Time Warp: 10 Memorable 90s Slashers
Matt Molgaard
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Urban Legend
Urban Legend had a great core concept to work from. Some elements of the film are successful while others miss the mark. That could easily be chalked up to the nature of the beast. Slasher films may seem basic and “easy” to assemble, but they’re far from it. Jamie Blanks didn’t give us a perfect pic, but we did get an entertaining affair with a somewhat startling twist. Blanks has nothing to be ashamed of.
The big selling point here is the cast. In 1998 Jared Leto, Rebecca Gayheart, Tara Reid, and Joshua Jackson were red-hot, fresh, pretty faces. A few had enjoyed recent breakout roles, and a few were riding the wave of popular television series. All of those performers could easily be classified as “uber-attractive,” and let’s just face it… younger crowds love to swoon over the obnoxiously appealing.
Thank heavens there’s more to Urban Legend than looks. We do get some gnarly death scenes and the great Robert Englund makes a brief but awesome appearance. Whether you realize it or not, Urban Legend is a winner if you’re looking for a little slasher nostalgia.
Wes Craven’s New Nightmare
Here’s where the molding really begins to shift. This isn’t your standard stalk and slash teens movie, and yet, in a weird way, it kind of is. One of the first “meta” movies out there, the story is approached as nightmarish fiction has spilled over into reality, and Freddy Krueger is still the monster behind the wheel.
I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that the victim selection is eclectic, as Freddy bumps off movie techs, effects practitioners, babysitters, and more. It’s not just about naïve teenagers being tormented by a living nightmare (although we do get a small taste of that); it’s about everyone being tormented by a living nightmare, and that’s just plain awesome.
An American Werewolf in Paris
An American Werewolf in Paris isn’t the most polished of films, and it isn’t your typical slasher. In fact, many would argue that it isn’t a slasher at all, but a simple werewolf film. I can’t tell you that you’re wrong, but I can ask you to take another look at the flick and tell me it doesn’t follow a whole hell of a lot of the rules utilized by slasher films.
Although the CGI is dreadful, Tom Everett Scott’s portrayal of the aloof Andy McDermott is surprisingly charming; he’s dumb as a brick but really quite likable. The setting is terrific, a few of the bit players are rather memorable (Brad, played by Vince Vieluf just rocks on all levels), and we get a couple impressive death scenes along the way.
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later
Back into familiar territory we travel as we take a look at the seventh film in the Halloween franchise. This beautiful return to the world of Michael Myers works because director Steve Miner (who also helmed Friday the 13th Parts 2 and 3 as well as the inaugural Warlock pic) allows the characters to make the machine move. Sure, Michael Myers is still his imposing self, and sure, he’s still capable of scaring the shit out of anyone, but all of that pales in comparison to the dynamic between Laurie Strode (played by the returning Jamie Lee Curtis and now known as Keri Tate after a wise name change) and her blossoming son, John (Josh Hartnett in an early and awesome performance).
We get all sorts of interesting death scenes, an often hilarious look at LL Cool J decked out as school security, and although Michael’s mask is absolutely terrible in this installment, the screenplay itself is strong enough to keep the audience engaged. Those are a lot of pros for the film. Halloween H20: 20 Years Later is a stylish and warm viewing experience.
Child’s Play 2
Chucky doesn’t really give a damn if he’s murdering small children, careless teens, or pesky adult figures. There’s certainly no bias in his makeup. And that works particularly well in the first two (and sixth) Child’s Play features. So does his small injection of humor – small injections that would eventually grow into a force strong enough to overrule every other element of the third, fourth, and fifth franchise films. But back when we were still just a sophomore bid into this now legendary franchise, it wasn’t just about laughs; it was about fear… and slashing.
Child’s Play 2 manages to be a chilling picture, and the fact that our slasher is a two-foot tall doll made for an atypical viewing experience. That creativity worked to draw fans in, and in they remain, now anxiously awaiting the arrival of the seventh franchise pic.
