[Editorial] 9 Frightening, Ferocious and Dangerous Women in Horror

We celebrate women in horror every month of the year, but this March we’re looking at what’s labelled as ‘Good For Her’ horror films. For decades, women have been the main victims in horror films but with the changing times and recognition that women can be just as awful as men, we’re seeing an uprise in awful female characters in horror films.

So to celebrate seeing more frightening, ferocious and dangerous villains on screen, I’m looking at some of the ones that make my skin crawl. Are they all villains? Not necessarily as it’s easy to argue they have a fair motive, but even those who are just inhumane for the sake of it, it’s fun to say ‘good for her’ for following her heart’s desires – even if that means murdering the innocent and feeding upon their viscera.

9. Pamela Voorhees in Friday the 13th

It’s well known that you should never upset a mother, especially by taunting her baby boy. For the campers at Crystal Lake, they sure discovered that a loyal mother will do anything to get the justice she feels is deserved for her one and only son. Beware, even the most unsuspecting character, wearing the cutest jumpers can still cause carnage and death.


8. M3GAN

Technically a robot, but we have to stan a psycho killer robot gal and we absolutely do with M3GAN. In some ways, we’ve all wished for a best friend that is so dedicated to us that they will do anything, but when it comes to murdering all the living people that also care about you, you might reconsider your friends. Because those crazy vibes will eventually cast their interest your way. 


7. Julia from Hellraiser

They say love can drive us crazy, and for Julia this is certainly true. She will stop at nothing to be with her true love Frank, including seducing men so he can drain their blood and wear their skin like a suit. Julia goes to severely dark depths to reignite the flame she had with her bloody lover, but even though she does awful things for love, she’s betrayed in the end.


6. Baby Jane in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane

Your nearest and dearest are often the most dangerous because they know your secrets and how to manipulate you in deceptive ways. Baby Jane doesn’t live up to her namesake, she’s not innocent and sweet at all, instead she uses mind games and psychological warfare to terrorise her sister Blanche. 

5. Mimi in Kiss of the Damned

Staying on topic when it comes to troublesome siblings is vampire Mimi, who knows exactly what she wants and will do just about anything to get it. She uses her flirtatious nature and immortal looks to seduce any man or woman, luring them into her aura of lust and then draining their blood to feed her insatiable hunger. The sex might be good, but the climax doesn’t have a happy ending. 


4. Asami in Audition

It’s debatable whether or not Asami truly is the villain of this story, but her actions aren’t excusable even if her victims aren’t the most righteous men of society. With her soft temper and shy nature, Asami doesn’t look like she’d harm a fly but equipped with cutting wire and needles, this woman in horror will torture any man that doesn’t meet her needs. 


3. Betty in Nekromantik

Do you ever truly know the person you love? Well Betty makes her love for necrophilia common knowledge to her partner Rob, and they indulge in some dark fantasies together. Even though she’s not as murderous as some of the others on this list, she is definitely a disturbed young woman. Betty finds the corpses of men more arousing than the living, and will cause all sorts of heartbreak to be with the rotting body of someone she’s only just met. 


2. Core in Trouble Every Day

Primitive urges happen to the best of us, and sometimes that means sacrificing everything to give in to those carnal desires. Core might be ruled by a disease, but her addiction and need to consume human blood and flesh causes a chaotic path of barbarity. Her husband Leo does his best to restrain her from her impulses, but a girl needs what a girl needs and in this case, she just needs to devour others and adhere to her cannibalistic tendencies. 


1. Rose the Hat in Doctor Sleep

Looks can be deceiving, and especially in the case of Rose the Hat. She’s enigmatic, gorgeous and has no care about those that she harms. Instead of preying on men or women like most of the villains here do, she opts to hunt children that have a certain steaminess about them. Draining the life of children with the shining, and experiencing an almost sexual gratification from feeding on their pain and suffering. Sleep well little ones.

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