Matt Palmer's throwback teen slasher takes heavy inspiration from a number of '80s classics. The clichés and stereotypes are out in full force, and you'd be forgiven for suffering from retro fatigue, but the killer's guise is magnificent and there is a score of juicy kills that doff their caps to the sub-genre's golden era.
Shadyside's Final Girl is a cut above the rest; the head of the 'mean girls' gives the bitchiest bitch a run for their money, and ing characters provide amusement as well as extra guesswork regarding the killer's identity. Energetic, with a stellar soundtrack and a twist-filled, thrilling finale.

A proto-slasher set at a Coney Island carnival that stars a youthful Burt Young as a character called Gimpy! You just can't go wrong. Carnival of Blood is one of those scuzzy, feverish delights that gets under your skin and forces you to comply.
Idiotic patrons are either too antagonistic, drunk, or argumentative to heed the 'prophet of doom' fortune teller's advice to "go home", and they get murdered and mutilated for their sins. The whodunit element is basic, and the subsequent reveal lacks impact, but the carnival backdrop, with its freakish loops of creepy props and nostalgic sounds, is fantastic.

Despite its minor reputation for evoking slasher thrills, Carnage initially appears to be merely the latest in a long line of Amityville-inspired haunted house chillers. Luckily, with Andy Milligan at the helm, these 'things that go bump in the night' prefer to slash.
Yes, the characters are lifeless, the narrative is basic, and it’s tedious in places, but when Carnage kills off a cardboard cutout, it does so with gory gusto. The spectre of an ill-fated bride is creepily amusing, as she becomes a catalyst for the home's less-than-favourable attitude towards unwelcome guests. A silly but enjoyable supernatural slasher, with some cracking death scenes.

Swingers Massacre is yet another case of a film being repackaged and marketed as a slasher in the hope of attracting a wider audience. Originally released under the title Inside Amy, this softcore bore offers a smattering of proto-slasher action, but there's far more going on in the bedroom. T&A presides over stalk-and-slash, and carbon monoxide poisoning and sniper rifles replace knives and axes.
The story of an impotent, jealous husband descending into a murderous rage over his wife's new-found sexual desires is made all the more amusing because it's all his fault. The antagonist becomes the antagonist! No sympathy here, pal.

Terrifier 3 had me wincing, squirming, and howling maniacally at the grotesque, gross-out gore with which the franchise has become synonymous. I was amazed at how creative the kill sequences were. Once again, Leone and his SFX team deliver notoriously disgusting, censorship-baiting, boundary-pushing graphic violence.
From a narrative point of view, the story is well-structured and builds momentum in classic slasher style. The fates of Sienna and Jonathan played havoc with my nerves, especially now that Art the Clown has found Victoria - his demonic partner in crime. Lauren LaVera is a boss bitch generational Final Girl. The film thrives around her fantastic performance.

Eli Roth, the self-confessed slasher fanboy, possessed the recipe to serve up a classic stalk & slash feast for Thanksgiving.
The starter - your traditional tragic event providing the catalyst for a murderous rampage - is delicious and moreish.
The main is stuffed from neck to body cavity with juicy, golden age inspired kills. There's lashings of creativity and gore to fill up on.
And finally, the dessert is a treat that's hard to beat. A thrilling throwback finale with retro stylings that hit the sweet spot.
With heavy emphasis on turkey, it's ironic that Thanksgiving is anything but. I want seconds!