By Dr.LoveGore
This article is dedicated to the wonderful women that grace the Horror genre. I, along with many fans, thank and appreciate you all, not only for contributing to the genre, but for being its backbone and giving it legs.
What would the Horror genre be without the gracious women that bless it? For the most part, it'd be boring. From directing to acting, producing, writing, costume designing, editing, special fx makeup and much more, some of the strongest people Horror has are women.
One of my favorite moments in slasher films is when the women defeat the strong, brutal killers, killers not even the biggest, strongest or smartest guys in the movie can take down. On the other side of the fence, women have created amazing villains, from Mrs. Voorhees to Mary Shaw, and Miss Ganush. Again, strong characters that scare and horrify just as much as Freddy Krueger, Letherface, or Candyman.
So, in honor of Women In Horror month, this article is dedicated to you all. It'd be impossible to list every woman who has ever been in a Horror film, but even the women I didn't write about, I still respect you from the bottom of my Horror loving heart.
To the Women In Horror.
Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley is arguably the queen of Horror. The idea alone of the Frankenstein Monster is so blunt, so straightforward, it demands the attention of the reader or viewer. Certain creatures or monsters stand the test of time, Dr. Frankenstein and his Monster are still around because of the vivid imagination of the great author that gave us a beautiful, ironic, and macabre story… Mary Shelley.
Mary Philbin
Mary Philbin was a wonderful, and expressful actress during the time of silent film. She's known for motion pictures such as THE MAN WHO LAUGHS (1928) and THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1925). That's right, Mary Philbin was the woman in the iconic scene unmasking Lon Chaney as the Phantom. That is one of the most important moments in cinema, and maybe even in humanity itself. The silent footage bursts with fear and tension. To this day the unmasking scene is terrifying, and actress Mary Philbin’s acting had a lot to do with that.
Gloria Holden
Gloria Holden as Countess Marya Zaleska AKA Dracula's Daughter, was one of the earlier female vampires portrayed in film. Her take on this character inspired another amazing woman on this list who we'll get to in a bit. Holden's vampire is almost hypnotic. She carries DRACULA'S DAUGHTER (1936) on her shoulders with what looks like ease. This sequel to the 1931 DRACULA film may be overlooked, but the movie and Holden's performance speak for themselves. And the fact Holden’s character in this film inspired the career of a famous author is more than enough to win her place as a Woman in Horror.
Julie Adams
A classy woman like Julie Adams would only elevate the story of THE CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON (1954), and that's exactly what she did. Miss Adams said she had an exciting time filming CRTBL which made her sound even more humble and down-to-earth than she already looked. And other than the Gill-Man himself, Julie Adams stood out with her beauty and realistic acting. She truly owned the screen in CRTBL
Janet Leigh
In PSYCHO (1960), banker Marion Crane has charm, beauty, sheistyness, guilt and compassion. All those emotions, plus more, being conveyed through a single character can only be done by a fine actor. I'm sure partial credit can be given to Hitchcock's direction, but Marion Crane came alive through Janet Leigh. It can be seen in her eyes what she's thinking before she says it out loud. That's some well-thought-out preparation. Her character's final scene was so powerful because of how well she played her role. Her blank stare with her eyes wide open is haunting to this very day.
Jodie Foster
THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991) is all this bold actress needs on her resume to be a Woman in Horror. There may be many reasons SOTL blew out the Oscars in 1992, but Jodi Foster and Anthony Hopkins’s intense, interesting relationship was the main reason. And Foster decided on her own to use the accent we hear her with. It’s perfect how she carries herself in a film filled with mostly male co-stars. She's clearly the bravest character the movie has. The scenes with Hopkins probably wouldn’t have had the same vibe with a different actor.
Sigourney Weaver
One of the first badass women to stare an enemy in the face and kick its ass was Sigouney Weaver. There's no other actor, period, that can match or mimic the power Weaver lights the screen up with. In ALIEN she kicks ass. In GHOSTBUSTERS she's legit scary. In AVATAR she's sympathetic. And in THE CABIN IN THE WOODS she's straightforward and menacing. I believe there's nothing this woman can't do.
Dee Wallace
Dee Wallace is an underrated actor. She is well known by genre fans and just fans in general, but I feel that she didn't blow up as much as she should have. I agree with Stephen King that Dee Wallace should have won an Oscar for her work in CUJO (1983). Oh, and I think she should have won an Oscar for 80% of her work. I mean, THE HOWLING (1981) is a B-Movie... with Dee Wallace acting her heart out. Even one of her most recent acting roles in 3 FROM HELL (2019), is top of the line. We are truly blessed as Horror fans to have her act in and be a part of our beloved genre.
Kathryn Bigelow
When I think of hardcore vampire movies, one of the first I think of is NEAR DARK (1987), and that's because of a brilliant director named Kathryn Bigelow. I also think of her name when I hear the term "quality directors". Bigelow may have gone in different directions after releasing NEAR DARK, (which was obviously a smart decision given her success) but I think it's a guarantee that, if she felt like returning to Horror, she'd make a mind-blowing piece of genre cinema.
However, no matter what she chooses to create, Horror fans will always be grateful for her realistic take on the Vampire subgenre.
Linnea Quigley
Through some solid films in the 80's (not to mention recent films) Linnea Quigley solidified herself as an entertaining actor, even throwing intense dance moves our way in RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD (1985). She has a recognizable face to Horror fans and also seems to embrace the genre that blew her up. I'm not sure the 80's, or even modern day Horror would be the same without her.
Julie Carmen
Julie Carmen did a terrific job in John Carpenter's IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS (1995) as a book editor. But it was prior to that movie with her execution of Regine, in Tommy Lee Wallace's FRIGHT NIGHT 2 (1989) that she firmly placed her amorous/grotesque vampire as an official Horror character. To me, FRIGHT NIGHT 2 is one of those movies that's right up there with the original, and that's because Julie Carmen gave a wonderful performance. She literally and figuratively lights up the screen.
Felissa Rose
Felissa Rose is well known for playing Angela in SLEEPAWAY CAMP (1983). On top of that, she's a really good actor. Her eyes are enchanting and she knows how to throw humor into the parts she plays. Her name gives further interest in movies that fans already want to see. Even with no dialog, Felissa still has a presence about her. She's memorable in every movie she's in, but of course, her expression from SLEEPAWAY CAMP is the face a lot of Horror fans will most likely remember her by. It appears she is cool about her Horror movie status, too. And that just makes us fans love her even more than we already do.
Bettsy Russell
Besides acting in comedy movies and TV shows, Betsy Russell helped keep the SAW franchise going back in the first decade of this century. She was perfectly cast as Jill Tuck - John Kramer's ex-wife. She played a badass Sergeant of a police department in CHAIN LETTER (2010), and a sexy cheerleader in CHEERLEADER CAMP (1988). She's done other genre projects, too, but I think a good portion of Horror fans recognize her as Jill Tuck because she effortlessly played her role to a T. And it's arguable she carried the franchise on her shoulders for the last two films in the formal series.
Amelia Kinkade
Known for her portrayal of Angela in NIGHT OF THE DEMONS (1987), Amelia Kinkade absolutely stuns and gorifies audiences with her blunt take on this character. I only found out within the last decade that she played Angela in both sequels. Knowing how difficult her makeup was to put on, I highly respect that. The VHS cover art of the first two movies with Angela in the demon makeup terrified me as a kid more than most Horror movies I'd seen at the time. Amelia Kinkade tackled that character and made it amazing.
Shawnee Smith
Shawnee Smith has a natural style of acting. She's made every project she's been in memorable. Even her short roles in THE STAND (1994) and THE SHINING (1997) standout. She completely stole the show in SAW 3 (2006), her no bullshit attitude gave the movie an even fiercer tone than it already had. And of course, Smith shined in Chuck Russell's THE BLOB (1988). When thinking of THE BLOB, besides the vivid and gorey special FX, it's hard to remember any other character other than Shawnee Smith's - that’s how potent she is on the screen.
Patricia Tallman
Yes, Patricia Tallman was in ARMY OF DARKNESS (1993) and MONKEY SHINES (1988), but her updated, kick-ass version of Barbara from George A. Romero's NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD is inspirational and motivational. Her performance is up there with badass, female characters such as; Sigouney Weaver, Kate Beckinsdale and Milla Jovovich. It was wise for director Savini to cast her and to go in a new direction with the Barbara character. The choice to toughen her up allowed Tallman to show her acting talent.
Ann Rice
As I mentioned earlier in the article, Gloria Holden's portrayal of Dracula's Daughter inspired a famous author, that famous author being Ann Rice. Rice based her blood sucking bastards in INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE (1976) on Holden's vampire right down to the dread the character gives off. IWTV is such a terrific story, and without the brilliance of this intelligent author and her knack for finding inspiration in classy places, we would never have known of Lestat or Queen Akasha.
The Soska Sisters
This pair of sisters kick so much ass! They know their Horror like the back of their hands. They are true, hardcore fans of the genre. It shows in every frame of their films. They're not shy about splattering gore in front of the camera, either. The Soska's are inspirational to,not just other female directors, but directors in general. They're full throttle. I look forward to all their work and I salute them.
Danai Gurira
What would THE WALKING DEAD (2010) be without Michonne? It would still have grisly zombie action, but who knows how much swordplay? Danai plays Michonne with realism - very straightforward. She mastered the post AND pre-apocalyptic version of her TWD counterpart. In season 4 there's flashbacks that show Michonne before she was a brutal warrior. She's so natural and exquisite for the role, it's hard to even tell she's acting.
Gurira also had a small part in Wes Craven's MY SOUL TO TAKE (2010). And again, her natural approach just makes for a pleasant viewing, whether it be the way she plays a simple part like an EMT or something a bit more complex like when she's splitting zombie heads.
Samara Weaving
I think, by all means, Samara Weaving fits the definition of Scream Queen. She appears badass enough to take the title this early in her career rather than run from it or shit on it. I mean... take your pick, THE BABYSITTER (2017), MAYHEM (2017), READY OR NOT (2019), Weaving takes control. She has a look to her that belongs in intense movies. It makes sense that she flows through the Horror genre so fluently. I haven't meant any Horror fans that don't appreciate her work. She's fantastic, she's a great actress, and she's truly a Woman In Horror.
Much respect to…
Maila Nurmi
Tippi Hedren
Betsy Palmer
Marilyn Burns
Jessica Lange
Linda Blair
Sissy Spacek
Jamie Lee Curtis
Drew Barrymore
Heather Langencamp
Mary Lambert
Kathy Bates
Gillian Anderson
Neve Campbell
Eiha Shiina
Lupita Nyong'o
Toni Collette
Mary Harron
Danielle Harris
Barbara Crampton
Cassandra Peterson
Sheri Moon Zombie
Jennifer Tilly
Rebecca Ferguson
Felissa Rose
Darcy The Mail Girl
Asia Argento
Ashley Lawrence
Sarah Paulson
Brink Stevens
Chloë Grace Moretz
Rose McGowen
Vera and Taissa Farmiga
Barbara Steele
To every other woman involved in the beloved Horror genre, in front of, or behind the camera.
And to the most important Woman In Horror to me, my girlfriend, who I met through our shared love of Horror, amongst other things. I'm so happy we met. Much love.
Dr.LoveGore is all about the gore, and quality in anything related to Horror. Movies, soundtracks, comic books, novels, you name it, he loves it!
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