Horror has long been known to explore the darker side of the human psyche. Horror loves fear, it loves pain, it loves injury and trauma. You would think naturally that horror would be a space where women have been able to tell their stories. When it comes to the role of women in horror history, the story runs deep and it runs complicated.
Women have always been central to horror, both as iconic characters on-screen and as creators behind the scenes, shaping the genre in profound and enduring ways. From the early days of silent film to today’s boundary-pushing horror, women have been shown to be the victim, but have also to be powerful storytellers who are given the space to explore themselves and the worlds they find themselves in. It's perhaps even true that the horror genre provided an authentic and creative space for women before many other genres had caught up.
The Early Days: Monsters and Madwomen
The role of women in horror can be traced all the way back to the early 19th century, well before the advent of film. Mary Shelley, the trailblazing author of Frankenstein (1818), is often credited with creating the first science fiction and horror novel. Her gothic masterpiece explored the dangers of unchecked ambition and the fear of the unknown, themes that continue to resonate in modern horror. It feels like we always circle back round to Mary Shelley in one way or another when we talk about girl horror and there is a reason why. Shelley was not creating in a time where women were expected, or even allowed, to create. Let alone to create something as dark and provoking as the Frankenstein story. That's one of the reasons that she is credited so heavily with the start of girl horror as we know it.
As the silent film era of the 1920s started to take off, there was suddenly a medium that found itself perfectly suited to telling dark and eerie stories. Horror didn't need dialogue, but instead utilisted the moving image, the build up of anticipation, the facial expressions of actors, to tell its stories. During this era, horror movies began to establish tropes that, for better or worse, often revolved around the damsel in distress. Women were frequently portrayed as the object of terror, their fear and helplessness heightening the tension of the film and its viewing experience. Films like Nosferatu (1922) and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) established this dynamic. However, even in these early days of film, women were often not just passive but formed a key part of the stories for reasons other than just being frightened all the time. Even in these early days of film, horror found itself as a forerunner in authentically exploring the experiences of women. Of course, there was a lot of problematic representation too, but it was a solid base from which to progress.
The Scream Queens and Final Girls: 1960s to 1980s
As we continue through the 20th century, horror film began to move at an ever increasing rate. By the 1960s and 1970s, women in horror films began to take on more complex roles that were more pivotal to the story. Women's roles began to explore the actual experiences of women in real life instead of simply being used as a tool to support or prevent the male characters from proceeding in their own stories. Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960) and Roman Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby (1968) are two landmark films where female characters were not only the focal point of the horror itself but also embodied the genre's changing dynamics.
In Psycho, Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) is one of the first major characters to suffer a shocking fate early in the story, while Rosemary (Mia Farrow) in Rosemary’s Baby became a symbol of paranoia, motherhood, and the horrifying loss of agency over one’s body. These films definitely qualify as part of the 'must-watch' horror films list if you're interested in girl horror. Their tropes, themes and ideas have been extrapolated from and explored throughout horror cinema ever since.
The 1970s and 1980s, we see the introduction of the “Final Girl” of horror cinema. The term 'final girl' was coined by Carol J. Clover in her book Men, Women, and Chainsaws (1992) and it is the perfect demonstration of the move that horror cinema had taken since its beginnings away from the damsel and towards the empowerment of women. The 'final girl' archetype refers to the last woman standing, the one who survives the carnage and often outsmarts the killer. Films like Halloween (1978), The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), and A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) gave us some of the most iconic final girls.
Some of whom are technically still final girls to this day... cough, cough, all hail Jamie Lee Curtis. These characters are deliberately shown to be resourceful and resilient, using their smarts and skill to outrun or outfight whatever terrorising force is coming for them. This is where horror cinema gets interesting for women. Some people love the final girl, some people think that showing women to be empowering and strong is just likening them to their male counterparts and that actually to be authentic it should be shown that women are not always strong and resilient. Food for thought, but I still love Jamie Lee Curtis.
The Female Horror Director: Breaking New Ground
While women have always been crucial to the genre in front of the camera, their contributions behind it have been historically overlooked. But this is changing even as we speak (or write?). The last two decades have seen a huge cohort of women filmmakers pushing the boundaries of horror cinema in a new and even more authentic way. It's one thing for women to inform male directors of the authenticity of their experiences, but it's another for women themselves to be behind the camera and in the director's chair.
In more recent years, films like Jennifer’s Body (2009) by Karyn Kusama, The Babadook (2014) by Jennifer Kent, and Raw (2016) by Julia Ducournau have redefined the genre from a uniquely feminine perspective. These films delve into themes of body horror, identity, and the monstrosity that lurks within ordinary life, all while flipping the traditional male gaze of horror on its head. It is incredible to be alive in a time where women are finally able to be creative and create cinema that really explores the deep dark depths of their own experiences fully. Obviously, the problem of inequality in the gender or film directors is not fixed, but that's partly where The Girl Horror Podcast comes in. We will be periodically giving space to women who have director incredible horror films, so don't forget to subscribe on your preferred streaming platform or on YouTube.
Women as the Future of Horror
Women’s roles in horror, both as creators and characters, are more vital than ever in the world we live in. Today, much as it always has been, horror is being used as a lens to explore the societal and cultural context it is being made in. Nowadays, that means social issues from gender violence and trauma to the horrors of motherhood and societal expectations. Filmmakers like Ana Lily Amirpour (A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, 2014) and Rose Glass (Saint Maud, 2019) continue to push the boundaries, creating films that challenge not just horror tropes but also the cultural norms they reflect. And that's where the real meat of the discussion is - as society changes its perception to women, how does horror reflect this same change?
As the genre evolves, women will continue to be at the forefront, crafting stories that speak to our deepest fears and desires while reshaping what horror can be. Women in horror are no longer just the scream queens—they are directors, writers, producers, and icons who have reclaimed their place in one of cinema's most fascinating genres. From Mary Shelley's groundbreaking novel to the rise of the Final Girl and the emergence of female horror directors, women have always been intrinsic to the evolution of horror. As creators and characters, they have continuously challenged conventions, giving us some of the most memorable and thought-provoking moments in the genre. The future of horror is undeniably female, and we’re just beginning to see the terrifying, empowering stories they will tell.
Don't forget to tune in to The Girl Horror Podcast on your preferred streaming platform, or what our videos on YouTube. You can find us on Instagram @gurlhorror to join in the conversation and share your own favourite girl horror films.
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