Female Fright-Makers: The Best Women Working in Horror

The nights are drawing in, the clocks have gone back and Halloween is just around the corner. This means that this is the absolute best time of year to settle in on the sofa for a horror movie or twenty. Most people tend to have one of two of the classics that they cycle between each year, but this year why not branch out into something different?

In recent years, there’s been a lot of press about the lack of female filmmakers working in the horror genre, but with this article we’ll highlight that this isn’t the case at all. People just haven’t bothered looking. Women have been making equally brilliant genre films for decades, but have sadly always been overshadowed by their male counterparts. Get you eyeballs around this list, ditch your usual Halloween pick, and support one of these genre Goddesses.

The Soska Sisters

Jen and Sylvia Soska are two of the hardest working people in the film industry. Despite their obvious talent, the pair have faced a lot of unwarranted criticism over the years, but rather than let the negativity get them down, they’ve just channelled all that frustration and have produced some really interesting films. Their directing careers began with Dead Hooker in a Trunk, but it’s for their simply brilliant American Mary that they are best known. The film screened at Frightfest and took the genre world by storm, and even made our picks of the best films to play at the festival in its twenty year lifespan. And whilst it would be very easy to just tell you to go watch that one (you should), our Soska Sister pick is actually their latest creation, Rabid.

Rabid is a remake of David Cronenberg’s film of the same name, but rather than just repeating what we’ve already seen, the duo subvert expectation and have crafted something uniquely beautiful. The film stars Laura Vandervoort as Rose, a young woman whom undergoes experimental reconstructive surgery after a horrific traffic accident leaves her face brutally disfigured. The procedure comes with some rather unexpected side-effects though, and as Rose begins to change, she sets off a chain reaction that has dire implications for all around her. The film has that typical Soska style and plays well as a spiritual sequel to American Mary; so if you have the time, why not make it a Soska double feature this Halloween?

Mary Lambert

Earlier this year, Dennis Widmyer and Kevin Kölsch released their version of Pet Sematary. The film was based on the best-selling novel by Stephen King, but it wasn’t the first time the story had been adapted for the big screen. That accolade lives with director Mary Lambert whose adaptation of Pet Sematary was released in 1989. This year’s version is well worth a watch, it’s brilliant, but it strays away quite significantly from King’s source material. If you want a film that keeps closer to the story of the chilling novel then Lambert’s version is the one for you. It has not aged all that well, but then neither have most films (especially horror) from the eighties. What remains though is an air of unease and a fully visualised tale of a bereaved man descending into madness. Lambert’s film, like King’s novel, poses the eternal question of what lengths would you go to to see a deceased loved one again, and demonstrates quite vividly why sometimes dead is better.

If that film alone doesn’t fill your quota for reanimated pets and family members, then you can stick with Lambert and stick on her sequel, Pet Sematary 2. The sequel has received a lot of bad press, but is actually really enjoyable. It stars a Terminator 2: Judgement Day era Edward Furlong as the son of a Hollywood horror icon whom tragically dies on set. After relocating to the infamous Ludlow, Maine, with his father (played by Top Gun‘s Anthony Edwards) he learns of the rejuvenating properties of the deadly ground and a plan begins to formulate to bring his mum back. The film also features a great turn from Clancy Brown.

To celebrate the thirtieth anniversary since its release, Lambert’s Pet Sematary was given the Blu-ray and UHD treatment earlier this year, making now the perfect time to watch and re-watch it.

Karyn Kusama

Karyn Kusama has spent her career carving out a nice little niche within the world of independent cinema. She doesn’t confine herself to telling one type of story and has traversed a multitude of genres. Her slate includes action flick Aeon Flux, Nicole Kidman starring Destroyer, her debut Girlfight, and the Netflix gem The Invitation. However, the film that you should take into your home is the overlooked Jennifer’s Body. Released in 2009, the film was initially met with a lukewarm response. Made during their peak popularity, it’s odd to think that a film that starred both Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried struggled at all, and yet it did. As the years have passed though, it has slowly picked up a following.

Written by Diablo Cody, whom was fresh off of the brilliant Juno, Jennifer’s Body told the tale of two best friends torn apart after one of them found herself possessed by a demon. Once possessed, the titular Jennifer (Fox) starts seducing and murdering off her male classmates. When she sets her sights on best friend Needy’s (Seyfried) boyfriend, Chip, Needy must do all she can to stop her friend once and for all. Jennifer’s Body oozes cool and teenage girl attitude, has a bad-ass soundtrack, and explores the bonds of friendship. It may be ten years old, but the film is coming back into fashion giving its strong #MeToo movement undertones. If you’re going to have the house full of teenage girls over Halloween, then this is perfect Halloween watch for a girly sleepover.

Issa López

The name Issa López is a name that you should take note of. Her current film Tigers are not Afraid has caught the attention of the likes of Stephen King, Neil Gaiman and Guillermo del Toro. Del Toro was so impressed that he’s serving as producer on her latest project and having seen Tigers are not Afraid, it’s easy to see why. The film, now available on Shudder worldwide, is a haunting and harrowing blend of fairy-tale fantasy and gritty reality. Imagine City of God mixed with Pan’s Labyrinth, starring a group of charming children that could have been plucked straight out of Peter Pan, and you have an idea of what to expect.

Set in Mexico, the story follows a young girl called Estrella who finds herself on the run from the local cartel after her mother suddenly vanishes. On the streets she chances upon a group of boys lead by El Shine and joins with them in order to survive. At the same time as all this, Estrella is being pursued by someone or something rather sinister. I’ve gone on and on about this film ever since I caught it at Frightfest Glasgow in 2018, and after two viewings it has easily become one of my favourite films of the decade, potentially even ever. Tigers are not Afraid is just a stunning film. Visually it’s beautiful, the young cast are all exceptional, and the piece is bursting with so much sadness, hope and emotion that it’s hard to not get swept up in it all. Be warned, should you choose this one as your Halloween film of choice, you’ll definitely need tissues.

Chelsea Stardust

Another new name to the world of genre filmmaking is Chelsea Stardust. Stardust has worked on plenty of big name horror films as assistant to Mr Blumhouse himself, Jason Blum, but Satanic Panic is her feature directorial debut. Stardust has clearly used her time on the set to soak up as much information about the filmmaking process, making her debut one not to be missed. Satanic Panic straddles the line between black comedy and gross-out gore. It has all the ingredients to the perfect comedy horror: occult sacrifices, gore galore, and deadly pneumatic sex toys.

Sam is on her first night on the job as a pizza delivery driver. After a disappointing start, the cash-strapped woman agrees to a delivery way out of town to the filthy rich. This ends up being the worst decision of her life though as the virgin they needed for their satanic ritual has been sullied, and Sam finds herself the new offering. The best news about Satanic Panic is that it arrives on home video via Arrow Films this Halloween week. This is a film best viewed surrounded by as many friends as possible; gather all your mates, order some pizza, and get ready for a fun-filled Hallow’s Eve.