Sightlines · a viewing thread

Masks, Knives and Final Girls

A run through the slasher's family tree, from Psycho's shower and Black Christmas's phone calls to Carpenter's Haddonfield, the summer-camp and holiday-town copycats, and Craven's dream-killer and self-aware Ghostface. Watched together, you can see the rules being written, then milked, then knowingly broken.

These are crowd favourites and October rituals with a few drive-in deep cuts mixed in, and they're easy, fun viewing in good company. Only Texas Chain Saw, Black Christmas and Candyman really ask you to brace yourself.

• Psycho (1960)
• Black Christmas (1974)
• The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
• Halloween (1978)
• Friday the 13th (1980)
• Halloween II (1981)
• The Funhouse (1981)
• My Bloody Valentine (1981)
• The Slumber Party Massacre (1982)
• Psycho II (1983)
• A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
• A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)
• Shallow Grave (1987)
• Child's Play (1988)
• Candyman (1992)
• Scream (1996)
• Scream 2 (1997)
• Bride of Chucky (1998)