Feminine Horror
For so long women have gotten the short end of the stick when it comes to horror movies in the mainstream cannon. From being beaten, mutilated, and exploited under the guise of entertainment for years, this perspective has gotten tiring. Scenes as such usually portray the gratuitous fantasies of a misogynistic male director. The violence against women is a prevalent issue, and this gross and gory portrayal of women in horror movies is simply unnecessary. What if this narrative was flipped on this head, and women were the monsters inflicting violence on their bullying peers or discovering the mysteries in psych wards?
“A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night” (2014)
The film tells the tale of Bad City, a ghost town in Iran, that is being stalked by a lonely vampire woman. It draws a brilliant critique on American imperialism with the vampire acting as an allegory for the U.S. Sometimes all you need in a good movie is a sad boy, a cat, and his vampire girlfriend.
“The Craft” (1996)
Sarah, who moves after experiencing a traumatic incident, joins a coven of young witches at her Catholic school. They seek revenge and use their powers against all who dare to cross them, including teachers, rivals, and parents. It is the ideal teen witch movie which is very underrated. It touches on many topics in the lives of teenage girls and accurately portrays the difficulties of high school.
“The Love Witch” (2016)
A young witch named Elaine is on a mission to find love. She concocts spells and potions in her apartment which she uses to seduce men. This leaves her with a string of unfortunate victims. Her quest to be loved drives her to insanity and murder. The film’s intricately made aesthetic creates a surreal portrait of a woman's journey. It intelligently mixes satire and an homage to 1960’s sitcoms.
“A Tale of Two Sisters” (2003)
A young girl and her sister return from a mental institution and experience strange happenings involving their stepmother and the family's haunted past. As the hauntings continue, they threaten to uncover dark secrets about the family's history. Acting as an important part of the Korean new wave, a film movement from the late 90s to 2000s that acted as a response to direct distribution from American studios and created a boom in the domestic Korean entertainment industry. The director, Kim Jee-woon, creates a masterful portrayal that builds upon the canon of previous Korean horror films. The influence that this has had on other horror films in the 2010’s such as “Insidious”, “Sinister”, and “The Conjuring” is astronomical. It is a beautifully dark film that the musical score exemplifies, and though it gets quite dark at times, overall, it is a fun ride with a beyond sad ending.
“Helter Skelter” (2012)
Ririko, a wildly successful actress, singer, and model, has been using multiple rounds of plastic surgery, along with constant upkeep, to become the manifestation of beauty. When her body begins to crumble after years of procedures, so does her mind, leading her toward an inevitable and frightening ending.The movie is filled to the brim with colorful aesthetics and narcissism that combines itself into an extravagantly surrealist package. Erika Sawajiri gives an incredible performance and wonderfully portrays Ririko’s unsympathetic, hysterical, and insecure character.
“The Silenced” (2015)
After transferring to a new sanatorium boarding school because of her poor health, Ju-han starts noticing changes to her body. When students start disappearing, she suspects the school is at fault, and she attempts to uncover the hidden secrets of this mysterious boarding school. This movie is on the lighter side of horror, and with its mixture of period drama elements, it creates an abnormally beautiful aesthetic for a horror movie. With the added addition of sci-fi tropes, it is an inviting mystery that keeps you guessing every step of the way.
“Carrie” (1976)
Carrie presents the classic teenage girl revenge narrative. Carrie White, a shy young girl, is tormented by her peers and her fantastically religious mother. When she develops telekinetic powers, she begins to seek her revenge. This movie acts as a certified classic in the “Good for Her” cinematic universe.
While these directors should get their praise for creating complex female characters, there are still improvements to be made industry wide. There needs to be a way for women to exist within the horror genre without brutalization.