mouse. But as the secret agent plays his dangerous game of revenge, events escalate, and bodies begin to pile up.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Red Hill (2010)
Rating: R
Runtime: 95 min
Language: English
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Horror
A police officer’s first day on the job at a rural sheriff’s office becomes much more than he ever expected when a killer enters the town.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Jennifer’s Body (2009)
Rating: R
Runtime: 102 min
Language: English
Genre: Comedy, Horror
When a cheerleader is transformed into a possessed killer, the student body becomes her primary target. Her longtime best friend suspects something’s wrong. But can she stop Jennifer before it’s too late?
IMDb, Letterboxd
Baby Blues (2008)
Rating: R
Runtime: 85 min
Language: English
Genre: Horror, Dark
As a mother has a psychological breakdown, she goes mad and targets her own children. With only the eldest son to protect his siblings from their once loving mom.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)
Rating: R
Runtime: 92 min
Language: English
Genre: Comedy, Horror
A comedy that turns into a horror-slasher fest, Leslie Vernon works with a film crew to capture his story. But once the killing begins, the story becomes more than just another urban legend for the film crew.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Severance (2006)
Rating: R
Runtime: 96 min
Language: English
Genre: Comedy, Horror
A corporate team-building exercise in a secluded European mountain range becomes a hunting ground. They then finds themselves being killed off one by one without any weapons to properly defend themselves.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Creep (2004)
Rating: R
Runtime: 85 min
Language: English, German
Genre: Dark, Horror
Trapped within a subway station, a woman is pursued by a killer and gets lost in tunnels beneath the city. A territory her stalker knows all too well.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Hellbent (2004)
Rating: R
Runtime: 104 min
Language: English
Genre: Comedy, Horror
After two guys making out in a park are murdered, a growing curiousity surrounding the site leads a group of men back to the location. But as they begin to party, they become the prey.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Saw (2004)
Rating: R
Runtime: 103 min
Language: English
Genre: Dark, Horror, Thriller, Mystery, Suspense
The notorious jigsaw killer traps two men in a room without any memory of how arrived they there. Running out of time, they are pressed with a set of difficult decisions in order to survive.
IMDb, Letterboxd
High Tension (2003)
Rating: R
Runtime: 91 min
Language: French
Genre: Dark, Horror
A pair of best friends set out to spend a weekend in a quiet farmhouse. But when a mysterious killer shows up, their vacation becomes a hellish nightmare of horror.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Identity (2003)
Rating: R
Runtime: 90 min
Language: English
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Horror
A group of strangers become stranded at an isolated motel during a storm. One by one, they become the target of a madman. With time running out, they work to escape as fast as they can.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Joy Ride (2001)
Rating: R
Runtime: 97 min
Language: English
Genre: Horror, Thriller
After playing a prank on a trucker over their CB radio, the stranger turns out to be a deranged killer. Setting his sights on the trio, he now has fun laughing at their expense.
IMDb, Letterboxd
American Psycho (2000)
Rating: R
Runtime: 102 min
Language: English
Genre: Horror, Crime, Drama
A wealthy maniac working in New York City with a hidden taste for blood begins to indulge his dark fantasies. Taking his friends and co-workers along with him.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Anatomy (2000)
Rating: R
Runtime: 103 min
Language: German
Genre: Horror, Thriller
A medical student arrives to medical school to complete her studies. But just as she prepares for her career, she uncovers a conspiracy behind the very school she’s attending.
IMDb, Letterboxd
The Cell (2000)
Rating: R
Runtime: 107 min
Language: English
Genre: Crime, Horror, Science Fiction, Thriller
Cherry Falls (2000)
Rating: R
Runtime: 92 min
Language: English
Genre: Horror, Mystery
When murders in a small-town involve virgins, the Sheriff becomes concerned for the teenagers at the local high school. As each body is found, the evidence doesn’t add up and he doesn’t have a clue.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Hollow Man (2000)
Rating: R
Runtime: 112
Language: English
Genre: Horror, Science Fiction
When an arrogant researcher is about to lose his funding from the military, he decides to turn the experiment on himself. Losing his mind and his morality in the process.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Scary Movie (2000)
Rating: R
Runtime: 88 min
Language: English
Genre: Comedy, Satire, Irreverent
A spoof on Scream and many other films, Scary Movie pokes fun at the slasher horror movie genre. Providing great laughs and entertainment for horror fans at large.
IMDb, Letterboxd
The Watcher (2000)
Rating: R
Runtime: 97 min
Language: English
Genre: Thriller, Horror, Suspense
A slick serial killer stalks female victims with precision and meticulous planning. As an investigator gets closer to him, he only feels the danger increase. Hoping to catch him before another body is found.
IMDb, Letterboxd
In Dreams (1999)
Rating: R
Runtime: 100 min
Language: English
Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Thriller, Drama
A woman with a psychic connection to a serial killer sees visions of his next move through her dreams. With no one to stop him, she takes matters into her own hands and begins to track him down.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Fallen (1998)
Rating: R
Runtime: 124 min
Language: English
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Horror
Following the capture and execution of a serial killer, a detective suddenly finds similar murders occurring again. With the killer already dead, he investigates the murders soon learns they’re more than what he ever believed it could be.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Cure (1997)
Rating: Not Rated
Runtime: 111 min
Language: Japanese
Genre: Crime, Horror, Mystery
A pattern of grisly murders emerges, all executed by different murderers. When a detective’s investigation leaves him without any major clues, he soon discovers the truth.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Perfect Blue (1997)
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 81 min
Language: Japanese, English
Genre: Animation, Crime, Drama, Thriller, Horror
A pop singer turned actress suspects an obsessed fan from her music days is stalking her. But as she loses her sense of reality, murders begin to occur. Making her to wonder if she’s even in control of her mind.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Scream (1996)
Rating: R
Runtime: 111 min
Language: English
Genre: Horror, Mystery
A killer nicknamed Ghostface is killing teenagers around town. As the murders get closer to Sidney, she works to solve the mystery before she’s next on the list.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Tesis (1996)
Rating: R
Runtime: 125 min
Language: Spanish
Genre: Horror, Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Conducting a thesis on snuff films, a college student comes across a tape involving a former student at her school. Quickly realizing the killer is much closer to her than she ever knew.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Mute Witness (1995)
Rating: R
Runtime: 95 min
Language: English, Russian
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Horror, Suspense
Our Review
Mute, trapped in a building, and unable to communicate via the local language, Billy tries to get away after witnessing a murder. But with organized crime involved, her escape quickly seems impossible to survive.
IMDb, Letterboxd
SE7EN (1995)
Rating: R
Runtime: 127 min
Language: English
Genre: Dark, Crime, Mystery, Horror, Thriller
When a serial killer with a penchant for mirroring the seven deadly sins racks up bodies, homicide detectives set out on a desperate hunt following each grisly murder.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Natural Born Killers (1994)
Rating: R
Runtime: 119 min
Language: English
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Horror, Drama
When two deranged psychopaths fall in love, they set out on a killing spree across America. Emboldened by the glorification portrayed by the media, they set the stage for a grand finale.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Nightwatch (1994)
Rating: R
Runtime: 107 min
Language: Danish
Genre: Thriller, Horror, Mystery
A college student working as an overnight watchman at a medical facility becomes the prime suspect. As authorities suspect a serial killer is behind the murders taking place.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Serial Mom (1994)
Rating: R
Runtime: 95 min
Language: English
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Thriller
A model of the perfect family gets shaken up. As a perceived kind and loving mother is suspected of the various murders and harassment within occurring within their community.
IMdb, Letterboxd
Candyman (1992)
Rating: R
Runtime: 99 min
Language: English
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Dark
When a skeptic college student unravels the mystery of an urban legend, she summons him into reality. Where she soon learns he cannot be stopped.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Man Bites Dog (1992)
Rating: NC-17
Runtime: 95 min
Language: French
Genre: Dark, Crime, Horror, Thriller, Satire
A dark, violent, and graphic satire that follows a French documentary film crew and a serial killer. It’s brutal and distasteful, yet compelling with a tangible fear it creates.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Raising Cain (1992)
Rating: R
Runtime: 92 min
Language: English
Genre: Crime, Drama, Horror, Thriller
As children in the neighborhood go missing, a woman suspects her husband is behind the vanishings. Fearing for her own child, she works to unravel the mystery before her daughter is also taken.
IMDb, Letterboxd
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Rating: R
Runtime: 118 min
Language: English
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller, Horror, Dark
With the help of a hyper-intelligent Dr and convicted cannibal, Special Agent Clarice seeks help to stop a gruesome killer known by the name of Buffalo Bill.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Child’s Play (1988)
Rating: R
Runtime: 87 min
Language: English
Genre: Horror, Thriller
A serial killer places his soul into a child’s doll. When a young boy is given the doll for his birthday, the killer emerges once again for another reign of terror.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Opera (1987)
Rating: R
Runtime: 107 min
Language: English
Genre: Crime, Horror, Mystery
A young opera singer is stalked by a demented killer. Seeking to claim her all for himself, he kills anyone that is remotely close to her.
IMDb, Letterboxd
The Hitcher (1986)
Rating: R
Runtime: 97 min
Language: English
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Suspense
A young man makes the mistake of picking up a demented hitchhiker. The target of his dangerous game, he tries to survive and escape the madman while being pursued by police for his crimes.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Manhunter (1986) or Red Dragon (2002)
Rating: R
Runtime: 120 min
Language: English
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Horror, Suspense
A retired FBI Agent is called for help to hunt down a killer nicknamed “the Tooth Fairy”. Desperate for clues, he seeks help from imprisoned cannibal Dr Lecter.
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IMDb, Letterboxd
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Rating: R
Runtime: 91 min
Language: English
Genre: Horror
A teenage girl discovers she’s not alone when she has nightmares of a disfigured man stalking her. When they realize what he does in the dream world also occurs in the real world, they search for a way to stop him.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Tenebre (1982)
Rating: R
Runtime: 101 min
Language: Italian
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Mystery
An American writer working on his book in Rome becomes the target of a demented serial killer.
IMDb, Letterboxd
My Bloody Valentine (1981)
Rating: R
Runtime: 90 min
Language: English
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Twenty years after a disaster took place in a mine, the sole survivor kills the crew and warns the town never to celebrate Valentine’s Day. When a group of teenagers defy this order, a maniac delivers fatal consequences.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Friday the 13th (1980)
Rating: R
Runtime: 95 min
Language: English
Genre: Horror, Mystery
Following the death of a child, a camp reopens its door. Only to have an unknown murderer kill the counselors as they things barely get back up and running.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Maniac (1980)
Rating: R
Runtime: 87 min
Language: English
Genre: Crime, Horror
In 1970s New York City, a psychopath travels around town mangling and killing his victims in an unabated killing spree. This one’s pure slasher, 100%.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Terror Train (1980)
Rating: R
Runtime: 97 min
Language: English
Genre: Horror, Mystery
Three years have passed since a prank went horribly wrong. Now the students responsible are pursued and hunted by a masked killer aboard train hosting a New Year’s Eve party.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Dressed to Kill (1980)
Rating: R
Runtime: 104 min
Language: English
Genre: Crime, Mystery, Thriller, Horror
After a call girl witnesses a murder of a psychiatrist’s patient, the killer seeks to remove anyone that can identify the murderer before the truth comes out.
IMDb, Letterboxd
When A Stranger Calls (1979)
Rating: R
Runtime: 97 min
Language: English
Genre: Horror, Suspense, Thriller
A babysitter terrorized by a psychopath escapes, only for him to return years later and continue their game of cat and mouse.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Halloween (1978)
Rating: R
Runtime: 91 min
Language: English
Genre: Dark, Horror, Thriller
In the town of Haddonfield, a man without any sense of morality begins a killing spree within the neighborhood. Focusing his obsession on an innocent teenage girl. Often cited as the Best Slasher Horror Movie ever made.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Alice, Sweet Alice (1976)
Rating: R
Runtime: 107 min
Language: English
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Crime, Thriller
When their daughter is found murdered, her parents suspect their other daughter is behind the heinous act. Which is soon followed by additional stabbings.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Deep Red (1975)
Rating: R
Runtime: 127 min
Language: Italian
Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
When a musician witnesses the murder of a psychic, she teams up with a reporter to locate the killer while hoping to avoid their deaths by his very hands.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Black Christmas (1974)
Rating: R
Runtime: 98 min
Language: English
Genre: Dark, Horror, Thriller
During a Christmas break at a sorority house, a group of girls are stalked and by a deranged madman. As he kills them one by one within the house.
IMDb, Letterboxd
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Rating: R
Runtime: 83 min
Language: English
Genre: Dark, Horror
After hearing of vandalism at their grandfather’s grave, a pair of siblings and their friends seek to uncover what happened. Unaware that a family of crazed maniacs lives along their route.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Torso (1973)
Rating: R
Runtime: 93 min
Language: Italian
Genre: Crime, Horror, Thriller
A killer with psychosexual tendencies strangles and dismembers various women. When one witness seeks escape to her family’s remote home, she becomes trapped in the house without any escape.
IMDb, Letterboxd
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970)
Rating: R
Runtime: 96 min
Language: Italian
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Horror
Walking home one night, a writer witnesses a victim struggling to survive. Now finding himself the target of the killer and the police unable to stop it, he takes matters into his own hands.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Blood and Black Lace (1964)
Rating: Not Rated
Runtime: 88 min
Language: English
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Horror
Following the murder of a model in a house of fashion, the lead investigator uncovers secrets within her diary that make everyone uneasy. Meanwhile, the masked killer continues to stalk his victims within the same house.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Nightmare (1964)
Rating: Not Rated
Runtime: 86 min
Language: English
Genre: Thriller, Horror, Drama
A young woman is troubled by horrible nightmares of her insane mother, who’s still locked away in an asylum. Because of her behavior, she’s expelled and begins to lose her mind.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Cape Fear (1962, 1991)
Rating: Passed, R
Runtime: 106 min
Language: English
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Horror, Drama
After having a man sentenced to jail for a crime, the prisoner is released and quickly targets the witness. Stalking and harassing his family, he’s clever and avoids committing any crimes that could stop him.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Peeping Tom (1960)
Rating: Not Rated
Runtime: 102 min
Language: English
Genre: Thriller, Horror
A voyeuristic man obsessed with filming people as they are murdered befriends a woman living below him. Sharing his secrets with her, his obsession continues to worsen.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Psycho (1960)
Rating: R
Runtime: 109 min
Language: English
Genre: Horror, Thriller, Mystery
A woman escapes with $40k in embezzled cash, only to find herself at a remote motel run by a single man under the control of his domineering mother. Often considered the first true slasher of cinema!
IMDb, Letterboxd
House of Wax (1953)
Rating: GP
Runtime: 88 min
Language: English
Genre: Horror, Thriller
After a wax museum is burned down with the owner inside, a new well-venerated museum is opened. But these new museum hosts a sinister secret that makes their figures appear so realistic.
IMDb, Letterboxd
Notes Regarding Our Best Slasher Horror Movies
This listed was made with the greatest of care to offer you nothing but the best in cinema relating to the theme of a killer stalking victims. I have literally watched thousands of movies over 30+ years, and re-watched hundreds to ensure you have the finest selection possible. With these picks being the ones that I can go back to enjoy again and again.
Although I re-watched hundreds of movies for months to compile this list, we will continue to update it as we come across new or obscure films that earn the praise and belong here amongst the greats. If you have any recommendations of recent releases or foreign films in particular that you think are worthy of consideration, please reach out to us with your thoughts!
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*Please note that out of respect for real victims, we made the decision to focus on fictional characters for this list. We have no plans to include biopics or reenactments of real individuals and their actions.
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