This installment of The Girls Guide to Horror focuses on films that are the bedrock of the genre and appeal to a younger female audience.
1. Eyes Without a Face (1960) - Dir. Georges Franju
This poetic French stunner is a film that oft goes overlooked by those that aren’t particularly into old school black and white horror. However, it straddles the line of both beauty and terror in its visuals and storyline.
A disfigured young woman named Christiane becomes increasingly disillusioned with her doctor father, who is literally killing women as a way to restore Christiane back to her pre-accident beauty. The film explores a lot of uncomfortable subject matter and was very much ahead of its time in terms of themes and over all horror. Upon its original release, people were stuck between praising it and outright reviling it.
Thankfully, over the years, it’s gained a following and has been preserved.
2. The Haunting (1963) - Dir. Robert Wise
The Haunting of Hill House is pretty much required reading for anyone who is into horror, so naturally the first adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s landmark novel has to be on this list.
Those who are familiar with Mike Flanagan’s sumptuous and emotion reimagining of The Haunting of Hill House might be especially interested in this adaptation of the book, as well as the book itself. The film follows Eleanor Lance (Vance in the novel) who comes to be a part of an investigation of the notorious Hill House. Eleanor is chosen to participate due to her previous experiences with supernatural phenomena. Over the course of the film, Eleanor becomes more and more obsessed with Hill House itself.
The film, much like the book, takes a look at Eleanor’s waning sanity as she comes to grips with the possibility that Hill House is haunted and that it is somehow tied to her and her overall destiny.
3. Let's Scare Jessica to Death (1971) - Dir. John D. Hancock
Let’s Scare Jessica to Death is a descent into the mind of mental illness in a distinct way that will appeal to modern audiences.
I can say discovering this film as a thirteen year old girl was one of the best things that happened to me. Jessica has to grapple with her own slipping mental state and discerning if what’s happening to her is real or not. At that time, I was dealing with some severe bullying and gaslighting from my peers and teachers, so I related with Jessica on an emotional level because I was constantly questioning my reality.
In addition to being a meditation on mental illness, it’s an extremely unique vampire tale that is both creepy and surreal.
4. Ganja and Hess (1973) - Dir. Bill Gunn
Ganja and Hess makes for a good choice for baby’s first foray into art house horror, because it’s a painfully beautiful story — and one of the most memorable takes on vampirism in all of cinema.
The film covers a lot of emotional ground in a raw way, one that will stick with the viewer long after they’ve watched it. Ganja and Hess are interesting characters caught in a bizarre situation that will cultivate both love and death. The visuals are stunning and the score is mesmerizing.
It’s a criminally underseen masterpiece that features Night of the Living Dead’s (1968) Duane Jones as the titular Hess, and Marlene Clark in the equally iconic role of Ganja.
5. Black Christmas (1974) - Dir. Bob Clark
It would be a crime not to have the original Black Christmas on this list.
This proto-slasher gave us one of the first final girls in the form of headstrong Jess Bradford. Come for the sorority girls being terrorized by a nameless and faceless killer on the phone... and stay for the wonderful societal commentary and female characters. The film is peopled with vibrant and memorable characters and dialogue, as well as a tense slow burn plot that culminates in a memorable last act.
Black Christmas remains pertinent in many ways to the experience of young women and femmes today, making it required viewing.
6. Alice, Sweet Alice (1976) - Dir. Alfred Sole
Alice, Sweet Alice is a 70s slasher in the same vein of Don’t Look Now. There’s definitely horror, but there’s also a family drama at play.
The central Alice is a troubled and alienated preteen struggling with her parent’s divorce, and the absence of her father. Beyond that, Alice is jealous of her universally beloved younger sister Karen. Alice is an extremely human character caught in the midst of some extremely traumatic events that only get worse when her younger sister is brutally murdered at her first communion, and Alice eventually becomes a suspect.
While Alice is precocious and often bratty, the film allows us all to empathize with her because she is going through such a vulnerable time in her life.
7. Rabid (1977) - Dir. David Croneberg
Rabid is a great introduction into body horror for anyone, but tragic heroine Rose is a relatable figure that will ground the experience for younger viewers.
After a motorcycle accident leaves Rose disfigured and the recipient of experimental medical treatment that leaves her with a phallic like stinger in her armpit and an insatiable taste for blood. This flick manages to meld body horror with the zombie sub genre in a way that only Cronenberg could pull off. The heartbreaking ending leaves the viewer with a lot to think about while the credits roll.
While most newbies to horror are understandably recommended Cronenberg’s 80s remake of The Fly, Rabid is an earlier Cronenberg that flies a little bit under the radar, but is no less fantastic.
8. The Slumber Party Massacre (1982) - Dir. Amy Holden Jones
The Slumber Party Massacre has interesting origins.
It’s a slasher that was written to be a parody and was filmed in a more straightforward manner. The results are interesting to say the least, but it’s a slasher that doesn’t get the attention it deserves. The setup is fairly standard, but the film centers women in a way uncommon for the time — and was directed by Amy Holden Jones and written by Rita Mae Brown. Brown wanted the film to solely be a parody, but they filmed it in a serious fashion against her will. It’s an important entry in horror because of it being penned and directed by women. The two sequels it spawned were directed and written by women, as well.
It’s not often that you see slashers directed by women or femmes, but this whole entire trilogy is dominated by women behind the camera.
9. Night of the Comet (1984) - Dir. Thom Eberhardt
Night of the Comet is a poppy 80s punch of girl power.
A comet passes by earth causing an apocalyptic event that results in a zombie apocalypse like no other. Sisters Reggie and Sam have to fight for their survival and eventually team up with a man named Hector. This movie is straight up fun and stars absolute horror icon Kelli Maroney from Chopping Mall. It’s effortlessly cool and often flies under the radar when compared to other classic 80s horror fair.
Be sure to put it on your to watch list.
10. A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988) - Dir. Renny Harlin
While Nancy Thompson is a badass and a goddess among final girls, and one of the queens of 80s horror overall, Alice Johnson from A Nightmare on Elm 4: The Dream Master deserves love, as well.
This sequel doesn’t seem to get the kind of love that other installments get, but it’s well worth the watch and gives the franchise another wonderfully dynamic heroine. Alice also appears in A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child. And while it’s no masterpiece, Alice is enough to keep the film afloat. I have a special affection for it because Alice is just that awesome.
If you’ve started to delve into the Elm Street movies, make sure not to stop at three; push ahead and get the pleasure of meeting Alice.
Horror has and will always appeal to the female and feminine leaning masses, and horror is often centered on well-written female characters. Horror has always been the genre of strong outspoken opinions and outsiders finding a macabre niche for themselves.
Unfortunately, as we talked about in the first installment, women often get left out of the horror conversation. And teen girls get left out of the conversation more than anyone. That’s why this series exists — to champion making horror accessible to young, female fans.
The films featured in this second edition are not only genre classics every horror fan can appreciate, but they also help reinforce the importance of strong and compelling female characters. Most of the films on this list were written by and/or directed by men. But that doesn’t keep them from being hugely important to feminist horror and accessible to both younger and older female viewers.
While I love films like John Carpenter’s Halloween and Brian De Palma’s Carrie, and recognize their appeal and importance to teens and young adults, you won’t find those on this list. My goal is to examine films that aren’t as widely recommended as others.
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