Many horror films depict a Final Girl; the last woman alive who must face the deadly force plaguing her group of friends. Think Laurie Strode from “Halloween” (1978) or Alice Hardy from “Friday the 13th” (1980). Usually these girls are the “innocent” friend who can do no harm but always seem to be one step ahead of the killer. The term was first used by Carol Clover who wrote the famous essay, “Her Body, Himself: Gender in the Slasher Film.” Clover argues that horror films, slashers in particular, are targeted toward men. The main character must be just feminine enough to spark interest but not too feminine as to turn the target audience away.
Final Girls represent a type of sadism in which viewers get to enjoy watching terrified women suffer. At the same time, viewers will root for the last ones standing when they pull out their weapons and fight back in the end. Common characteristics of early Final Girls include non-sexual attitudes, unisex names, and brunette hair. Additionally, many early Final Girls inevitably survive their first movie only to end up dead in the sequels. Of course, these horror heroines are unlikely to have every characteristic of the classic Final Girl. In recent years, horror movies have turned the Final Girl trope around.
Sidney Prescott is considered to be one of the most iconic Final Girls of all time. Scream (1996) introduced a character who is smart, relatable and most importantly doesn’t die due to her sexual activity. In fact, Sidney is still alive and kicking unlike many of her Final Girl counterparts. Scream led to the beginning of a new Final Girl era. With characters such as “It Follows’” Jay Height (2015), “Midsommar’s” Dani Ardor (2019), and “Ready or Not’s” Grace Le Domas (2019), Final Girls are not the same damsels in distress they once were in the old days. These women do not play around. They are not pure or precious, but rather incredibly strong-willed and bold.
These modern versions of a classic trope create characters that are fleshed out. We see them act like human beings. We love them because they are not perfect in any way. The opening scene of It Follows involves Jay Height’s date night gone horribly wrong. Dani Ardor basically delivers her boyfriend to death’s door at the end of Midsommar. Grace De Lomas, covered in blood and guts, laughs as all of her captors spontaneously combust in front of her.
The difference between old and new Final Girls is especially noticeable when comparing how the characters feel after the horror fest is finished. Are they left scared and helpless as the killer or ghoul gets away or are they left with a satisfying ending to their story? Our new girls are more likely to fall into the latter category. Modern Final Girls throw away the cliche and have adapted to model progressive feminism. In any case, we stand by our headstrong leading ladies of every era.
Sources:
Clover, C. (1987). Her Body, Himself: Gender in the Slasher Film. Representations, (20), 187-228. doi:10.2307/2928507
McAndrews, M. (2019, September 30). The History and Transformation of the Final Girl in Horror Movies. Retrieved October, https://filmschoolrejects.com/final-girl-history/
Young, C. (2020, March 6). What Happened to Cinema’s Virginal Final Girl? Retrieved October,https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/what-happened-to-cinemas-virginal-final-girl/