Sometimes the scariest part of a horror movie isn't what's directly in front of the viewer, but rather what they don't see. Any large-bodied horror character can put on a mask, pick up something sharp, and give chase to a cast of characters, but something about the killer hiding in plain sight always goes the extra mile.
Whenever horror mixes with mystery, like the Scream series, something about that combo gives the film in question a little more depth. Mixing whodunnits with shock and terror is typically a solid way to keep an audience invested until the credits roll, and Hollywood has been doing it for years.
And Then There Were None (Various Adaptations)
Agatha Christie's works made her the mystery maven, but some of her works unwittingly laid the foundation for modern slasher movies. Case in point, arguably her most famous play and novel, And Then There Were None. While it needs no gratuitous gore or spectacle, it has several elements worthy of a modern horror film.
Think about how many horror movies follow this plot. A group of individuals all gather together in a dark and secluded location, everybody has a secret, and there's a killer in the midst of them picking off victims one by one. It certainly fits the bill for many slasher films that came after.
Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde (1931)
Although the secret has been given away with the age of time and the evolution of culture, the big twist of any production of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is that Dr. Jekyll is Mr. Hyde. However, it's a hallmark of the genre that has been steeped in horror since the book's publication.
The true horror of the story doesn't just come from the acts of evil that Mr. Hyde does, but rather that the benevolent Dr. Jekyll is committing them at the same time. It's one thing to know the identity of the monster in question, but it's another to know that it's a dear friend, as Utterson and the rest of the cast discover.
Psycho (1960)
Similar to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the double identity of Norman Bates is something that has already been known for some decades now. However, it was considered one of the most shocking things to ever hit a movie screen when the film first premiered in 1960.
Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho solidified his horror reputation, and the fact that the unassuming Norman was the man behind the murderous "Mother" was definitely a surprise for audiences at the time. Sometimes the art of misdirection can go a long way.
Happy Death Day (2017)
Happy Death Day is perhaps a gimmicky horror movie, but it has its fans as well as a certain appeal. The idea of a protagonist repeatedly having to solve their own murder is definitely a beloved flavor of horror, and this film certainly brought it more to the forefront.
Of course, being repeatedly murdered isn't exactly what most characters would call a picnic, and the race against the clock is soon afoot. The audience is certainly given more than a few opportunities to solve the mystery.
To Catch A Killer (1992)
It might be a TV movie, but it's one that's based on the true s of the John Wayne Gacy case. What makes it such a success is the way is that it depicts the infamous Gacy, not as the killer clown most people immediately think of, but as the successful businessman and pillar of the community.
The truth is often stranger than fiction, and that's absolutely the case for this true-crime horror story. Even though Gacy is seen in his Pogo the Clown getup, he's seen almost in more of a Hannibal Lecter light than the stereotypical serial killer a viewer might expect.
The Raven (2012)
Horror movies inspired by the works of Edgar Allan Poe are nothing new, but a slasher film that casts Poe himself as an investigator is definitely an interesting twist. During the last days of his literary career, a serial killer who uses the author's work as the inspiration for his killings challenges Poe and the police to a game of wits, but the killer is more than just an obsessed fan.
It's a near-equal balance of murder-mystery and period slasher film, and the use of Poe's best work gives the movie a deliciously gothic flavor. The twist is unexpected, but it's a practical answer when giving the film a rewatch, especially if the viewers happen to be well-read.
Silent Night (2012)
This remake of Silent Night Deadly Night makes better use of the killer Santa Claus motif by turning the jolly old elf into a masked murderer who evades the police by hiding amongst a whole crowd of Santas during a Christmas parade. Where the original is campy and kitschy, the remake is a hardcore slasher film.
While it ditches the laughable over-acting and low budget, it becomes more of a straightforward splatter fest with an even creepier Claus and gnarlier kills. It's cliche, but fun for the fans of the franchise.
Scream (1993)
"What's your favorite scary movie?" was the question asked by a whole host of friends turned suspects turned killers in the iconic meta-slasher franchise Scream. So many of Sidney Prescott's friends donned the Ghostface persona that it's a miracle she had any social life at all.
The original breathed new life into the slasher genre, and it was somewhat novel to have the killer practically on-screen throughout most of the movie. That being said, it did become a bit played out sometime around the third movie.
Trick R’ Treat (2007)
Michael Dougherty's holiday classic is loaded with tons of Halloween essentials. Serial killers, werewolves, zombies, and everything else are all perfectly fine, but the subject in question is a little trick-or-treater by the name of Sam. At first, it's unsure of what his purpose is other than tying the entire underrated anthology together, but it soon becomes apparent that he is more than just a pint-sized terror.
Sam is the spirit of Halloween personified, and he has some sort of hand or influence in the horror that happens over the course of the film. It's always the quiet ones, as the saying goes.
Secret Window (2004)
This underrated Stephen King classic has more than enough twists and turns to keep an audience guessing, and the killer literally never leaves the screen. Without going into spoiler territory, an author in a secluded cabin becomes part of a plot to commit the perfect murder.
When a strange character starts accusing him of stealing his story, Mort Rainey's life is pulled into a whirlwind of suspicion and intrigue. And the man who calls himself "Shooter" might be more than just an irate stalker. Sometimes a story is just too good not to share.
