Hypothetical Studio: Slasher Genre – The Next Generation

Is the slasher sub-genre of horror dead? In my opinion, other than a few independent releases a year, the genre is as dead as it can get. Studio re-boots of popular franchises have been tepid at best and horribly boring more often than not. Rob Zombie’s controversial Halloween reboot is probably the best of the efforts. What does that tell you?

Luckily this is the Pop Bunker Hypothetical Studio and I am here to tell you how to save the genre, make a badass movie, and hopefully collect some royalties down the line.

I have several ideas all featuring the same basic concept. Since A Nightmare on Elm Street is the most recent of the slasher rebirths to get DOA’d to the big screen, I will detail my idea for that franchise with some additional notes at the end for other ideas I have.

Why is the slasher genre dead? A serious discussion would go beyond, “Cuz teh Hollywood sux,” and instead explore the facets of the genre. The problem that the genre suffered when sequels to Freddy, Jason, and Michael were like a perennial garden was that the fans came to love the bad guy – the bad guy became the pop icon. The hero became non-existent then. Sure, maybe someone would survive past the false ending, but the audience never got into that generic survivor the way they did a hero like Jamie Lee Curtis in the original Halloween. Scream got it right with Neve Campbell, but I mean to take it a step further.

The the slasher genre needs to have a Hero.

My reboot of A Nightmare on Elm Street would go something like this:

The usual shenanigans take place on Elm Street and Springwood, Ohio where kids that live on the street and in the town start to suffer horrible and sometimes unexplained deaths. The usual cast of pinhead twenty-something actors playing teens are introduced. Rather quickly the lore behind Krueger is discovered.

Mysteriously cut to a drastically different place. Majestic establishing shots soon show that the viewer is being shown an Asian culture. Taoist monks are involved in ceremonies and training. Cut to an interior scene where the viewer sees over the shoulder of a single man as he stands before a council of old wizened men. One of the old men speaks (subtitled):

“SHŌKI has shown us a vision. Our ancient order has been called on once again as the enemies of SHŌKI have found an avatar in Dream World.”

The oldest of the men, the leader, speaks:

“This is for what you have trained. It is time.”

Back to Springwood where several of the remaining Elm Streeters are having a council of their own. Through various internet research and the like they have come up with the idea that Krueger has been given re-birth in dreams possibly associated with the Dream Demons mentioned in various ancient cultures (therefore bringing that idea back into the franchise similar to the original movie but ditched in the recent reboot). A few more deaths, Freddy taunting, children angry at parents, etc.

Meanwhile, a wide shot of an Asian man in a white robe is seen meditating in front of an airplane before regaining his feet and boarding. The scene is shot so the viewer cannot make out the face of the man and the traditional Taoist skull cap hair cut allows no clue.

The teens on Elm Street plan their battle strategy. They are combining myths and legends from different cultures in an attempt to battle Krueger.

“Maybe as it says here if we turn our back on the evil that he will lose his power,” says one.

“Look, it says that someone might be able to bring the Dream Demon out of the dream and into the corporeal world where it can be destroyed,” adds another.

The preparations are made.

Cut to the warehouse where the janitor Kreuger was trapped and killed. Interior shot facing exterior door. The door explodes inward and the silhouette of a man is seen standing in the doorway, backlit as to obscure his identity. Shots of his sandal-clad feet as he makes his way down a series of stairs. A shot of his hand. In his palm is a crystal – clear at the top, turning black along its shaft. He steps into the boiler room. The crystal is shown again. It is pure black. A downward shot shows the man arrange himself in Lotus position on the floor. The camera finally pans down and then angles upward and the man’s face is finally revealed:

Oh hell yeah, interested yet?

Maybe a montage is in order here, show the Taoist training of Let Li in a clandestine sect devoted to the Taoist deity of SHŌKI – the Demon Queller. Something fast as not to waste a lot of time. Include a little bit of crafty re-working of the Shoki mythology and an order of protectors from demons in the Taoist religion.

Cut to the two remaining teens in their war room located at one of their homes. They believe they’re ready for Freddy. They allow themselves to fall asleep. After some creeping around the dark and foggy Dream World together, they finally come face to face with Kreuger – and things do not go well as he taunts them in their own voices, repeating the strategy they came up with to defeat him. Freddy moves in…

Then, suddenly, Dream World alters, becomes brighter and saturated. The sound of steel being drawn accompanies an ancient chant. Jet Li materializes.

“How sweet, fresh-”

Freddy is unable to complete the sentence as a flurry of punches connect and a sword strike separates Krueger’s non-gloved arm from his body. A burst of Taoist energy from Li sends Freddy flying. It’s full on.

I’m sure you can pretty much imagine the rest. I think the idea of having a hero to the extreme is a Good Idea for the slasher franchise. Make the hero on equal footing to the killer. Give the audiences what amounts to a superhero. It may only be good for one movie, but my god what a movie!

This idea incorporates the elements of many Chinese “ghost” films from the 70s and 80s and combines them with standard Elm Street lore. The term ghost is often interchangeable with ‘demon’ and ‘vampire’ and ‘zombie’ and the like in these kung-fu cult classics like A Chinese Ghost Story. Often in these films one of the heroes is a Taoist with wizard like powers.

Freakin’ awesome, eh?

Ok, ok, how about:

A lone hitchhiker in Texas stumbles upon a deserted car along side a dusty and lonely highway. The car had obviously been disabled with some sort of trap set on the road.  There is a substantial amount of blood on the pavement. Chainsaw damage to the car.

The man can tell something no good is happening here. He likes his peace. He likes his quiet. But John Rambo is a man of principles.

Rambo v Leatherface & family. Come on!

Dragon picture above by dbgg1979 and used under the Creative Commons License..

Similar Posts:

• [Review] Scream 4 (2011)
• Scream-A-Thon: Behind the Mask
• [Rec] 2 (2010)
• [Retro Bunker] Richard Pryor and the Alphabet
• [Behind the Scenes] Inception (2010)
• [Taste of Asia] House of Flying Daggers (2004)
• [Review] The American

Popularity: 1% [?]