SLASHER GENRE: Auteur Directors

Wes Craven

Wesley Craven (b. 1939- d. 2015) was an American film director, screenwriter, editor, actor, and producer. 

He is "recognised as one of the greatest masters of the horror genre due to the cultural impact and influence of his work." (Wikipedia) He is best known for satirising horror cliches of the slasher genre, and for his films A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), the Scream franchise (1996-2011), The Hills Have Eyes (1977), and the Swamp Thing (1982). 

Dario Argento 

Dario Argento (b. 1940 -) is an Italian film director, producer, and screenwriter still active today. Known as the "Master of the Thrill," he is "one of the most important figures within the Italian sub-genre of giallo films". (Wikipedia) Giallo films are "not strictly adhering to the tenets of either slasher films or arthouse cinema, and feature striking colours, propulsive music, and unseen threats to create their auras of suspense, bridging the gap between horror and noir." (Wikipedia)

He is best known for the films Suspiria (1977), Deep Red (1975), and The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970). 

Tobe Hooper

Willard Tobe Hooper (b. 1943- d. 2017) was an American film director, screenwriter and producer. The BFI has cited him as "one of the most influential horror filmmakers of all time". He is known for his films The Funhouse (1981), Poltergeist (1982), Eaten Alive (1977), and most notably The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974). This realistic horror film is one of the early examples of slasher, and the visceral imagery and sound was found too disturbing, and consequently banned in many territories. 

James Wan 

James Wan (b. 1977 -) is an Australian filmmaker known for his work in the horror genre and is still active today. He is best known for creating some of the most prolific contemporary franchises, such as Saw (2003-), Insidious (2010-) and The Conjuring (2013-2021). He has directed many films of the franchises, which are some of the highest grossing horrors of all time. 

Alfred Hitchcock

Sir Alfred Hitchcock (b. 1899 - d. 1980) is an English film director, producer, actor, and editor known as the "Master of Suspense", and regarded as "one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema." He is known for his thrillers, such as The 39 Steps (1935), The Birds (1963), Dial M for Murder (1954), Vertigo (1958) and Psycho (1960). Psycho is regarded as one of the first slashers, and Marion as the first scream queen. His style includes editing and movement to mimic a gaze (voyuerism), his shot framing, and soundtracks instilling fear into the viewer. 

John Carpenter

John Carpenter (b. 1948-) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, editor and composer.
Many of Carpenter's films are considered as cult classics, such as In the Mouth of Madness (1978), The Thing (1982), Christine (1983), and most notably Halloween (1978). The film is seen as the start of the first slasher film cycle, and was a box office success. He popularised the masked knife wielding killer, POV shots, and the recognisable Halloween theme, which he composed. 

Resources: 

https://www.slashfilm.com/643505/best-horror-movie-directors-of-all-time/
https://www.wikipedia.org/