SLASHER FILM RULES - The Rules [3]

Film genres have formulas and rules, but what are the rules for Slasher Films?

Another update to the Slasher Film Rules, after the first set and the first update.  New rules or updates to old rules in italics.

SLASHER FILM RULES - Analysis: List 3

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?

Although I'm calling these Slasher Film Rules, they can apply to a range of horror sub-genres.

Ten films were tested:

• Black Christmas (1974)
• My Bloody Valentine (1981)
• Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)
• April Fool's Day (1986)
• Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI (1986)
• Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)
• Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)
• Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)
• Leprechaun 2 (1994)
• Leprechaun 3 (1995)

The previous 20 films looked at were:

• And Then There Were None (1945)
• Peeping Tom (1960)
• Psycho (1960)
• Night of the Living Dead (1963)
• Jaws (1975)
• Halloween (1978)
• Alien (1979)
• Friday the 13th (1980)
• Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
• Halloween II (1981)
• Friday the 13th Part III (1982)
• Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
• A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
• Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)
• A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)
• Leprechaun (1993)
• Scream (1997)
• Saw (2004)
• Wolf Creek (2004)
• Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)

Of course, these films say nothing about the genre as a whole.  Certainly things can be said about the films, though.  They are usually bigger name films, smaller low-budget or less successful films may rely on the rules more.   One is a post-modern film in which the characters know the rules.  About half may not be purely "slasher" films and may not need to follow the rules.

SLASHER FILM RULES - Why Rule #3 [Death as punishment]

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Why do the Slasher Film rules exist?

I looked at 10 rules the Slasher Film genre followed, tested 20 films against them and analysed the results, but let's look at the rules themselves, so let's look at the third Slasher Film rule...

RULE #3

Death will be a punishment for...
transgression.

VARIOUS RULES - Why Rule #2 [Nudity]

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Why do the nudity rules exist?

For every set of rules I've made Rule #2 about nudity.  Also see 10 ways film nudity can be more than gratutious titillation

SLASHER FILM RULES - Analysis: List 2 [Part 2]

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Why do the Slasher Film rules exist?

Although I'm calling these Slasher Film Rules, the can apply to a range of horror sub-genres.

Ten films were tested:

• And Then There Were None (1945)
• Peeping Tom (1960)
• Jaws (1975)
• Halloween II (1981)
• Friday the 13th Part III (1982)
• Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
• A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)
• Leprechaun (1993)
• Saw (2004)
• Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)

Of course, these films say nothing about the genre as a whole.  Certainly things can be said about the films, though.  They are usually bigger name films, smaller low-budget or less successful films may rely on the rules more.   One is a post modern film in which the characters know the rules.  About half may not be purely "slasher" films and may not need to follow the rules.

See here for part 1.

SLASHER FILM RULES - Analysis: List 2 [Part 1]

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?

Although I'm calling these Slasher Film Rules, they can apply to a range of horror sub-genres.

Ten films were tested:

• And Then There Were None (1945)
• Peeping Tom (1960)
• Jaws (1975)
• Halloween II (1981)
• Friday the 13th Part III (1982)
• Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
• A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)
• Leprechaun (1993)
• Saw (2004)
• Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)

Of course, these films say nothing about the genre as a whole.  Certainly things can be said about the films, though.  They are usually bigger name films, smaller low-budget or less successful films may rely on the rules more.   One is a post modern film in which the characters know the rules.  About half may not be purely "slasher" films and may not need to follow the rules.

SLASHER FILM RULES - Why Rule 1 [The Warning]?

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Why do the Slasher Film rules exist?

I looked at 10 rules the Slasher Film genre followed, tested 20 films against them and analysed the results, but I never looked at the rules themselves, so let's look at the first Slasher Film rule...

SLASHER FILM RULES - Saw (2004)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Are the slasher film rules true?

Saw (2004) is considered torture porn or gorno film.  But is it also a slasher film?

SLASHER FILM RULES - Leprechaun (1993)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Are the slasher film rules true?

Leprechaun (1993): the touching tale of a leprechaun who goes on a killing spree because someone stole his gold.  The first of a series of films, but does it follow the slasher film rules?

SLASHER FILM RULES - Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Are the slasher film rules true?

"Jason's body's disappeared from the morgue." ~ Rob Dier.

Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984) is as the name suggests the final ever film in the Friday the 13th franchise.  Unless the title is lying and they make more.  Whatever happens this is the fourth film in the series.  Just assumed I've asked the regular question about it following the slasher film rules.

SLASHER FILM RULES - Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (2006)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Are the slasher film rules true?

Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon, is a part-mockumentary post modern homage to slasher films, does it follow or just reference the slasher film rules?

SLASHER FILM RULES - Jaws (1975)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Are the slasher film rules true?

Jaws (1975) is an animal attack horror film.  Probably the ultimate animal attack horror (possibly The Birds rivals it).

SLASHER RULES: Friday the 13th Part III (1982)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Are the slasher film rules true?

Friday the 13th Part III (1982) is a sequel to Part 1 and Part 2 (pretty obvious, huh?) but is it, too, going to follow the slasher film rules?

SLASHER RULES - A Nightmare on Elm St 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Are the slasher film rules true?

"Fred Krueger! He's inside me, and he wants to take me again!" ~ Jesse Walsh, A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge.  

A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2 - Freddy's Revenge (1985) is a sequel to A Nightmare on Elm  Street (the title is a give away) but is it, too, going to follow the slasher film rules?

SLASHER FILM RULES - And Then There Were None (1945)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  Are the slasher film rules true?

And Then There Were None (1981) is a murder mystery (based on the Agatha Christie novel) but as a film where people get killed off one-by-one, does it follow the slasher film rules?

SLASHER FILM RULES - The Rules [2]

Film genres have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?

Like the killer from the a Slasher Film the Slasher Film Rules aren't as dead as people thought... and has returned to kill again (not that it killed anyone the first time, the deaths the first were just a coincidence.)  Once again, these are Horror Film Rules or Slasher Film Rules films that Slasher films follower and that a lot of horror films do. These are rules about films in which a small group are killed off one-by-one and who (if anyone) will survive.  

SLASHER FILM RULES - Halloween II (1981)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  The slasher film (sometime generically called horror film rules)... are they true?

Halloween II (1981) starts immediately after... actually a couple of minutes before... the end of the first Halloween movie.  Does it follow the rules?

RULE ROAD TEST - The Bechdel test (Slasher Films)

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  The Bechdel Test, highlights gender-bias in film, how do Slashers fare against it?

The Bechdel test is a rule devised to demonstrate the gender-bias of the film industry as a whole.  A person following the rule will refuse to watch a film that does not past the test:

• That two or more named females talk about something other than a man.

The rule points out that film is dominated by male characters, to the point where some films can fail even the first part (by not having two named female characters) and that even when there are female character, they exist only to support (and thus only talk about) the male character(s).

SLASHER FILM RULES - Scream

Films have formulas and rules, but how well do films follow those formulas?  The most commonly known (and mocked) film rules are those of the slasher film (sometime generically called horror film rules) but are they true?

Scream, a post-modern look at the genre.  The makers no the rules.  The people in the film know the rules, but does that mean it follows them or not?

"What's the point? They're all the same. Some stupid killer stalking some big-breasted girl who can't act who is always running up the stairs when she should be running out the front door. It's insulting." ~ Sidney Prescott.

SLASHER FILM RULES - Psycho

"We all go a little mad sometimes." ~ Norman Bates.

Psycho, Hitchcock's 1960 classic, with cinema's most famous shower scene, and referenced time and again by the makers of slasher films.  But does it, itself, follow the rules?