Slashers

Slasher Flicks

Slashers were largely an invention of the 1980s although previous examples abound. The Menace is an unstoppable Supernatural force, often masked or mangled, on an unquenchable campaign of revenge. While the earliest Slashers of the late 1970s and early 1980s were largely Psychological Horror, most historians agree that the runaway success of the low-budget Halloween truly established the field and it is from this franchise that almost all of the common, modern slasher tropes were taken.

To be sure, weapon-wielding "psychos" had been featured in numerous films prior to the explosion of the 1980s. Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho is often credited as the roots of the sub-genre but most of the tropes and clichés that came to define it followed. Similarly, while the film Peeping Tom may have been the first to employ the Menace's POV as a camera angle, Halloween made it popular. As did another horror classic released around the same time: Bob Clark's classic, Black Christmas.

Furthermore, the success of the drive-in classic, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, proved that horror movies could turn a tidy profit, even if not done well - such as the Friday the 13^th franchise, which began as nothing more than an ad in a trade 'zine. The advent of the VCR and home-viewing also opened up an entirely new distribution model which allowed many horror films to be made as "direct-to-video."

By the mid- 1980s, nearly every Slasher was branded with a quirk or gimmick -- distinctive masks, specific and sometimes exotic weapons, and/or some tortured modus operandi -- and most were specifically associated with a holiday or theme. These Mad Slashers were on an irrational, neverending quest for revenge and remained faceless almost to the end. While the nigh-unstoppable villain was rarely seen, the audience experienced many kill scenes from his perspective. 

Also by this time, Slashers had moved from Psychological Horror into strictly Moral Tales that directly served the purpose: Giving the Menace a reason to become active once again. This formula was so successful that it fueled several of the largest movie franchises in American cinematic history. The villains of these franchises became celebrities in their own right.

The Moral Tale approach may also have been related to the political climate of the time, as the rise of the Moral Majority -- fueled by "Satanic Panic" -- lead to a return of Conservative political leadership and social morés. Slashers came under attack around the same time as the music industry for a general suspicion of contributing to American moral decline and association with Satanism. This may have been an approach by filmmakers to avoid confronting such accusations directly, as the victims were invariably engaged in some illicit activity prior to their violent demise.

This also did not become apparent until well after the field had become firmly established. While it is a common cliché that the kids who did drugs or had sex were always victims, so were the nerds and social outcasts, the unwitting trophy girlfriends of the leading love interest, innocent campers and party-goers, et. al.  So, while the strict Moral Tale on sociopolitical grounds theory may be true, it hardly explains the villain's rationale or the popularity of these Mad Slashers.

Slashers did come under heavy fire from the Moral Majority, which included representatives from both American political parties, but all of the major franchises were well into their fifth or sixth installment by that time and had largely run their course. The Slasher genre burned itself out by the 1990s and lay dormant for several years.

It was the release of Kevin Williamson's Scream, directed by Wes Craven, that revived them. Craven had left an indelible mark on the sub-genre years earlier with A Nightmare on Elm Street. Williamson's script also ushered-in the cynical self-awareness some later termed "Meta." 

But, while Scream both reinvigorated and reinvented the Slasher sub-genre, the majority of Horror films over the next decade would be rated PG-13 with vaguely Supernatural themes.

Image courtesy of Prototype Productions.

Copyright 2014, The B-Raters

The Difference Between Cult and Exploitation Movies

The B-Raters view all manner of content with few exceptions but we most often find ourselves watching Cult and Exploitation films - and, all too often, real B-rated trash.

Cult movies are often lumped-in with Exploitation and B-movies but they are neither, necessarily. "Cult" movies refer to films that have become perennially popular amongst an audience. This audience rarely holds any political, religious, or other views as a group; they simply love a particular movie. Over the years, these movies began to develop a certain nature and revel in particular subject matters, and films with these traits have come to be labeled Cult movies. To be sure, Cult movies can be manufactured and qualify as a genre, but the fans really choose which movies become Cult films, and these are not always Independent, dark, or quirky.

Exploitation films are generally believed to have been most popular, and most often made, in the 1970s but exploitative movies have been made since the dawn of the motion picture. In some sense, all movies made today can be considered exploitative but the term, "Exploitation movies," refers to a specific genre of films and filmmaking most prevalent in the 1970s. To this we would add the "Roughies" of the 1950s and '60s and, yes, Pornography falls into this category as well (formerly referred to as "Blue" or "Stag" films). In fact, many of the earliest photographs and cave drawings would be considered "pornographic" by today's prudish standards. A handful of movies from other decades are also relevant, most notably Tod Brown's Freaks and Mom & Pop - a sleazy flick which was released as an educational film regarding the birds and bees.

While there has been a recent wave of new Exploitation flicks, the most popular sub-genres were established by American movies from the 1970s. These include Blaxploitation, Sexploitation, Rapesploitation (Revenge flicks), Grindhouse, Brucesploitation ("Bruce Lee" films starring everyone except Bruce Lee), and a handful of others. Some rather newer categories of Exploitation include Nazisploitation, Nunsploitation, Ozploitation, and Religiousploitation. Sometimes the Spaghetti Westerns of the 1960s and Slasher flicks of the 1980s, as well as a specific type of documentary (called Mondo or "Shockumentary"), are included in this overall genre. While the Slasher film deserves special consideration, only the documentaries from the list above are actually Exploitation Movies. "Exploitation" refers as much to a Movement in filmmaking as it does a style or genre.

Exploitation Movies were made outside the Hollywood system by the first true, commercial, Independent Filmmakers. That deserves capitalization these days as Independent Film has become a cottage Hollywood industry in and of itself. In its infancy though, it usually referred to B-rated movies churned out by shady types who weren't necessarily "filmmakers" by trade. Many of these were, intentionally or not, sleazy and exploitative. This includes Pornographic movies, which briefly achieved mainstream success with the theatrical wide-release of Deepthroat in 1974.

While any asshole with an iPhone can be called an "Independent Filmmaker," Exploitation movies were made possible by the popularity of the American Drive-In and their makers were driven solely by commercial desire. This movement was heavily propelled and defined by the success of George Romero's Night of the Living Dead, which is why many of these movies belong in the Horror genre or have Horror overtones. Most horror film historians and experts agree that the political climate of that Era is most responsible for the movement and, often times, the material is in too poor of taste for Hollywood standards of the period.

While some of these movies aspire to, and even fewer actually achieve, some higher purpose, most Exploitation and Drive-In movies were created to make money. They did so by featuring taboo subjects in a lurid and sensationalistic manner and with little budget. This is known as a lowest common denominator approach which had already been perfected by daytime TV. The low budget resulted in few sets and even fewer permits, rushed takes, and poor quality equipment. Thus, cinema-veritae cinematography and cheap film resulted in grainy shots and shaky camerawork that became hallmarks of the movement, lending these movies that "Gritty" atmosphere.

Blaxploitation movies were originally poorly produced by white men who saw a lucrative market, for example. However, they provide a far more realistic portrayal of black American life in those times than most Hollywood movies made during the same period despite the fact that they rely on exploitative situations and stereotypes. Most of these movies found their most lasting audience members at the Drive-In, thus the overlap in Cult, Exploitation, Drive-In, and B-movies.

 But not all horror movies, or Drive-In films, can be considered Cult or Exploitation.

A Note on Copyrights and Fair Use

The B-Raters is a comedy program often featuring Cult, or B-rated, genre and exploitation movies. Many, if not all, of these films can be considered as "poor taste" or even "bad taste," as can the hosting panel and everything we say. While the purpose of our show is more entertainment than education, we do offer trivial tidbits and insights into the films, their subject matter, and the personalities involved. We do little to actually "host" the program, so we cannot be considered as such.

Viewing of and commenting on these films is not, in any way, a challenge to anyone's rights. In most cases, we are actually fans of the movie, one or more actors or creators involved, or the subject matter. While our commentary on these films may be considered a critical viewing, we are far more critical on them for means of showmanship than our true feelings reflect. While we are intentionally "hard" on the fare we view, our commentary for the show should not be considered reflective of our true feelings. Our intention is never to slander nor personally insult anyone but the viewer.

Copyrights on most of the selections viewed by The B-Raters are either expired, non-existent (public domain), or not applicable in the United States. While some are questionable and others are known to be under copyright, The Weirding does not host the actual films we critique so we are not the ones to contact if you wish to have something pulled. We retain copyright only on the videos featuring us and our commentary and have no control over, nor say as to, the posting of those films.

Pursuant to the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, The Weirding Theater and The B-Raters believe we are actually adding value to many, if not all, of these films. We realize we are wrong - we are not delusional - but we believe it. We challenge naysayers to watch the movies we "riff" without our commentary as evidence.

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