As women continue to work towards breaking the glass ceiling for equality and opportunity. There is one genre that has embraced femininity and well, the badassery that is the female villain; Horror.
This one goes out to all of the ladies out there that absolutely LOVE all things scary, freaky, gross, and gory! I bet you didn’t know that there is a whole month dedicated to us horror loving gals, did you? This is officially the 9th year of Women in Horror month and it’s meant to shed some light on the talented women working within the horror genre. From Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein to the director of The Babadook – Jennifer Kent, women have continued to enrich the horror genre with some truly terrifying stories and artwork.
There are so many talented and inspiring women out there that have paved the way for women and girls in horror. I wish that I could recognize each and every one of them, however, for the sake of this article here are a few women that have worked hard to inspire and spook!
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Suzi Lorraine
Writer, model, actress-is there anything that this scream queen can’t do?! The beautiful Suzi Lorraine has graced the silver screen for years as a well-known actress and horror fanatic. She’s appeared in over 50 movies; even writing and producing some of her own! She’s been featured on AMC’s, “Monsterfest” and Chiller Channel’s, “Can You Survive a Horror Movie?”. Miss Lorraine also writes for Shock Horror Magazine. There’s no doubt that Suzi Lorraine has left her mark within the wonderful world of HORROR!
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Mary Lambert
Arkansas native Mary Lambert is who we have to thank for some of our favorite horror classics! She has directed many horror films including: Pet Sematary (1989), Pet Sematary II (1992), Urban Legends: Bloody Mary (2005), and Halloweentown II (2001). I know, I know, Halloweentown II isn’t a scary movie BUT, it was a childhood favorite! ;)
(Image Source: http://www.imdb.com )
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Jill Bauman
Jill Bauman is an amazing artist that has a seriously unique and edgy style! If you check out her website, you’ll see that she has many pieces inspired by horror, mystery, fantasy, and science fiction. I really like her horror pieces because they have a really cool “classic horror” feel to them! Definitely check out her pieces using this link: http://www.jillbauman.com/webpages/horror.htm
(Image Source: http://www.jillbauman.com )
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Shirley Jackson
American author Shirley Jackson was one of the most influential writers of the twentieth century. She is remembered for her mystery and horror themed short stories and novels, such as: The Haunting of Hill House, The Possibility of Evil, and The Bird’s Nest. There was even a movie adaptation of her novel The Haunting of Hill House. Shirley Jackson will always be remembered as the queen of gothic horror!
(Image Source: https://literaryfictions.com )
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Cassandra Peterson
Of course, how could I not mention the iconic Halloween diva, Elvira! Cassandra Peterson is the woman behind the famously fabulous mistress. Elvira is a hauntingly beautiful and seductive character that Cassandra Peterson has brought to life for decades. The talented actress has used her fame to bring attention to several charities and organizations while allowing Elvira to steal the limelight as one of the most memorable and iconic horror characters of all time!
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Well, ladies and gentlemen, I hope that you’ve enjoyed reading about these amazing and talented women! Like I said, I wish I could highlight every single woman out there working within horror but that would take too long, but maybe not long enough! Women are still fighting to receive certain rights and opportunities but the women out there that have made their mark are doing a terrific job! Happy Women in Horror Month everyone!
Sources:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005308/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005116/
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1217063/