Ted Geoghegan – writer/director – We Are Still Here, Mohawk, Brooklyn 45.

“Growing up an 80s "slasher kid", I was a huge fan of the studio franchises - but as I dug deeper into the genre, I was over the moon with the litany of fantastic titles that had snuck past me. Slasher cinema is more varied than almost any other sub-genre of horror, and picking out something that fits one's mood is amazingly easy, given the wild variety out there.

Below are five lesser-known slasher favorites of mine, each with their own particular vibe, specific sleaze, and buckets of that silly, over-the-top violence that fans of the genre have come to expect and love.

Deadly Manor
José Ramón Larraz shot this surreal slasher in upstate New York, but, from the goofy dubbing to the giant manor house, you'd be hard pressed to believe that it wasn't Italy. A group of kids end up at a spooky mansion in the woods and are attacked by a creepy figure in a white mask. What does the killer want? Why is there a giant monument to a car in the front yard? Watch it and find out!

Edge of the Axe
Filmmaker José Ramón Larraz strikes back at the U.S. with this oddball slasher shot in stunning Big Bear Lake, California. Once more, folks are stalked by a maniac in a white mask (a Larraz favorite), but this time they're brandishing an oversized wood axe! Silly characters, tons of red herrings, and a surprisingly cozy locale that you'll wish you could visit sans murders make this one worth checking out.

Girls Nite Out
A killer wearing a university bear mascot outfit is stalking sorority girls during an all-night scavenger hunt, and killing them with a razor-clawed hand that pre-dates Freddy by two full years. If you're in the mood for the bloodiest film to ever come out of Ohio - and a nonstop barrage of 50s and 60s rock hits that you'll have no idea how this film was able to get clearance to use - be sure to take this "nite" out.

Kolobos
Released during the height of Big Brother's popularity, Kolobos asks the question "What if a house was a slasher?" A group of folks sign up to be in a reality experiment, unaware that the house they're now locked in is equipped with a litany of deadly traps... and a mysterious man in black is also there, ready to help the house with its gruesome job. Lock yourself in with this fun late-90s time capsule, featuring some truly brutal gore that only slightly predates the Torture Porn fad that would soon follow it.

Phantom of the Mall: Eric's Revenge
There are two ways to watch Phantom of the Mall: Eric's Revenge. You can mock it, laughing and cheering as you and your friends pound beers and gorge on pizza. Or you can absolutely love it, laughing and cheering as you and your friends pound beers and gorge on pizza. I'm part of the later group. Co-starring Pauly Shore and Morgan Fairchild, Phantom of the Mall is nonstop silly fun, and features tons of goofball kills inside the iconic Sherman Oaks Galleria, best-known as the filming location of Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Chopping Mall.”

*not all titles are available in all territories