The Teenage Slasher Movie Book: 2nd Revised and Expanded Edition

by J.A. Kerswell

A detailed look at the surprising beginnings of the slasher movie - a genre that brought a new high in cinematic violence and suspense to mainstream cinema - this grisly guidebook revels in its glory days of the late 1970s and early 1980s and discusses its recent resurgence. Packed with reviews of the best (and worst) slasher movies and illustrated with an extensive collection of distinctive and often graphic color poster artwork from around the world, this book also looks at the political, cultural, and social influences on the slasher movie and its own effect on other film genres. A list of the top-10 body count films, trivia on famous actors who made their big-screen debuts in slasher films, a glossy of need-to-know terms, and lists of additional reading and websites to head to for additional macabre movies is also included.

Genres: Horror, Nonfiction, Film, Media Tie In, Coffee Table Books, History

224 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2010

Reviews

[Marianna Neal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked this! If you're a horror (and particularly, slasher) movie fan - this is a book you want to own. It's not only a cool coffee table book to look through, but it also actually provides a lot of interesting information about history and development of the slasher genre.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taking a look at the history of the slasher movie - from the earliest examples through the golden period of the 80s and beyond - this is called (in it’s second edition) a definitive edition but it’s not really. It is good fun but that’s mainly because the author shares my love of slasher films and as a fan of them, I find even the slightly dodgy ones worth watching. Kerswell covers a lot of ground and can’t hope to do so in definitive detail so we get a brief rundown of some films (some barely earn a mention) and quickly move onto the next. Worse, to my mind, is that he starts rating them based on their box office performance later in the book - a film earning millions of dollars isn’t necessarily better than a film earning half that. The chapter covering the golden age repeats information from before and I really would have preferred more time spent there - he makes a point that this is where the sub-genre really took off, so it should be the main focus. It’s entertaining enough, the artwork is well reproduced (I’d have liked more film stills than video/poster art) and if you love slasher films you’ll enjoy it but I wanted there to be more.

[Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bloody fantastic. Har. But really--this was just excellent fun and extremely well researched. I checked this out at the library yesterday and it just screamed at me from the shelf. It's gorgeous, full color on every page, amazing vintage slasher posters depicted on almost every page and both U.S., Japanese, Mexican, Italian and U.K. posters are included. Extremely well researched and written by a fan, it includes great info on the U.K. "video nasties" problems and a painstaking list of just about every slasher worth noting (and some not so worth noting) as well as plot synopsis, stars who got their start in slashers and more. Such a fun read for a fan of these wonderfully cheesy flicks. Part of the fun of the book is that J.A. Kerswell is a fan--and slasher flicks should be written about by fans--it's just better reading. Loved, loved, loved it and hope to own it in the future.

[Alex (The Bookubus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is mostly an overview of the golden age of slashers (1978-1984) but puts it into context of what came before and what came after. It doesn't really go into any commentary or analysis, it's more of a rundown of the relevant films with brief synopses. At times it was a bit dry and felt like just reading a list of film after film, and the box office stats got boring pretty quickly. But the content was very readable and there were plenty of interesting and informative elements. As a snapshot of the slasher subgenre I thought it was well put together. There are tons of poster and VHS artwork images throughout the book so it is visually interesting. While I've watched a fair few slashers over the years there are definitely some I haven't yet seen that this book has either put back on my radar or introduced me to and I look forward to checking them out.

[Creep Creepersin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is simply beautiful. So much love went into making it and it shows. The amount of time and knowledge that was spent here is well worth it and I highly recommend this to anyone new to slashers or people that grew up on it like myself.

[Teresa Creek · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK so I read this to step out of my comfort zone of books and movies....I hate slasher movies and therefore reading about them is not my favorite.

But I sucked it up and here is my unbiased review--

Its in-depth exploration of the slasher film craze as I would call it, including a wide selection of movies is praiseworthy with it's high-quality images (as if watching the movie splatter wasn't enough), including posters and stills of such gore haha.

The writing can be dry and a wee repetitive at times but oh well what can you say new about movies seen by all......yep girl you shouldn't have worn high heels out to the graveyard and for heavens sake take them off to run if ya wanna live.....js

[Pucho · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book (entertaining & insightful!), it's a must have book for all Horror movie enthusiasts!

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The time period known as the Slasher Era holds a tremendous amount of nostalgia for horror fans. It was the period of big hair, great music, and the over-the-top subgenre of horror films known as the Slasher.

Justin Kerswell's knowledge of the movies of this era is staggering. Together with his website, Hysteria Lives, any question you have about the Slasher movie era is answered in gory detail. I can't thank him enough for turning me on to the classic movies that slipped through the cracks once the era ended. Movies like Just Before Dawn, which are moody, well-directed, and flat out scary.

You'll get all of the bloody details of the Slasher Era here. Whether you want to read his thoughts on well-known classics such as Halloween and Black Christmas, or lesser known bits of popcorn fun such as Girls Nite Out, you will get your money's worth. Great images and even better writing.

This book is the most comprehensive review of the Slasher Era. And it's a darn fun trip down memory lane.

[Ján Dráb · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Slasher Movie Book is a must-have for all the slasher fans. It is a unique inspiration as it consists information on many forgotten slasher movies. Moreover, it is full of amazing (often rare) films posters and movie stills. But that's all. J.A. Kerswell lacks analytical thinking and he is a lousy writer. The concept of the book is a chronological film-title dropping with some plot, trivia and routine box-office notes. No analysis of the rules, cultural background or evolution of the genre. Also, many obscure video nasties have more space than some of the groundbreaking pieces (there are only two sentences about Dream Warriors!).

PS: While printing and quality of the paper are fabulous, book binding is shit - mine collapsed during first reading!

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an awesome book this was. Anyone that loves slasher movies should pick this book up asap

[Horror DNA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author J.A. Kerswell’s long running UK website HysteriaLives is a place where horror fans can easily kill a few hours checking out several enthusiastic reviews of slasher films presented (essentially) in chronological order. In his 2010 book Teenage Wasteland: The Slasher Movie Uncut , Kerswell follows the same pattern, tracing the history of the sub-genre from its early cinematic origins and continuing through to the current wave of Hollywood remakes. Each review is at heart a very thorough plot synopsis with a few critical comments sprinkled throughout.

Thanks to the efforts of the Chicago Review Press, Teenage Wasteland receives a domestic release with a few minor upgrades and a title change. Now known as The Slasher Movie Book, the page count remains the same within this second edition and the only significant difference is that a few new titles have been added with the passing of time. While the Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street remakes were listed as “coming soon” in the 2010 printing, they are now quickly dismissed alongside a brief mention of the disappointing Scream 4.

You can read ZigZag's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.

[Rebecca Elson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review originally appeared on The Magical Buffet website on 10/11/2018.

I don’t know if you’ll find this surprising or not, but I do not watch horror movies. I just can’t handle it, they stick with me way too long. That said, I love reading about horror movies. I go online and read plot summaries, analysis, and reviews for tons of horror movies. Weird, right? I just feel the genre has a lot to offer. That’s why I agreed to read and review the 2nd revised and expanded edition of “The Teenage Slasher Movie Book” by J.A. Kerswell. I will admit that I don’t normally look into the slasher subgenre, but just like the rest of the horror genre, the author showed me there are surprises to be found there.

Have you heard of the gory, Italian, thrillers known as giallos? I hadn’t, but it turns out they played a huge role in the eventual teenage slasher film. I had no idea that many popular slasher movies came from Canada! Sure, now it seems all movies come from Canada, but the late 70’s, I had no clue. Also, I didn’t realize that Britain had previewed and censored all videos being released in the country. This delayed the release of many slasher movies in the country.

Kerswell does an excellent job condensing the history and works of the genre into a fast paced read. He succeeds in striking the balance of treating the subject matter seriously while acknowledging how silly it can all be.

With Kerswell’s authoritative writing and a dizzying amount of full color photos from films and movie posters, I can safely say “The Teenage Slasher Movie Book” is a great resource for anyone interested in horror films.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

While not as funny or humorous as, let's say, Hendrix's Paperbacks From Hell, J.A. Kerswell's The Teenage Slasher Movie Book is just as encyclopedic.

The amount of films listed in these pages is mindboggling, as is the dedication to research that Kerswell displays throughout all the various, and ever-evolving, subgenres in this little corner of horror.

I was happy to see that I only owned roughly 200 of the almost 500 films named herein, so at least I have some stuff to look forward to and to hunt down.

The book does read a little text-booky, so if that's not your thing then tread accordingly. But there is tons of info here, a handful of cool anecdotes, behind-the-scenes tidbits, and plenty of box office numbers if the money is your thing.

I wish there was more personality here, a peek at Kerswell's life and love of horror. Or just something to make this just slightly more engaging. The poster art, lobby cards, and film stills make up for that a bit, though.

I was hoping the book would contain the body counter that is prevalent on Kerswell's website, hysterialives.co.uk, and was pretty disappointed to see that was missing (except for ten of the classic 80s slashers). To be honest, the lack of the body count compendium is probably the only real reason this isn't getting five stars from me. I can read a horror textbook all day long, I just know it should be mentioned to other, less dedicated, horror readers. But take away my kill count? Well, that I just can't abide.

[Wyrd Witch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of all horror subgenres, the slasher remains one of the most well-known and infamous. To this day, many people think of slasher films when describing a horror movie. Much like exploitation films and so-called torture porn movies, slashers also often end up on the chopping block, the pinnacle example of why horror films are considered trash or low-brow.

But many horror fans love slashers. To the slasher aficionado, the unchanging formulas and plots, the return of tropes and character archetypes, and those gory, unrepentant kills signal nostalgia, comfort, and spectacle. Some look at slashers and find a conservative paradigm reinforcing gender roles, heterosexuality, and purity culture. Others find an empowering fantasy, especially through the lens of the Final Girl.

In this huge cultural conversation spanning several decades, J.A. Kerswell’s The Teenage Slasher Movie Book seeks to provide a primer and resource for the genre’s continued evolution. Despite some dated language, in many respects, the book does a great job in providing that resource.

Read the rest of my review here.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those who wonder how the evolution of the slasher film came about this is a great reference of its rise and fall at the box offices and (like its highlight killers) its resurrection to new audiences. I really enjoyed learning about more of the German Krimi and the Italian Gialli films that helped guide the slasher formula. It goes into the Slasher Golden Age of 1978-1984 and hits the ground running talking about all of the good, the bad, and ugly slashers that came out before MPAA and Video Nasties really cracked down hard on them. Afterward many of these went to the cheaper direct to video route. Interesting to see this subgenre of films that is not based off of the idea of critical acclaim or strong leaden plot, but what would sell at the box office. My only two things is that if they do come up with a new revised edition in the future that they maybe talk about the unusual unicorn that is the "final boy", and also further on the "Psycho-Biddy" element. Lauren Bacall and Joan Crawford are briefly mentioned as being part of the early slashers, but there are more of the psycho-biddy types that grew out of that tradition along with new ones like A24's X (AKA grande dame guignol or hags-ploitation). And that aforementioned unicorn of the final boy I feel like it could have its own little sub section with characters like The Burning's Alfred, Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker's Billy, and A Nightmare on Elm Street 2's Jesse. I count the latter encounter with him fighting off the possession of Freddy with Lisa's encouragement. I don't count the dream or reality last minute pastiche on the bus with the possessed friend ending.😅

[Kevin Gentilcore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Turns out this book isn’t just a list of notable slasher movies, but a deep dive into the genre, where it came from and it’s supposed heyday. I was more interested in the roots and origins, even as a slasher movie fan I wasn’t hip to some of the influences the author cites.

The book is based around the idea that the genre peaked between 1978 - 1984 and yeah, sure, a lot of cool slasher movies came out then but the author seems to have a lot of contempt of the endless sequels and movies that post date his bubble of excellence, and that sort of rigid adherence and dismal of everything else for the sake of nostalgia sticks in my craw.

[Maarten Van Krimpen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cool. Maybe it could have been a bit more analytical, the information could have gone a little bit more in depth, but the lay-out of the book is BEAUTIFUL and the guy has a really fun way of writing. Loved every page of this book!

P.S.: He forgot to mention the really cool Dutch slasher Intensive Care from 1991 :)

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun look at the under appreciated sub-genre that is the “Slasher Film”. Though many of these gems were familiar to me (“My Bloody Valentine” is one of my very favorite horror films) I found plenty more more worth looking into. I guess I have my next few months of Netflix watching.

[Hugo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A breezy overview of the subgenre - from influences and proto-slashers through the heyday and into the latter resurgence - in a coffee table format of colourful pages and wonky photo-spreads. Exhaustive in scope, though light on background information and insight.

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need my own copy of this for my coffee table.

[Joe Andrukaitis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't have the time read the text cover-to-cover, but the movie artwork and the layouts in this book are A++.

[Giulia Renzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely historic introduction to the genre, which is exactly what I was looking for.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The perfect book to kick off the spooky season. I picked up a few new movies to check out from this and adored the immaculate layout of this book.

[Spencer Lestina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Essential for any slasher movie buff. Found a ton of under seen gems.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of the Hysteria Lives! website, run by Justin Kerswell. So when I found out he had a book coming out, I couldn't wait to buy it. Then I found out it was only in the UK and sad. Then they released it in the US, under the title The Slasher Movie Book, and I picked that sucker up.

I'm glad I did. While not as in depth a work as something like The Horror Show, this book takes us on a fairly deep and interesting tour of the Golden Age of the Slasher Movie, starting with the late 70s into the mid-80s. In addition, we get a look a some films that were proto-slashers and spawned the genre as well as a look at the things that came in the direct to video age and the resurgence brought on by Scream and its kin.

While he doesn't go into detail about every slasher movie out there, he does go into quite a bit of detail with the bigger movies and cult hits, as well as some under-appreciated gems that you might have seen languishing on your video store shelf back in the day but never picked up.

But then, the book isn't about reviewing the movies as others of its like are. Instead, he explores the society at the time and the political climate that spawned these movies that some see as reprehensible. Don't let that frighten you. Kerswell doesn't make any of it boring and his light and friendly tone helps you breeze through the book and leaves you wanting more.

In addition to being informative and well-written, this book is also one of the most colorful and well laid out that I've seen. Seriously. The pictures just pop off the page and the use of color is never distracting, nor does it obfuscate the text. It is a labor of love and it shows and I hope to see more from Mr. Kerswell so he can share more of his knowledge. Or even just photos of his collection. He has a crazy amount of slasher movie memorabilia, from what I've seen of the photos he posts. He could make a coffee table book of that, easily.

Check it out.

[Mariano Hortal · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Teenage Wasteland: the slasher movie uncut" de J.A. Kerswell es un ensayo excelente y sorprendentemente riguroso que recorre ese subgénero del terror que a tantos nos gusta como es el "slasher", emparentándolo en sus inicios con el Grand Guignol, la novela Diez Negritos de Agatha Christie y los Old Dark house thrillers de los años 20 a 30 pasando por el krimi alemán y, naturalmente, el giallo italiano y el Psycho de Hitchkock hasta llegar a la edad dorada del slasher que inició Halloween en 1978, desde ese tiempo a nuestros días relatado todo de manera muy amena pero sin perder el rumbo en la narración. Además te ayuda a entender términos que hasta ahora no tenía nada claros como el propio slasher, Body count, FG (final girl), POV (point of view), etc... Todo ello además está aderezado además con los "artworks" de un montón de las películas mencionadas y algún apartado curioso como el body count de 10 de los más importantes en la edad dorada del subgénero. En fin, una joya para todos los amantes del terror y en especial de este tipo de películas.. Qué ganas de que estrenen Scream 4... ;-)

[Mark R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

****1/2

"The Slasher Movie Book" is a must-have resource for any fan of horror from the last few decades, and especially for fans of the "Golden Age" of slasher movies. The "Golden Age", as described accurately by author J. A. Kerswell, occurred in the time between 1978 and 1984.

The book spends plenty of time discussing these years, but also goes back years before John Carpenter's "Halloween", to point out the roots of the genre, including obvious influences like "Psycho" and "Black Christmas", but coming up with more obscure titles, as well, from around the world. More than a few of them were unknown to me, but will certainly be seeing the top of my Netflix queu in the near future.

If "The Slasher Movie Book" came in a hardcover edition, it'd make a great coffee table book. Aside from the enlightening text, each page displays colorful ads, posters, and rare promotional materials for various films.

[David Larsson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kerswell sure possesses a great knowledge about the slasher movie, which he shows time to time in this book. What the book doesn't do is to go deep into the slasher phenomena, more than showing that it was a hugely popular thing in the early 80s. Although Kerswell should get credit for pointing out certain movements within the subgenre, as for example "the supernatural slasher", which shows hints of what this book could have been. That said, it is an easy and fun read, written with love for the movies it depicts and a worthy add to the collection if you are into this stuff.

[Tony · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a lifelong horror fan, who has never been a big fan of the slasher sub-genre, I finally pulled the trigger on this book after a few weeks of trying to decide if I really cared enough to buy it. Turns out, I'm glad I did. While the book isn't digging into any new territory on the subject, the layout and inclusion of great poster art makes it an enjoyable refresher course on the history of the slasher film. Younger fans of horror will definitely find more pleasure and information within it's pages, but even older fans may get some value by having it on their shelves.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better horror movie history books I've read. Not too dense while still managing to be pretty thorough. Some slasher titles that were mentioned were a bit more glossed over than others but the author made sure to devote a few pages to the best and most respected films. I learned quite a lot and discovered many new movies I had overlooked. If you're a fan of slasher sub-genre, this book will whet your appetite to dive deeper and seek out new scares while reliving your favorites. A great pre-Halloween read.