Editorials
10 Most Important Horror Movies Directed by Women
As the annual Women in Horror Month points out, there are numerous female filmmakers, writers, actresses, and artists who are currently making their mark on the world of horror. However, if it wasn’t for the tireless dedication and deep genre love of a few pioneers, we might not have celebrated the 8th Annual Women in Horror Month back in February.
Performers such as Jamie Lee Curtis and Heather Langenkamp helped strong female actresses change the face of horror by transforming women from victims into heroines. In turn, this paved the way for women to finally sit in the director’s chair of some major horror films.
Let’s take a closer look at 10 of the movies that were among the most important in the evolution of female horror filmmaking and horror in general.
Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)
Love it or hate it, the divisive sixth entry into the A Nightmare on Elm Street series is highly notable for at least one reason; it was the first major horror film sequel to be directed by a woman. Yes, there were several successful horror movies helmed by women before Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare, but never before had a large company given an established genre series and a big budget to a female director.
Rachel Talalay worked her way up through the series as a production manager until she managed to break through the horror film industry’s glass ceiling with her take on everyone’s favorite wisecracking villain.
The Hitch-Hiker (1953)
Speaking of firsts, The Hitch-Hiker was the first major thriller and film noir with a female director. Although the classification of “horror” wasn’t given to this film during its 1953 release, it’s clearly a good early example of the survival horror subgenre. Director Ida Lupino co-wrote the script and would go on to direct several episodes of the anthology television series Thriller, which was hosted by Boris Karloff.
The Babadook (2014)
The Babadook has many things going for it that make it an important horror movie overall, regardless of who was at the head of the creative team. It ranks number 10 in the Rotten Tomatoes Top 100 Horror Movies list, and it also has the distinction of being one of the first partially crowdfunded horror movies to be strong enough to garner critical and audience praise. Director and writer Jennifer Kent brought this original and thought-provoking Australian horror film to life.
Pet Sematary (1989)
This classic Stephen King film was directed by Mary Lambert. Not only is Pet Sematary a nostalgic favorite for many horror fans but it is also the highest grossing female-directed horror film in the U.S. to date. With domestic box office receipts totaling $57.4 million, Pet Sematary also ranks in the top 100 highest U.S. grossing horror films of all time. Lambert followed up her success with an episode of Tales from the Crypt and Pet Sematary II.
American Psycho (2000)
Mary Herron accomplished what many in Hollywood thought was impossible with her dark and scathingly humorous take on the novel American Psycho. Perhaps even more interesting and noteworthy was her willingness to tackle material that had been frequently derided for containing overt misogyny. In Herron’s hands, American Psycho managed to make Patrick Bateman into a beloved anti-hero.
Near Dark (1987)
Kathryn Bigelow would go on to become an esteemed, Academy Award winning director, but first, she gave us the cult classic Near Dark. This ambitious vampire film features numerous genres at once, ranging from horror to Western, and it also includes one of Bill Paxton’s most memorable performances.
Raw (2016)
Writer and director Julia Ducournau turned so many stomachs during a screening of Raw that two people literally passed out. This dark, disturbing look at the destructive peer pressure people exert upon others takes a turn for the nasty when the main character transforms from a lifelong vegetarian into a voracious cannibal. Filled with scenes of ultra-realistic gore, Raw was almost branded with an NC-17 rating. It also showcases the fact that female directors can produce work that is just as deeply disturbing and blood-soaked as men. Raw, which scored a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, is a provocative piece of cinema that is filled with symbolism.
The Slumber Party Massacre (1982)
On the surface, this horror-comedy appears to be yet another scary movie that focuses solely on killing attractive women wearing skimpy clothing. What many people may not know, though, is that this film was written by feminist author Rita Mae Brown and directed by Amy Holden Jones. The subject matter was actually intended as a parody of slasher films, but The Slumber Party Massacre managed to also become a popular entry in the slasher subgenre.
Pathogen (2006)
Several highly revered male horror directors such as Sam Raimi got their start making movies with friends during their teenage years. The director and writer of Pathogen, Emily Hagins, earned a spot on this list by completing and releasing a zombie movie at the tender age of 12.
Yes, there are some technical errors in the movie, and it’s not going to be for everyone. Fans of independent horror films and old school zombies will find a lot to like, though. Inspiring other young girls to follow in the director’s footsteps definitely makes Pathogen an important female-helmed horror movie.
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014)
An Iranian black and white vampire movie would have been unusual enough on its own, but the fact that it was written and directed by a woman makes this innovative, film festival favorite even more memorable. Ana Lily Amirpour picked up seven awards for A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, and she also brought new life to vampire cinema with this genre-bending offering.
Of course, there are several other influential horror films directed by women, and many more are on the way. Which films on, or off, of this list are your favorite? Leave a comment below!
Editorials
‘Leprechaun Returns’ – The Charm of the Franchise’s Legacy Sequel
The erratic Leprechaun franchise is not known for sticking with a single concept for too long. The namesake (originally played by Warwick Davis) has gone to L.A., Las Vegas, space, and the ‘hood (not once but twice). And after an eleven-year holiday since the Davis era ended, the character received a drastic makeover in a now-unmentionable reboot. The critical failure of said film would have implied it was time to pack away the green top hat and shillelagh, and say goodbye to the nefarious imp. Instead, the Leprechaun series tried its luck again.
The general consensus for the Leprechaun films was never positive, and the darker yet blander Leprechaun: Origins certainly did not sway opinions. Just because the 2014 installment took itself seriously did not mean viewers would. After all, creator Mark Jones conceived a gruesome horror-comedy back in the early nineties, and that format is what was expected of any future ventures. So as horror legacy sequels (“legacyquels”) became more common in the 2010s, Leprechaun Returns followed suit while also going back to what made the ‘93 film work. This eighth entry echoed Halloween (2018) by ignoring all the previous sequels as well as being a direct continuation of the original. Even ardent fans can surely understand the decision to wipe the slate clean, so to speak.
Leprechaun Returns “continued the [franchise’s] trend of not being consistent by deciding to be consistent.” The retconning of Steven Kostanski and Suzanne Keilly’s film was met with little to no pushback from the fandom, who had already become accustomed to seeing something new and different with every chapter. Only now the “new and different” was familiar. With the severe route of Origins a mere speck in the rearview mirror, director Kotanski implemented a “back to basics” approach that garnered better reception than Zach Lipovsky’s own undertaking. The one-two punch of preposterous humor and grisly horror was in full force again.
With Warwick Davis sitting this film out — his own choice — there was the foremost challenge of finding his replacement. Returns found Davis’ successor in Linden Porco, who admirably filled those blood-stained, buckled shoes. And what would a legacy sequel be without a returning character? Jennifer Aniston obviously did not reprise her final girl role of Tory Redding. So, the film did the next best thing and fetched another of Lubdan’s past victims: Ozzie, the likable oaf played by Mark Holton. Returns also created an extension of Tory’s character by giving her a teenage daughter, Lila (Taylor Spreitler).
It has been twenty-five years since the events of the ‘93 film. The incident is unknown to all but its survivors. Interested in her late mother’s history there in Devil’s Lake, North Dakota, Lila transferred to the local university and pledged a sorority — really the only one on campus — whose few members now reside in Tory Redding’s old home. The farmhouse-turned-sorority-house is still a work in progress; Lila’s fellow Alpha Epsilon sisters were in the midst of renovating the place when a ghost of the past found its way into the present.
The Psycho Goreman and The Void director’s penchant for visceral special effects is noted early on as the Leprechaun tears not only into the modern age, but also through poor Ozzie’s abdomen. The portal from 1993 to 2018 is soaked with blood and guts as the Leprechaun forces his way into the story. Davis’ iconic depiction of the wee antagonist is missed, however, Linden Porco is not simply keeping the seat warm in case his predecessor ever resumes the part. His enthusiastic performance is accentuated by a rotten-looking mug that adds to his innate menace.
The obligatory fodder is mostly young this time around. Apart from one luckless postman and Ozzie — the premature passing of the latter character removed the chance of caring about anyone in the film — the Leprechaun’s potential prey are all college aged. Lila is this story’s token trauma kid with caregiver baggage; her mother thought “monsters were always trying to get her.” Lila’s habit of mentioning Tory’s mental health problem does not make a good first impression with the resident mean girl and apparent alcoholic of the sorority, Meredith (Emily Reid). Then there are the nicer but no less cursorily written of the Alpha Epsilon gals: eco-conscious and ex-obsessive Katie (Pepi Sonuga), and uptight overachiever Rose (Sai Bennett). Rounding out the main cast are a pair of destined-to-die bros (Oliver Llewellyn Jenkins, Ben McGregor). Lila and her peers range from disposable to plain irritating, so rooting for any one of them is next to impossible. Even so, their overstated personalities make their inevitable fates more satisfying.
Where Returns excels is its death sequences. Unlike Jones’ film, this one is not afraid of killing off members of the main cast. Lila, admittedly, wears too much plot armor, yet with her mother’s spirit looming over her and the whole story — comedian Heather McDonald put her bang-on Aniston impersonation to good use as well as provided a surprisingly emotional moment in the film — her immunity can be overlooked. Still, the other characters’ brutal demises make up for Lila’s imperviousness. The Leprechaun’s killer set-pieces also happen to demonstrate the time period, seeing as he uses solar panels and a drone in several supporting characters’ executions. A premortem selfie and the antagonist’s snarky mention of global warming additionally add to this film’s particular timestamp.
Critics were quick to say Leprechaun Returns did not break new ground. Sure, there is no one jetting off to space, or the wacky notion of Lubdan becoming a record producer. This reset, however, is still quite charming and entertaining despite its lack of risk-taking. And with yet another reboot in the works, who knows where the most wicked Leprechaun ever to exist will end up next.
Horror contemplates in great detail how young people handle inordinate situations and all of life’s unexpected challenges. While the genre forces characters of every age to face their fears, it is especially interested in how youths might fare in life-or-death scenarios.
The column Young Blood is dedicated to horror stories for and about teenagers, as well as other young folks on the brink of terror.
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