Ranking Classic Slasher Killers From Least To Most Terrifying
Nothing says horror like an old-fashioned slasher movie. From Psycho to Scream, the slasher killer is a horror classic.
The slasher movie has taken a backseat in recent years due to the rise of found footage and paranormal horror-style films. Still, the concept of the masked killer invading your personal space and hacking you to bits with no reason or warning is absolutely terrifying. On the other hand, some slashers aren’t as scary and cross into cheesy territory, from their motives to their methods and beyond.
Here are 10 classic slashers ranked from least to the most terrifying.
10. Chucky
A doll possessed by the spirit of a deranged serial killer is scary in theory. In practice, the redheaded demon doll has lasted way longer than he should have, even getting married to the equally diabolical doll Tiffany and having a son!
Still, the over-the-top concept has been scaring kids for generations. The synthetic killer could easily be thrown into a fire, making him not as threatening as he could be.
9. Ben Willis AKA The Hook Killer
The villain in the late 90s/early 2000s masterpiece I Know What You Did Last Summer, the Hook Killer follows around and menaces a group of teens who left him for dead after running over him the previous year.
While a hook-wielding man hellbent on revenge isn’t someone you want to cut off in traffic, you’re pretty safe from his attacks, unless you were one of the 90s teens who ran over him.
8. Norman Bates
No slasher movie list would be complete without Alfred Hitchcock’s scariest villain, Norman Bates. The creepy hotel owner with an Oedipus complex and a taxidermy collection is scary enough without the body count.
Better stay at the Marriott to avoid Norman and “Mother.” And remember that we all go a little mad sometimes.
7. Ghostface
Scream is considered by many to be responsible for the revamp of the horror genre in the late 90s. The franchise holds a special place in the heart of many horror-loving millennials.
Wes Craven’s clever take on the teen slasher spawned three sequels with multiple killers behind the famous mask and made an entire generation afraid to answer the phone. The idea of warped horror fans living out their fantasy behind the famous mask is all too real.
6. Candyman
The classic urban legend that has terrified kids for years is even scarier on screen. Metaphors for urban decay and civil unrest surround this unsettling story.
This supernatural murder mystery is full of haunting and gory imagery straight out of a nightmare. Tony Todd’s titular character is equal parts sympathetic and horrifying. Add another hook hand and some mirrors, and you have one scary slasher.
5. Jason Voorhees
The most famous camper at Crystal Lake dies a thousand times and always comes back with a sharpened machete ready to slice up some teens. In the almost forty-year existence of the Friday the 13th franchise, the hockey masked slayer has taken Manhattan, battled Freddy Krueger, and gone to space.
While Jason’s switch from mortal to supernatural morphed the series into, “Are they really making another Jason movie?” territory, the 1980 original can still creep out the most seasoned horror fan.
Click through to learn more about the many murder weapons of Jason Voorhees!
4. Leatherface
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre scarred millions with the sound of the revving power tool. This human skin wearing maniac does not act alone; he has a whole family of cannibals with their forks ready.
Along with becoming a haunted house staple, the hyper-realistic gore and violence of the 1974 original transferred well into remakes. It doesn’t get more terrifying than group mentality sprinkled with insanity, topped with a chainsaw.
3. The Strangers
The 2008 hit was a simple, yet terrifying concept. Home invasion horror is something we can all relate to. The masked trio of killers terrorize a couple in their home for seemingly no reason other than they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The lack of explanation and the randomness of the attack makes The Strangers one of the scariest movies in recent memory.
2. Michael Myers
While he only comes out once a year, Michael celebrates October 31 like no one else. The completely silent slasher with a freakishly fast walking pace is the stuff of nightmares. Seemingly immortal and immune to all weapons, Michael’s knife can’t be avoided on Halloween.
The quintessential Halloween villain is pure evil. Michael‘s story still lingers and continues to terrify audiences forty years later.
1. Freddy Krueger
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- Pictured: Freddy Krueger Sixth Scale Figure by Sideshow
1,2, Freddy’s coming for you… The Springwood Slasher has been scaring kids (and some adults) for years. The child murderer with the razor-clawed glove naturally tops our list. Another Wes Craven creation, the supernatural and immortal Krueger attacks us when we are must vulnerable-during sleep.
The dream invader evolved from simply a nasty killer to delivering hilarious one-liners. Giving the literal nightmare a personality only makes him all the more real and terrifying.
Who is your favorite horror film slasher? Did we miss someone who should be on the list? Let Your Geek Sideshow and tell us in the comments!
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