Best lesser known 80s slashers

[Jim H]

Hey all, I've been trying to figure out a large selection of of 80s slasher films.  I know a lot of the more well known ones, and a number of the lesser known ones really.  But, of the not so well known ones, which are the best?  Just throw out some suggestions if anyone has any.

Better known would be, say, the Friday the 13th series.  I'm looking at things like, say The Funhouse or Just Before Dawn. 

[Jack]

The first Slumber Party Massacre movie was pretty good.  Very slow moving at the beginning but brimming with '80s charm and cheese.

The Sleepaway Camp movies - they're not favorites of mine but a lot of people seem to like them.

The Initiation - another one that's slow at the start but I thought the second half made up for it.

The Majorettes - starts out as a slasher and turns into a revenge movie in the second half.  Brimming with '80s cheese.

Aerobicide - not good by any means but sort of a bad movie classic.

Witch b***h aka Death Spa - another bad movie just brimming with '80s charm.

The Zero Boys - kind of obscure but I liked it.

Prom Night - sort of well known but some of the sequels are worth a watch.  Prom Night IV Deliver Us From Evil is a big favorite of mine (though it's from '92).

Sorority House Massacre is good, and part 2 (from 1990) is a huge favorite of mine.

[Trevor]

Percival Rubens' The Demon would fit in here although I don't know if the word 'best' applies to it. 

[zombie no.one]

Aerobicide - not good by any means but sort of a bad movie classic.

yeah that's a personal fave...so bad it's good

along the same lines: The Mutilator, Pieces, Welcome to Spring Break, and Graduation Day.

[FatFreddysCat]

I recently saw "The Prowler" (1981) for the first time in many years and it's held up surprisingly well.

[claws]

A few personal favorite more or less lesser known 1980s slashers:

Moonstalker (1989)
Rush Week (1989)
Iced (1988)
Blood Song (1982)
Edge of the Axe (1988)
Rocktober Blood (1984)
Silent Madness (1984)
Destroyer (1988)
Fatal Games (1984)
To All a Goodnight (1980)
Evil Laugh (1986)
Nightmare Beach (1989)
Hide and Go Shriek (1988)
Sweet 16 (1983)
Hospital Massacre (1982)
Psycho Cop (1989)
Mortuary (1983)
The Last Horror Film (1982)

[retrorussell]

HOUSE ON SORORITY ROW (1983)
MADMAN (1982)
THE BURNING (1981)
FINAL EXAM (1981)

[Chainsawmidget]

Well, it came out in 1995, but The Fear very much feels like an 80s slasher. 

[Gst0395]

New Year's Evil (1981) is a recommend watch, about a Los Angeles killer on New Years Eve who takes the life of one woman every time the clock strikes midnight at every time zone in the US. The deaths aren't particularly gory but the tension is pretty fair and there's also a decent rock soundtrack to go with it. Some parts can be unintentionally hilarious as well, especially the killer who doesn't seem all that threatening.

It's quite a rare one. Didn't get released on DVD for years. Even then though, you can just watch the entire thing on YouTube right here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yl6y6k_1X6Q

Just to say, the running time is misleading. The film actually ends at 1:25, what follows are just TCM previews.

[zombie no.one]

Iced (1988)
Hospital Massacre (1982)
The Last Horror Film (1982)

3 more faves...

in fact I was going to mention The Last Horror Film, then  decided it's not really a slasher. ...but it kind of is.

[Jim H]

Lots of good ones!  Thanks.  Any more?

Early 90s are probably also good, as it usually still feels like the 80s (just like the early 80s feel like the 70s a lot of the time).

[retrorussell]

Decent (very gory) Euro-slasher:
TENEBRE
Some brutally nasty killings in this Dario Argento offering!

[Chainsawmidget]

Finally had time to go through my collection, so here's a few more...

Don't Go in the Woods
Hellnight
Cheerleader Camp
Alone in the Dark (not the Uwe Boll version)
Pranks
The Burning (HIGHLY recommended)
Terror Train
Return to Horror High
Happy Birthday to Me
Pieces
Curtains
Invisible Maniac (especially recommended if you liked the Slumber Party Massacre series)
Memorial Valley Massacre (I've also seen it listed as Memorial Day massacre in some places)
Slash Dance
Crazy Fat Ethel II (the only reason to watch this is if you're having company over that you hate)
Hard to Die (actually part of the Slumber/sorority massacre series)
Scream Bloody Murder

[zombie no.one]

Chopping Mall

hilarious and cheesy. (and a precursor to Robocop in some ways)

Decent (very gory) Euro-slasher:
TENEBRE
Some brutally nasty killings in this Dario Argento offering!

yeah very cool film. kind of a giallo/slasher crossover.  Terror At The Opera from Argento also...

[Jack]

Hellnight

Oh yeah, that's a big favorite of mine too.  Good spooky atmosphere and it builds up to a nice climax at the end.