Take what we know as the modern slasher and go back. Back before the 80s when there was a new slasher every week, back before Italian giallo, before Psycho. To find the birth of the slasher you can look at 1932’s Thirteen Woman or 1934’s The 9th Guest, but the person who set the gold standard was Agatha Christie.
In 1939, Agatha Christie wrote Ten Little Indians, about an ensemble of potential victims who gather at an isolated estate and are picked off by a mysterious killer. It has been adapted numerous times – both official and unofficial – in multiple countries. I’ve seen quite a few, but this cheeky version by Rene Clair is the best. Even though it leans hard into the humor, Rene Clair is able to maintain a level of chilling suspense, and it pulls off the best ending. (Christie herself changed the ending when adapting the novel for the stage and writers often trip up trying to film one successfully or coming up with a less clever new ending for their adaptation.) It’s fun trying to figure out who is the killer, and just as interesting on rewatches when you can see how the film is playing fair and being clever.
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