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50 years of Slashers: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and what came next
Almost 50 years ago (on October 1, 1974) a cheap, exploitative, slasher movie came out and changed the world: I am talking about The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, of course.
Tobe Hooper’s masterpiece is considered to be the movie that finally put the pieces together (quite the irony to be honest) of the nascent slasher genre from earlier thrillers and psychopathic killers movies, the most notable being Alfred Hitchock’s Psycho.
So, to celebrate such a milestone, I took the time to look at the history of the slasher genre since Leatherface first showed his ugly, stolen-from-the-flesh-of-others face, and see how it has evolved since.
But first, some rules. Because, as everyone knows, slashers have lots of rules (the final girl, the punishment of sexual promiscuity, etc.)
Here are the rules for this list:
1. I divided the genre into five periods, which mostly coincide with the five decades the genre has been around.
2. I tried to filter what I consider to be the most relevant movies of the genre. Given its popularity, generally cheap production values and the resulting high return of investment, thousands of slashers have been released since 1974.
3. Also relevant to the second rule: I tried to choose just ONE example of each franchise. I know, I know, people are going to get upset because I didn’t mention Leprechaun 4: In Space (by the way, a completely fogettable so-bad that is good movie) or Jason Takes Manhattan, but again, it would be impossible to mention every single slasher ever released.
However, you will find Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, and Friday the 13th Part II and Part III on the list. That is because they were notable in the evolution of the genre. How could I not refer to the first time Jason Voorhees took his iconic hockey mask? Or even the movie in which he was first portrayed as the killer?!
Similarly, I am sure I have missed some fan favorites. Be sure to let me know in the comments down below which slasher do you think I should have included, and I promise I will consider the recommendations for future updates.
This said, let’s get to the bloody business!
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The top 10 best Hispanic horror movies of all time
A selection of the top 10 best Hispanic horror movies of all time! Includes movies from Latin American and Spain.
Land of the Llorona, the Chupacabras, the Lobizón (a Latin American type of Werewolf), and many other monsters, spectres, and uncanny creatures, the Hispanic World is full of horror experiences. And yet, many people are still in the dark when it comes to Hispanic horror movies.
Call it an aftereffect of years of economic and social hardships or something else, but Latin America and Spain have birthed some incredibly twisted horror movies.
In this list, you will find Children of the Night’s top recommendations to finally submerge yourself in the moody, thick waters of Hispanic horror. Buckle up your seatbelts and pray to la Virgencita because this will be a scary ride!
1. When Evil Lurks
Original title: Cuando acecha la maldad
Director: Damián Rugna
Country of origin: Argentina
Year: 2023
To be honest, you probably already know about this film. The darling of 2023, When Evil Lurks, tells a rather simple story: two brothers from a small rural town in the Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, have to fend off the rise of an evil entity.
Believe the hype, as this is a pretty extreme movie that doesn’t shy away from showing some twisted scenes. Whenever you are thinking: “Oh, there is no way they would dare to do THAT thing!” you are most certainly wrong.
Not for the faint of heart, this film may not portray the most original idea you have ever seen, but it makes it up with its fast pace, great practical effects, continuous tension, and rising stakes.
If you have not yet, watch it, but beware that certain scenes may be triggering if you are not used to extreme horror.
2. The Coffee Table
Original title: La mesita del comedor
Director: Caye Casas
Country of origin: Spain
Year: 2022
Continuing with disturbing movies, this one is also not for the faint of heart. Even further, this might be one of the most disturbing, sickness-inducing psychological thrillers you have ever watched.
You might be asking: “How is that possible?” Believe me, it is. And worst of all is that it kicks off with a pretty simple, banal premise: a family buys a coffee table. I won’t go further as I don’t want to spoil anything for you. But be sure that under that very simple premise, lies a movie that you will either love or hate (probably the last, to be honest) just because of the rollercoaster of feelings it is going to cause you.
Watch it under your own responsability, and once again, beware that it may be triggering.
3. Rock, Paper and Scissors
Original title: Piedra, papel y tijera
Directors: Macarena Garcia Lenzi and Martín Blousson
Country of origin: Argentina
Year: 2019
Now that we have gone through the most extreme horror recommendations on this list, let’s continue with another psychological thriller, this time a movie that went a little under-noticed in the horror community.
The movie tells the story of two siblings, brother and sister, that live together in a decaying house. Their father has recently die, and that is when their half-sister comes from Spain and tells them her intentions to sell the house and share the money.
Suffice it to say that the siblings are not interested in her plan and that they also resent her because she spent most of her life living abroad. From here, things will start to go sour in what at times seems like a typical Latin-American telenovela (soap opera) but with some horror twist.
All in all, this is a great movie for lovers of a kind of horror founded in realism and real life situations.
4. Shrew’s Nest
Original title: Musarañas
Directors: Juanfer Andrés and Esteban Roel
Country of origin: Spain
Year: 2014
Another family horror story, this one has more than one point in common with the previous Argentinian film.
In this case, the story is about two sisters who live in an old Madrid apartment in the 1950s, shortly after the end of the Spanish Civil War.
The older sister is an agoraphobic and cannot leave the apartment, while the younger is looking to start living her life. In the context of political and sexual repression of Francisco Franco’s dictatorship, their peace will be interrupted when one neighbor falls from the stairs and in need of urgent medical care is taken inside their apartment. From this moment on, old tensions that have been brewing between the siblings will start to surface along with some other tensions.
Don’t get it wrong: this is a much more twisted movie than you would expect from this short description. If you are into real life horrors, psychological thrillers and don’t mind some gore give it a try. It won’t disappoint you!
5. Sleep Tight
Original title: Mientras duermes
Director: Jaume Balagueró
Country of origin: Spain
Year: 2011
There is something intrinsically creepy in Spanish architecture as this movie also takes place mostly in another Spanish apartment, this time in Barcelona and during our times.
In the movie, Clara (Marta Etura Valenzuela) is an independent woman that has built herself a pretty comfortable life. She lives in an old apartment building where César (Luis Tosar) is the very gentle doorman. However, what Clara doesn’t know is that César is completely obsessed with her and will go to unimaginable lengths to stalk and control her.
Another great Hispanic psychological thriller that is a must watch for fans of every-day life horrors.
6. The Last Matinee
Original title: Al morir la matiné
Director: Maximiliano Contenti
Country of origin: Uruguay
Year: 2020
This one is a rare movie: Uruguay is not a country particularly known for having a strong film industry and much less for horror movies. However this small, fun slasher is a great watch for every horror fan. The story in this one is pretty simple: a maniac killer gets into a cinema theater and starts silently killing as many spectators as he is able to.
With elements of contemporary giallo (the Italian horror genre, full of bright colors, gloved killers and gore) and what I like to call “movie theater horror” (because, really, there are some great horror films that take place in movie theaters like Demons, Popcorn, Stage Fright, among others) this one is a sure hit for fans of slashers and senseless killings.
7. Pieces
Original title: Mil gritos tiene la noche
Director: Juan Piquer Simón
Country of origin: Spain
Year: 1982
Another slasher, another classic Hispanic horror. This one is quite frankly a little bizarre. Coming up during the high days of the genre, this Spanish film has all the elements that were deemed essential in any movie of its type during the time: a traumatized young child that becomes a serial killer, gratuitous female nudity, little sense, gross death scenes.
The story follows a campus killer in Boston (although from Spain, the movie is based on the US) that kills young woman and cuts them into… pieces to build a kind of Bride of Frankenstein or something like that. It really doesn’t make much sense and the film is justly considered just a piece (pun intended) of eurotrash. However, it has some great scenes, great killings and accomplishes that difficult task of being “so bad it is good.” And also, there is a ridiculous scene with a martial artist named Bruce Le (yes, Le, not Lee) that, with another very ridiculous scenes in the movie have become material of memes and horror movie’s lore.
8. Huesera: The Bone Woman
Original title: Huesera
Director: Michelle Garza Cervera
Country of origin: Peru and Mexico
Year: 2022
A rare example of “birthing horror,” this Peru and Mexico co-production is a sophisticated tale of a woman that becomes insecure about her pregnancy.
While it presents some supernatural aspects, this movie is mostly a deep examination about the horrors of womanhood, pregnancy and an interrogation about how we go through life. It is an interesting film, much more nuanced and less gory than other films in this list but that it still will be a great watch for horror enthusiasts.
9. La Llorona
Original title: La Llorona
Director: Jayro Bustamante
Country of origin: Guatemala
Year: 2019
This is another rare example, as Guatemala is also not known as a movie industry powerhouse. However, La Llorona is a great movie and one that every horror fan should have on their watchlist.
The story tells of an old man who surrounded by his family during his last days. They are all behind the high walls of a mansion that is being besieged by protestors on the outside. That is when the spectator learns that the fragile old man in his last days is a Guatemalan retired general accused of genocide during Guatemalan Military Dictatorship.
La Llorona is a native folk monster from Mexico and Guatemala: it is the tale of a woman that after realizing that her husband was having an affair, drowned herself along with her own children. Since then, many people have experienced a loud crying near lands of water, and have seen the vengeful ghost of the crying lady, looking for living children to overpass her eternal grief.
In the movie, the retired general and his family start to feel something is off as supernatural acts start to happen in the mansion. Is all this a manifestation of the guilt he feels from his crimes? Or is it really that the Llorona spirit has come to avenge those children killed by his hand? The movie is an exceptionally well-told story that has nothing to do with a similarly titled exploitation film from the U.S.
10. The Elderly
Original title: Viejos
Directors: Fernando González Gómez and Raúl Cerezo
Country of origin: Spain
Year: 2022
Another Spanish movie, another twisted psychological tale primarily set in an old apartment. However, this film also has some elements of supernatural horror.
The movie starts with a bang as it shows an elderly woman jumping from the balcony. Shortly after, her widowed husband goes to live with her son that has a daughter and has recently remarried another woman.
As in every good Spanish movie on this list, the horror comes primarily from family drama, and claustrophobic apartments. However, as said, this movie adds some supernatural twists to build an unsettling horror movie where something odd is happening with the elder.
BONUS: El Gigante
Original title: El Gigante
Director: Gigi Saúl Guerrero
Country of origin: Mexico/Canada
Year: 2014
This short film (just 14 minutes long) from Mexican-Canadian director Gigi Saúl Guerrero is loosely based on an extreme horror novel by Shaun McKenzie’s Muerte Con Carne.
The short shows Armando (Edwin Pérez), a man trying to illegally cross the Mexico / U.S. border that is captured by a family of cannibalistic wrestlers. Yes, you read that right.
Armando is then forced to fight in wrestling matches for the entertainment of these and other people and you can imagine the rest. It is an interesting, although very short, movie from one of the rising stars in Latino horror, the so called “Pricess of Latino Horror”: Gigi Saúl Guerrero.
And here we go! The top 10 best Hispanic horror movies of all time! As you see, there is a little of everything: from monsters to ghosts and a lot of family drama. If you were not previously aware of these movies, this is a great time to start watching as you will not regret it! If you knew some, why not a rewatch? And if you have another suggestion, leave a comment down below!