proto-slasher
38 movies and shows
Psycho
Wed, 22 Jun 1960
When larcenous real estate clerk Marion Crane goes on the lam with a wad of cash and hopes of starting a new life, she ends up at the notorious Bates Motel, where manager Norman Bates cares for his housebound mother.
Dementia 13
Wed, 25 Sep 1963
A widow deceives her late husband's mother and brothers into thinking he's still alive when she attends the yearly memorial to his drowned sister, hoping to secure his inheritance, but her cunning is no match for the demented, axe-wielding thing roaming the grounds of the family's Irish estate.
A Bucket of Blood
Wed, 21 Oct 1959
Nerdy Walter Paisley, a maladroit busboy at a beatnik café who doesn't fit in with the cool scene around him, attempts to woo his beautiful co-worker, Carla, by making a bust of her. When his klutziness results in the death of his landlady's cat, he panics and hides its body under a layer of plaster. But when Carla and her friends enthuse over the resulting artwork, Walter decides to create some bigger and more elaborate pieces using the same artistic process.
Deep Red
Fri, 07 Mar 1975
An English pianist living in Rome witnesses the brutal murder of his psychic neighbor. With the help of a tenacious young reporter, he tries to discover the killer using very unconventional methods. The two are soon drawn into a shocking web of dementia and violence.
Peeping Tom
Mon, 16 May 1960
Loner Mark Lewis works at a film studio during the day and, at night, takes racy photographs of women. Also he's making a documentary on fear, which involves recording the reactions of victims as he murders them. He befriends Helen, the daughter of the family living in the apartment below his, and he tells her vaguely about the movie he is making.
The Town That Dreaded Sundown
Fri, 24 Dec 1976
When two young lovers are savagely beaten and tortured on a back country road in Texarkana, local police are baffled and must find "the Phantom Killer" before he can kill again.
A Bay of Blood
Wed, 08 Sep 1971
An elderly heiress is killed by her husband who wants control of her fortunes. What ensues is an all-out murder spree as relatives and friends attempt to reduce the inheritance playing field, complicated by some teenagers who decide to camp out in a dilapidated building on the estate.
The Severed Arm
Fri, 02 Nov 1973
Trapped in a cave, five men cut the arm off of another companion in order to ward off starvation. After they are saved, their victim seeks revenge on them one by one.
Alice, Sweet Alice
Sat, 13 Nov 1976
Alice is a withdrawn 12-year-old who lives with her mother and her younger sister, Karen, who gets most of the attention from her mother, leaving Alice out of the spotlight. When Karen is found brutally murdered in a church, suspicions start to turn toward Alice. But could a 12-year-old girl really be capable of such savagery?
Blood and Lace
Wed, 17 Mar 1971
After her prostitute mother and her john are beaten to death while they are asleep in bed, teen-aged Ellie Masters is sent to an isolated orphanage run by a mysterious woman and her handyman, both whom she comes to suspect are hiding dark secrets.
House of Wax
Thu, 16 Apr 1953
A New York sculptor who opens a wax museum to showcase the likenesses of famous historical figures runs into trouble with his business partner, who demands that the exhibits become more extreme in order to increase profits.
The Spiral Staircase
Sat, 26 Jan 1946
On a stormy night, the mute servant to an ailing matriarch is stalked by a serial killer.
Strait-Jacket
Sun, 19 Jan 1964
After a twenty-year stay at an asylum for a double murder, a mother returns to her estranged daughter where suspicions arise about her behavior.
The Leopard Man
Wed, 19 May 1943
When a leopard escapes during a publicity stunt, it triggers a series of murders.
The Comeback
Fri, 16 Jun 1978
A singer holes up at a sinister estate to write new songs for his act. His ex-wife is brutally murdered, and the killer may be stalking him next.
The Love Butcher
Mon, 01 Dec 1975
The twisted tale of Caleb, and his alter ego Lester. After being pushed around too far, Caleb transforms into Lester and returns to those who have wronged him.
Corruption
Fri, 19 Jul 1968
A surgeon discovers that he can restore the beauty to his girlfriend's scarred face by murdering other women and extracting fluids from their pituitary gland. However, the effects only last for a short time, so he has to kill more and more women. It is ultimately a killing spree which ends with considerable death and disaster.
I'm the Girl He Wants to Kill
Mon, 18 Mar 1974
Returning home to her flat, Ann Rogers passes a stranger leaving the building. A few moments later she discovers her neighbor lying dead in the hallway, the latest victim of a serial killer. Ann could be able to identify the killer, but the killer also knows her face and knows he needs to silence the witness... TV episode from the series, "Thriller" was also released as feature film on home video starting in the 1980s.
The Flesh and Blood Show
Sun, 01 Oct 1972
Actors rehearsing a show at a mysterious seaside theater are being killed off by an unknown maniac.