The It Girls of Horror
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Cinematic scream queens have left a lasting impact on female empowerment in film. Female characters now have the opportunity to be something other than the damsel in distress! The media’s exploration into abject terror leaves a lot to digest, giving us an atypical ideal of femininity to shine a light through and anatomize.
As a horror movie fanatic, I believe the character central to the storyline establishes a high-intensity experience the audience takes part in. A memorable film generates a visceral reaction from the viewers, something great horror movies do so well. Recent years have begun a new age of eerie cinema, concentrating the action on the woman. Through further investigation into the emotional journey of our leading lady, we open ourselves up to experience her highs and lows; this connection to the character melds our perspectives together. In any high-risk situation, her distress is visible and frankly relatable. The storyline of the female lead entering the darkness and returning as a hero has taken years to evolve. It is now ready to unleash a new era of abstract empowerment.
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The July 2024 release of Longlegs directed by Oz Perkins and starring Maika Monroe, left audiences speechless. This horror-thriller centers on FBI agent Lee Harker tracking down a mysterious serial killer, blending crime investigation with supernatural elements. Although Longlegs, played by Nicholas Cage, made dramatic appearances, viewers were stuck on Monroe’s portrayal of Lee Harker. Lee’s intelligence and intuition stand out as her most powerful traits, placing her on a higher level compared to her male counterparts. Monroe captures attention trepidatiously by letting her objective seep from her evocative eyes. It is never clear what she is thinking, but the emotional ride is palpable. Giving hints into her inner world but never oversharing, Monroe is maximizing the cinematic “it girl” effect.
Feminist horror can be characterized by its courage to represent the nuances of womanhood and the fears women battle each day. However, these stories go far beyond the fears and nightmares that lead to a life of hesitation. In almost every horror film, there’s a turning point for our heroine in which she finds bravery hidden beneath her broken tissue and boldly takes initiative. Just when our heart rate has reached new heights, we as an audience begin to breathe again as this woman is not solely surviving but clapping back with a will to fight.
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Sometimes, the leading lady has been the mastermind all along, aware of her plan while the audience remains naive and ignorant of her power. Mia Goth’s portrayal of Pearl in the 2022 film of the same name directed by Ti West demonstrates this approach. Pearl explores the origins of a young woman's descent into madness as she dreams of stardom while trapped by her environment. From the moment we see her, we witness ambition dripping from her smile. Pearl openly explores her sexuality and surrenders to her desires, which is a freedom usually given to the girl who is the first to die in classic slasher films. It is especially refreshing to see modern-day heroines take agency over their careers and relationships, proving that they are their own person separate from their attackers.
The glamorization of horror fits perfectly into the perception of beauty today, abdicating from "vanilla" and romanticizing a character that is mysterious yet appetizing - a skull not yet cracked. There are plentiful examples of the over-sexualization of women in classic slashers like Halloween (1978) and Friday the 13th (1980). Presently, women are taking this expected attention and using it in their favor. In alignment with the trend of making Halloween costumes sexy (e.g., sexy nurse, sexy vampire) it feels as though modern horror cinema has gone after the same effect. Whether that be through ambient lighting, dark-toned instrumentals, or the delectable appearance of the actors.
The alluring nature of productions like It Follows (2014) has only further crafted a space where actors can sulk in their haunting charm, looking past the gore and giving a new attractiveness to the genre. It Follows is about a young woman pursued by a supernatural entity after a sexual encounter; its aesthetic blends retro 1980s vibes and dreamy suburban landscapes to create an unsettling atmosphere. Maika Monroe’s character, Jay Height, is at first hindered by her sexuality but eventually turns the story around by weaponizing her seduction and using it to free herself. In the same vein, Jennifer in Jennifer’s Body (2009) claims her outward appeal as her main tactic in defeating her enemies. In this performance, Megan Fox is clearly in touch with her femme fatale attributes and does not shy away from basking in her stunning features to assume power.
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Although classified as a thriller, Promising Young Woman (2020) demonstrates the resounding strength that can emerge from the heroine in response to a traumatic event. Cassandra, played by Carey Mulligan, is the protagonist turned “villain” seeking rightful revenge on exploitative men who have wronged her and others. Dressed to impress and using smeared makeup as her mask, she lures in her prey, flipping the switch from vulnerable to vengeful all in perfect timing. Utilizing one’s femininity is an empowering avenue that assists women in reattaining moral authority. In this new age of horror, there is no limitation or social distinction that says the female lead cannot act like a badass and look good while doing it. Not only did Jessica Alba escape Leatherface and his family of cannibals in the 2003 remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but she also worked that disheveled glow every step of the way.
It is not commonplace to see a female character utterly lose herself within the storyline. This offbeat concept of female identity strays heavily from the usual picture of the ingenue, perfumed with innocence and decorum. When a guttural performance from Florence Pugh in Midsommar (2019) or a demonic portrayal from Toni Colette in Hereditary (2018) comes along, it goes instantly against the grain, awakening parts of us unexposed to this interpretation of monstrous femininity.
Peering into the female journey within the horror genre is intriguing, empowering, and undeniably applicable to real life. An aspect so raw about the stories uncovered within this sinister lens is the attention paid to the truth and the alignment to reality. Women continue to live in a state of fear, uncertain of the threats they may encounter. Horror films do not shy away from the possibilities and the situations that may come our way. Instead, it is faced head-on. And right when the fear becomes unbearable, the hunger for survival strikes, and a page is turned. The iconic female actors traversing through the modernized creation of horror films continue to evolve the narrative from victim to villain.
Strike Out,
Writer: Jacqueline Galvano
Editor: Dani Hernandez
Graphic Designer: Sarah Paskiewicz
Tallahassee