How Italian Giallo Films Paved the Way for American Slasher Films

Joe Cockrell | University of North Carolina Wilmington

This essay explores the impacts Italian Giallo films had on the first American slasher films. While the genre’s popularity has waxed and waned over time, it has continued to evolve and has consistently been present in one form or another. The slasher film adopted several of its key tropes from giallo, including the “killer” character, highly elaborate death scenes, and a connection between sex and violence.