13 Feminine Horror Movies

Christine Spines wrote an article for Entertainment Weekly on men watching horror movies in their teens and women continuing to watch them into their 30s. After that, I read posts and comments to effect of “heaven forbid, not more Twilight!”

I disagree with categorizing Twilight as a horror film: it fits better in the family of the Gothic romance. Gothic romance defined as, “Weird place! Is my boyfriend going to kill me?” Examples might be Rebecca, Jane Eyre, Beauty and the Beast and so on.

After mulling this over, I decided to make a list of horror movies that I considered “feminine.”   They feature women protagonists dealing with issues such as childbirth, menstruation, sisters, and romantic relationships. I didn’t put the women from Alien/Resident Evil/Silence of the Lambs on the list because I was selecting characters who fit the type of the “angel in the house”or “fairy tale princess.”

Disclaimer: This is not suggest that any person of any gender should feel included or excluded from identifying with the issues raised or the characters depicted in these movies.

My list doesn’t include movies I haven’t seen. Or, Dark Water.

Here is the list:

• Cat People (1942)
• It’s Alive (1973)
• Carrie (1976)
• Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
• Heathers (1989)
• Perfect Blue (1992)
• Boxing Helena (1993)
• The Craft (1996)
• Practical Magic (1998)
• Ginger Snaps (2000)
• The Others (2001)
• The Ring (2002) and Ringu (1998)
• The Orphanage (2007)

The Orphanage. My review is in an earlier post. Feminine Themes: motherhood, losing a child, inquisitive women (women are actively discouraged from trying to learn things.)

The Ring. Feminine Themes: motherhood, inquisitive women. Ringu. (1998) Feminine Themes: motherhood, magical female power.

The Others. Feminine Themes: motherhood, single parenting, running a household.

Ginger Snaps. Feminine Themes: sisterhood, puberty, menses, female sexuality.

Practical Magic. Feminine Themes: widowhood, sisterhood, abusive relationships, being stalked and threatened, magical female power, healthy female bonding.

The Craft. Feminine Themes: magical female power, toxic female bonding, puberty.

Boxing Helena. Feminine Themes: abusive relationships.

Perfect Blue. Feminine Themes: self image, career choices, being stalked and threatened.

Heathers. Feminine Themes: self image, toxic female bonding, abusive relationships.

Nightmare on Elm Street: Feminine Themes: being stalked and threatened, female craftiness, mother/daughter relationships.

Carrie: Feminine Themes: puberty, menses, magical female power, mother/daughter relationships, toxic female bonding .

It’s Alive. Feminine Themes: pregnancy, giving birth, motherhood.

Cat People. My description here. Feminine Themes: female sexuality, being stalked and threatened.