Since I was little, I would watch horror movies with my dad as a sort of bonding ritual. Horror has become my life since, and what has always stood out to me were the women in front of the camera. Every heroine was so badass. They faced their fears, they fought back, they were scared, but when it came down to it, they stopped running. I learned back then how important all of this was, how I needed to stop running from my fears and face them head on. And for that, I thank these women.
As I grew up, I started realizing that it wasn't all about the women in front of the camera. While they had certainly played a very important role in the film, it was also the women behind the camera that were equally just as important, maybe even more. These films would never be made without the help of so many talented women.
So now its time to acknowledge some of them! If I could, I would give credit to every single woman in the horror industry, but unfortunately, I do not have that much time between class. So here is my top five!
Starring in films such a Terror Train, Prom Night, and my personal favorite Halloween, Jamie Lee Curtis is the epitome scream queen. Her portrayal of the virginal heroine in Halloween is nothing short of fantastic, and watching her grow to the badass mother in Halloween: H2O is like watching your little girl grow up right before your eyes. It also might help that her mother was Janet Leigh, Marion Crane of Psycho.
Director of films such as Pet Semetary, Pet Semetary II, and even Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge, Mary Lambert is so incredibly talented. She directed one of my favorite movies of all time! Pet Semetary is the one film that still gives me nightmares to this day. And I have her to thank for that. (I guess Stephen King too but he's a man so it doesn't apply to this post.)
One of my personal favorites, Barbara Crampton starred in films such as Re-Animator, From Beyond, Chopping Mall, and Puppet Master. She is 54 years old and still as beautiful as she was back in 1985. I love this actress. I love how dedicated she is to her career and how she still embraces the horror genre. She's going to be in You're Next and The Lords of Salem in the next coming months. I cannot wait to see what she brings to these films.
Known for her roles in A Nightmare on Elm Street, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, and New Nightmare, Heather Langenkamp is one of the most badass women out there. Even her character Nancy Thompson is a kickass heroine. She fights Freddy back in every film. She even set up booby traps in the first film (seriously how many booby traps did she really need?) While she played such an important role, in real life Heather is a total sweetheart and still embraces the role that lead her to stardom, especially in the horror community. If you haven't seen it, check out her documentary I Am Nancy. It's really such an incredible film for an incredible human being. Another fun fact, she was in the production crew behind Cabin in the Woods and 2004's Dawn of the Dead. That's something I never knew!
Well there you have it. Celebrating women in horror by acknowledging some of the great talent in the genre. Thank god for Women in Horror Month!
