The 1980s were the golden age of the slashers, turning masked killers such as Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, and Freddy Krueger into horror icons with seemingly endless franchises. Yet for every blood-soaked hit that spawned multiple follow-ups, another memorable slasher disappeared after just one film — even when its villain, setting, or final twist seemed tailor-made for a sequel.
Some were buried by poor box-office returns, limited releases, or unfortunate comparisons to bigger movies, while others simply arrived before audiences could appreciate them. From holiday horrors and summer-camp massacres to carnivals, motels, and grocery-store killing sprees, these 10 great ’80s slashers deserved another chance to draw blood.
A Motel Hell Remake Never Surfaced
Motel Hell follows farmer Vincent Smith (Rory Calhoun), who runs a farm and motel with his sister Ida (Nancy Parsons). The Smiths believe that “Meat’s meat and a man’s gotta eat” and specialize in smoked meats made from the flesh of people who travel through.
Aside from some pretty memorable quotes from Farmer Vincent (“It takes all kinds of critters to make Farmer Vincent’s fritters”), there are two things that truly make the film iconic: The special garden in which victims are buried up to their necks, and Vincent wielding a chainsaw while wearing a pig’s head.
Although no sequel was ever made, there have been talks of a Motel Hell remake over the years, but nothing has been mentioned in several years.
The Prowler Has Some of the Best ’80s Special Effects
Directed by Joseph Zito, who went on to also direct Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, The Prowler (also released as Rosemary’s Killer) features everything you could want in an ’80s slasher — young people getting picked off by a mysterious killer and plenty of gore. The film is undoubtedly a major highlight of Tom Savini’s career as a special FX artist, offering some horrifically vicious, up-close kills. Although the plot isn’t all that original, the effects and brutality are quite effective.
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The Prowler was released around the same time as many other popular ’80s slashers, so producer David Streit’s decision to self-distribute may have hurt the film’s box office and limited its marketing.
Intruder Is an Underrated Slasher Movie
Admittedly, Intruder is a film that this writer didn’t have the pleasure of watching until recent years, but it quickly became a personal all-time favorite ’80s slasher. It takes place after-hours in a grocery store as the night crew prepares for the store’s going-out-of-business sale. While dealing with a crazed ex-boyfriend of one of the employees and soon losing their jobs, someone begins killing the crew, leaving their dismembered pieces all around. By the time the last survivors realize what is going on, they have to evade the killer themselves.
Intruder features fantastic gore from special FX gurus Howard Berger, Robert Kurtzman, Greg Nicotero, and Sean Rodgers. It was produced by Sam Raimi and was directed by Evil Dead II writer Scott Spiegel, both of whom also have acting roles in the film, along with Ted Raimi and Bruce Campbell.
Although Campbell and the Raimi brothers are highlighted in the film’s marketing, including on DVDs, they have only small parts, with Campbell in a blink-and-you-miss-it role.
Although it’s one of the top-notch ’80s slashers, it wasn’t set up to have a sequel. Not that that ever stopped a horror film franchise before.
The Burning Should Have Been as Big as Friday the 13th
Inspired by New York’s Cropsey urban legend, The Burning tells the story of a camp counselor named Cropsy who goes on a revenge-fueled killing spree after suffering severe burns due to a prank. Despite being an excellent entry into the subgenre and featuring special FX by Tom Savini, the film suffered from being released extremely close to Friday the 13th Part 2.
It was deemed a Friday the 13th rip-off by many. Because it bombed hard at the box office, there was likely no outcry for a sequel. Since its release, The Burning is much more beloved by slasher fans and is considered a cult classic.
Blood Rage Finally Found Its Audience
Also released as Nightmare at Shadow Woods and Slasher, Blood Rage takes place on Thanksgiving and is to the holiday what Silent Night, Deadly Night is to Christmas. The film follows a boy who brutally murders someone and frames his identical twin brother for the crime. A decade after the convicted brother goes to a mental facility, he escapes and goes after his twin, who lives with his adult mother.
The film has some over-the-top gore, fun kills, and a good bit of humor. While it didn’t become the next holiday horror franchise, it is still a must-watch while you stuff your face with turkey (or tofurkey).
My Bloody Valentine Has Been Remade
If you are one of the many people who loathe Valentine’s Day, My Bloody Valentine is the perfect slasher for you. Set in the town of Valentine Bluffs, where a deadly mining accident occurred, madman Harry Warden goes after a group of young people attending the town’s Valentine’s Day dance.
One of the film’s most memorable aspects lies within the setting itself. The crew filmed in an actual mine, which producer John Dunning described as a “horrendous shoot.” Nevertheless, the location adds quite a bit to the film, as do the gory, gruesome kills and gags.
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In an interview with Terror Trap, Dunning spoke about a sequel, saying he wrote a script for a follow-up film that was “ten times better than the (My Bloody Valentine) remake,” but it was discarded and unused. The site also interviewed director George Mihalka, who said that while he was closed off to a sequel for many years, he “would very much be involved” if it ever moved forward.
The Funhouse Is a Tobe Hooper Gem
This criminally underrated Tobe Hooper classic stands out in a sea of ’80s slashers and even paved the way for the director to work on 1982’s Poltergeist. Forgoing the commonly used summer camp or woods setting we see so often in this sub-genre, The Funhouse, as the title suggests, takes place in a traveling carnival.
On a dare, a group of teenagers sneaks into a closed ride to spend the night, but they find themselves locked in and hunted by one of the most terrifying horror villains we’ve seen.
Although we never saw a sequel to the ’80s slasher, fans can read Dean Koontz’s novelization of the screenplay, published in 1980 under the same title.
Pieces Is a Fun ’80s Slasher
Directed by Juan Piquer Simón, who went on to give us the 1988 Spanish film Slugs, Pieces is a video nasty that doesn’t go easy on the gore or gratuitous nudity. The film takes place at a college campus as an unknown attacker starts killing and cutting up female students, taking different pieces of their bodies each time.
Simón was reportedly interested in a Pieces sequel a few years after the film’s release, but it never came to be.
Madman Almost Got a Sequel
It is actually quite surprising that Madman is on this list, considering it was left wide open for a follow-up film, and there’s a memorable villain in Madman Marz. In a somewhat familiar plot, a group of counselors and campers are hunted down by a killer whose vengeful spirit is summoned by one of the counselors.
The film is delightfully cheesy, with a highlight being the end fight, which elicits many unintentional laughs as we hear Madman Marz grunt and his victim’s dubbed-over screams. There’s no doubt the film could have easily spawned an ultra-campy sequel or two.
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While that never happened, Bloody Disgusting reported in November that a remake is in the works by the original producers.
April Fool’s Day Is a Twisty Holiday Slasher
Yet another fun holiday slasher that never got the sequel treatment is April Fool’s Day starring Deborah Foreman (Waxwork), Amy Steel (Friday the 13th Part 2), Ken Olandt (Leprechaun), and Thomas F. Wilson (Back to the Future).
The film was well-received upon release and, aside from its fantastic cast, is most notable for its double plot twist. The film follows college friends who stay together in a large house on an island during spring break as bodies seemingly begin to pile up.
Although there isn’t a sequel, fans can check out the 1986 novelization of the film written by Jeff Rovin and a 2008 remake.
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