January 28, 2018

Happy Women in Horror Month!


February is known for many things: Groundhog day (both the day AND the movie), Valentine's Day, No Holiday To Take Off Work so Calling In Sick Day. But it's also a month that's devoted to something wonderful.

Happy Women in Horror Month! Because girls can kill off characters too, you know.

Every February the official Women in Horror Month website celebrates the awesomeness of females who love the genre, work in the genre, create the genre or just plain live it. As a writer who falls into some of these categories, I fully embrace the idea. But this is not a "awareness" sort of month, it's a celebration.
Anybody who has read this blog knows about my love of horror. I've spoken about it in Death Entertains Me and My Halloween Obsession. I wrote a whole blog post about vampires because...why the hell not? Maybe it's because I have always had a lot of support, or maybe it's that I lack a bit of overall butt-hurtedness. But I've never thought that men own the genre and that women are regulated to second. Ever since Mary Shelly sat down, wrote Frankenstein and showed her hubby how things were done, I think women have had a very strong voice. True, on screen there are many female deaths. But just think about who lives?

The final girl, that's who.

Yes, the chick who's resourceful, brave and intelligent enough to know not to go into that deep dark basement. Or at least, she remembers to take a sledgehammer with her. I like to think that every woman who creates horror is the final girl. They maybe bloody but they're survivors.

So to all of us who love horror, whatever the gender, let's all celebrate this month. And be sure to check out the WIHM Twitter and spread a little love to all those ladies who spend a lot of time trying to scare the crap out of you.

So who are your favorite women in horror be they director, writer, actress or other? Share in the comments.




2 comments:

  1. "Ginger Snaps" from 2000. There've been several sequels, but I haven't seen them.
    Also, the original Swedish "Let the Right One In" (2008) It's coldly beautiful, and builds slowly; the paroxysm of violence near the end is equal parts dreamy & nightmarish.

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    1. Good choices! I recently saw Ginger Snaps again and forgot how wonderful it was. And Let the Right One In is brilliant. I remember holding my breath during the climax (swear I turned blue).

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