Introduction:
Over the years, slasher films have become popular and developed starting with “Psycho” (1960, Alfred Hitchcock) which was regarded as the “granddaddy of slasher films” that then became the template for slasher films to follow. This is down to several factors and according Altman’s theory by using the successful formula that previous successful slasher films share in common would make it a popular genre for the audience to consume as in each film they have the repetition which creates familiarity for the audience and the variation of repertoire elements so that the film is fresh for the audience to watch.
Audience pleasures:
Visceral pleasure of heart racing all slasher films
Intellectual pleasure in slasher films with enigma through the narrative as it keeps the audience guessing and engages them into the film. Example: Friday the 13th (Sean Cunningham, 1980) the killer is revealed right at the end and it is the mother which gives the slasher fans even more pleasure as they know through watching previous films like Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960) how they use variation and will like the novelty aspect of the film.
As the primary audience are teenagers primarily girls who worry about things like sex are taking into account in the films narrative by promoting the ideologies it is wrong for girls to have sex and if they do they should be punished as in nearly every slasher up to scream the girls who have sex die. This reflects the inequalities between men and women which helps reinforces patriarchy. As men are not punished for sex in films like Psycho (1960), which regarded as the “granddaddy of slasher films” has a male hero Sam Loomis who was not punished for sex instead the audience identify with him and classify him as the Proppian “hero”.
Furthermore, slasher films are popular because they reflect what is going on in society for example:
The Ed Gein killings are portrayed in films like Psycho (1960), Texas chainsaw Massacre and Silence of the Lambs. This is linked to Psycho by Gein having the overpowering mother like Norman Bates which links to how Gein had a very close relationship with his mother in Freudian terms referred to as an oedipal relationship which was also another similarity highlighted in “Psycho.” This could be a reason for it popularity as Norman feelings could be considered to be crazy and the fact he loved her so much that he pretend she was still alive represents how he was considered as schizophrenic and society around that time were very interested in psychology so this could be a possible reason why it was popular. Furthermore, as the face of the psycho was humanise which made it scarier to some extent as it suggest there are people in the world like Norman Bates who are psychos.
Moral panics going on in society which influenced the “white flite” and this is reflected in films like “nightmare on elm street” which is set in a surban setting to show the middle class people could not run away from what they feared as it will turn up and takes it revenge upon them.
Another example of moral panic reflected in slasher genre is in Texas chainsaw Massacre (1974) which reflects the oil crisis in 1973, as that was one of the reasons how the teenagers become killed as they stop by an gas station.
Feminism as the character role of the “final girl” (Carol Clover) was introduced. Reflected in
“Friday the 13th”. Additionally, in contemporary slasher texts portrays a vast development of the “final girl” as in texts like
“Scream”(1996,Wes Craven) and “Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake”(2003, Marcus Nispel) the final girl is active in contrast to older texts where the girl has be more passive and takes on the role of the “damsel in distress” for instance in texts like 
“Halloween”(1978, John Carpenter) Laurie is saved by Dr Sam Loomis the detective, “Psycho”(1960, Alfred Hitchcock) Lila Crane is saved by Sam Loomis.Issues and debates:
Hypodermic needle theory-
Uses and gratification- entertainment
Cultivation theory- audience are desensitised to violence partly due to censorship relaxation.
Slasher texts can be seen as progressive as male audience cross gender identify with the “final girl.”
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