Date Approved
2026
Degree Type
Open Access Senior Honors Thesis
Department or School
Communication, Media and Theatre Arts
First Advisor
Deron Overpeck, Ph.D.
Second Advisor
Andrew C. Cornett, Ph.D.
Third Advisor
Ann R. Eisenberg, Ph.D.
Abstract
Early American slasher films (1979-1989) narrativize sexual deviance through the figure of the slasher. While the genre is realized through the trope of teenage sexual violence, my research shifts the focus onto the villain, analyzing how the monster often interacts with a form of sexual deviancy, either at a younger age or within sexual development, before submitting to their role as a slasher. In these films, the slasher monster encounters a form of sexual deviancy tied to their origin and behavioral development. These encounters can be realized through three categories: inappropriate sexual education, abnormal birth histories, or disturbed psychosocial development.
Recommended Citation
Fuller, Teagan, "The early slasher villain and depraved sexuality" (2026). Senior Honors Theses and Projects. 912.
https://commons.emich.edu/honors/912