Why were slasher horror movies so popular in the 80s?

Bump

It was a different time.

That's when they first came out. Before that the studios really didnt show very much

Reagan era. SHowed the slutty teens would get killed while the good kids survived. Also the concept of the boogeyman.

They probably went out of fashion because real life is much scarier now- you can be mowed down by some mental case with an AR-15 while doing your grocery shopping or sitting in school.

Torture porn. I prefer supernatural stuff but not that conjuring series crap.

The original Friday the 13th was a massive hit.

The Nightmare on Elm Street films, particularly 3 and 4, were awesome!

They were popular in the '70s, OP. Halloween's quality upped their respectibilty.

I feel like an old fuddy duddy, but they don't make horror movies the way they did in the 80s. All you need is a group of horny white kids, maybe a black person, and an Asian, the woods, a virgin, and a serial killer and you've got 90 minutes of fun. Now, everything is so cerebral. I don't even think they do slasher flicks any longer or at least good ones.

Boobs, OP. Boobs.

Today female characters must have agency. It might be stylish but it makes for boring horror films.

Oh, and boobs.

The Burning is a fun slasher from 1981 with a few actors who would go on to be in the Law and Order universe.

[quote]with a few actors who would go on to be in the Law and Order universe.

r13 - Along with Holly Hunter, Jason Alexander and Harvey Weinstein getting a writer credit.

I’d take the trashy and fun slasher movies of the 80s over the self serious and pretentious A24 horror movies of today any day.

R14 Oddly, there’s not one scene in which Holly Hunter’s full face is captured by the camera.

The imitation game, OP. “Halloween” did well.” Friday the 13th” did well. Why not try it?