Slasher, Semi-Slasher, Proto-Slasher, or Something Else

Through feministic critiques and reclaimings, mainstream mockeries, Reagan-era fear campaigns and Twitter reclamations, the slasher has weathered the storm of controversy and emerged as a recognizable premise that can even be endorsed when introduced in a popular culture saturated with intellectual property and so-called “elevated horror” (as was the case with this year’s X).