Conventions of a Slasher

Within the sub genre of ‘slasher’ there is usually a masked killer with an unknown identity, who ‘slashes’ a young group of teenagers, usually a group of friends (who are transgressors - rule breakers) who drink, do drugs and have casual sex. One by one they are then killed. At the end of the film, the final girl puts a stop to the killer somehow, provoking him leading for the movie to end with many questions. This usually results in a sequel. Such as the Halloween Franchise and the Scream Franchise.

Main ConventionsSlashers are renowned for having an unknown, masked killer who goes on a psychotic rampage killing a group of

teenagers. It is suspected that this is because of their personal upbringing and now they are taking it out on future generations. The fact that their identity is hidden is enticing for audiences, who will want to keep watching in order to find out if the killer is someone we know, or if it is a complete stranger. As as result of this, audiences are on the edge of their seats throughout the movie, dying to find out. Furthermore, the use of the mask is more successful in scaring audiences, as well as victims, based on the fear of the unknown as to who is behind the mask and what they are then capable of.

Another convention of horror is the use of a weapon. Every antagonist has a signature weapon that they will use in order to kill/slaughter their victims with. The weapons chosen are usually those that could have the most impact in making their victims suffer. It is unlikely that that would use a gun, as this means that the victim would pretty much instantly, or shortly after being shot. The antagonist prefers to let their victim suffer in their last moments. Additionally to this, through the use of knives/axes, the audience will be exposed to more gruesome scenes and horrific imagery which they would expect to see in a slasher film, based on it being conventional. The weapon says a lot about the antagonist and can distinguish them from any other antagonist from different horror films. For example, when we see an antagonist with a chainsaw, we automatically think of the ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’.

Main ConventionsOther conventions include the female protagonists and the final girl. Female victims are often seen as

sexual transgressors, which can sometimes be the cause of their death, it is there punishment for being a transgressor. They usually surround themselves around alcohol, drugs and sex. This combined with a lack of focus, awareness and coordination leaves them less likely to protect themselves and makes them even more of a victim. They are usually chased and scared witless by a male antagonist making them appear weak and powerless, eventually, they are killed in graphic ways making them seem even more like a victim. All of them end up dead, apart from one who is known as the ‘final girl’. A final girl is a lone survivor who remains after her friends have been killed. However, she looks death in the face plenty of times before her eventual escape/defeat of the killer. Unlike her friends, she is sensible, brave, virginal, intelligent, perspective and reasonable. She is a proactive fighter, not a passive victim, which is why she manages to survive.

Conventionally, the final girl is a brunette in comparison to her ‘dumb blonde’ friend who can be used as the ‘sacrificial lamb’ in a slasher, who conventionally dies first.