I fell in love with camp based horror at an incredibly young age. Growing up in Canada, I naturally became indoctrinated by ‘The Midnight Society’ – A group of teenagers exchanging spooky tales around a campfire in the Canadian-made television horror anthology, Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Had I not been exposed to the aforementioned program, I likely still would have developed the inherent, overwhelming phobia that creeps in whenever I find myself surrounded by dense forestation. Threats come in many forms – If it isn’t a ravenous grizzly bear, it’s a machete-wielding ghost of a boy that drowned in a nearby lake a million years ago. Y’all know exactly what I’m talking about, and though Friday the 13^th (1980) is the quintessential summer-camp slasher, there are so many more out there worthy of tainting your future backwoods vacation with.

Madman (1981)

Madman serves as a love-letter to everything spooky I adored as a child. Like most camp slashers, we’re introduced to the foreboding legend via campfire tales. Not unlike popular urban legends such as the Candyman or Bloody Mary, our maniacal ‘Madman Mars’ emerges when verbally called by name. What follows is a grisly onslaught littered with creative decapitations and brutal hangings – The latter of which being Madman Mars’ preferred means of execution.

The Final Girls (2015)

Birthed out of the 1980s, camp slashers have gained a unique and exuberant level of praise unlike any other subgenre of horror. As with anything highly acclaimed, homage is inevitable. Though played out time and time again, few flicks have tapped into this specific brand of nostalgia as effectively as The Final Girls. Taking meta-horror to extreme levels, our cast in question is quite literally catapulted from their theatre seats directly into the confines of the slasher film they had been consuming. With no choice but to participate in the film until the credits roll, they must fight for survival against the machete-wielding, masked madman.

Though incredibly fun, cheekily funny, and perfectly executed, The Final Girls manages to pack yet another unexpected punch – This baby is loaded with heart. Y’all will never listen to Kim Carnes’ ‘Bette Davis Eyes’ the same ever again, that much I can assure you.

Friday the 13^th Part II (1981)

What kind of fool would I be if I avoided including an entry from the franchise that popularized summer camp slashers? Though I’m a Friday the 13th Part 6: Jason Lives (1986) gal at heart, and I think a definite case can be made that Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984) is the best overall, I had to go with potato sack Jason.

Y’all may be asking yourself why, and lemme tell you – Firstly, Amy Steel as Ginny is likely the most badass final girl of all-time. Secondly, I strongly believe Jason was at his most intimidating here. Yeah, yeah, yeah… The hockey mask and machete may have become iconic over time, but before his sporty trademark was established, his image was a lot more… utilitarian? I mean, he only has one good eye anyways, right? For real though, knowing that the inspiration for his look was plucked from the very real Texarkana murderer that had slain several teens in the spring of 1964 only adds a whole new dimension of terror for me. It is just too real, man.

And don’t even get me started on the return of Pam Vorhees… Pure nightmare fuel, y’all.

Cheerleader Camp (1988)

Arriving post-golden era of slasher flicks, Cheerleader Camp feels slightly more loosey-goosey than its predecessors but that isn’t a knock by any means. Though perhaps funner than most, it still delivers in full for us gorehounds; Y’all have got the cutest ’80s babes getting slain left, right, and center – What more could you ask for?

I also dig the whole ‘whodunit?’ aspect of this flick – The identity of the killer remains unknown until the exceedingly dramatic final act. This baby predates Scream (1996) by nearly a decade, and my slasher-raddled brain cannot help but connect the two. Both perfectly execute a suspenseful algorithm involving meticulously calculated murder followed by a shocking reveal.

Sleepaway Camp (1983)

Y’all can’t talk about shocking reveals without mentioning Sleepaway Camp. This flick is one of the most memorable of ’80s horror in general, and with good reason.

Unlike the other films aforementioned in this list, the cast of Sleepaway Camp is significantly younger – This isn’t a camp for teenagers, and though you might be inclined to assume that the subject matter wouldn’t be as heavy due to this, you couldn’t be more wrong. Not only do the extremely graphic, inventive kills boast some of the most disturbing effects I’ve seen, the subtext here is heavier than a ton of bricks. The importance of consent and processing trauma is frequently brought into cognition – And baby, when that reveal is made in the third act… You’ll see exactly why this film shines a little brighter than its sister-films.

The Burning (1981)

Summer camp slashers and campfire legends have a tendency to be kissing cousins, and it is little wonder why. We’ve already spoken about the legend of Madman Mars in Madman (1981); Y’all have witnessed a revolving door of camp counsellors share the legend of Jason ’round the campfire throughout the Friday the 13th franchise; With The Burning, even more campfire lore is born.

Five years after a mean-spirited prank left the caretaker of Camp Blackfoot horribly burned and permanently mutilated, he returns seeking revenge on those who disfigured him – This is the legend of Cropsy.

As you might have expected, the latest group of teens at Camp Blackfoot find themselves sliced and diced by a pair of garden shears. Living up to his already impressive catalogue of work by 1981, the gore is alarmingly realistic thanks to the precision of effects master Tom Savini.

Saving the best for last, I truly believe this to be the ultimate summer camp slasher – And if you thought Jason was ugly, wait until you get a load of Cropsy.