Women In Horror Movies

From Jonathan Demme, starring Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Lawrence A. Bonney, Kasi Lemmons
Rated R

The Silence of the Lambs is a psychological horror film directed by Jonathan Demme and based on the novel of the same name by Thomas Harris. Starring Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, and Scott Glenn, the film follows young FBI trainee Clarice Starling as she enlists the help of the incarcerated Dr. Hannibal Lecter to track down an enigmatic serial killer named Buffalo Bill. Clarice must battle her own demons and Lecter's psychological games as she attempts to gain information from him to help her find the killer. In the process, Clarice and Lecter form an unlikely bond as they attempt to outwit each other. Ultimately, Clarice is able to use Lecter's insight to catch Buffalo Bill and save his latest victim. The Silence of the Lambs won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

From Ridley Scott, starring Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt, Veronica Cartwright
Rated R

Alien is a science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and released in 1979. It follows the crew of the commercial space tug Nostromo and their encounter with the eponymous Alien, a deadly and aggressive extraterrestrial set loose on the ship. The crew, consisting of warrant officer Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), Kane (John Hurt), Dallas (Tom Skerritt), Lambert (Veronica Cartwright), Ash (Ian Holm), and Parker (Yaphet Kotto), must battle the creature and find a way to survive. With a tense and suspenseful atmosphere, Alien is considered one of the greatest science fiction films of all time, and a classic of the horror genre.

From Alfred Hitchcock, starring Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin
Rated R

Psycho is a classic 1960 psychological horror film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The film follows Marion Crane, a secretary who steals $40,000 from her employer and goes on the run. She takes refuge at the Bates Motel, where she meets the strange proprietor Norman Bates. As events unravel, Marion discovers that Norman is not who he seems and that he is connected to a mysterious past. As Marion's fate becomes increasingly uncertain, the audience is taken on a thrilling journey of suspense and terror.

From Guillermo del Toro, starring Ivana Baquero, Ariadna Gil, Sergi López, Maribel Verdú
Rated R

Pan's Labyrinth is a 2006 Spanish-Mexican dark fantasy drama film written and directed by Guillermo del Toro. Set in post-Civil War Spain, the story follows Ofelia, a young girl who moves with her pregnant mother to her new stepfather's home in a rural area. There, Ofelia discovers a magical labyrinth and meets a faun who tells her she is a princess from a long-forgotten kingdom and sets her on a mission to complete three dangerous tasks. Along the way, Ofelia must confront the brutality of her new stepfather, the Captain, and protect her mother and unborn brother from his oppressive rule. As she navigates the physical and psychological dangers of the labyrinth and her stepfather's domain, Ofelia discovers her strength, courage, and resilience.

From Roman Polanski, starring Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer
Rated Approved

Rosemary's Baby is a 1968 psychological horror film written and directed by Roman Polanski and starring Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, and Ruth Gordon. The story follows a young married couple, Rosemary and Guy Woodhouse, who relocate to a New York City apartment building with an eerie history. Rosemary soon falls pregnant and begins to suspect that the people around her, especially her mysterious and eccentric neighbors, may have sinister intentions for her unborn baby. As her paranoia grows, Rosemary must fight to protect her unborn child from the increasingly dangerous forces that seem to be conspiring against her.

From Jack Clayton, starring Deborah Kerr, Peter Wyngarde, Megs Jenkins, Michael Redgrave
Rated Not Rated

The Innocents is a classic psychological thriller that follows Miss Giddens (Deborah Kerr), a governess who is hired to care for two children at a remote estate. Miss Giddens soon discovers that the two children, Miles and Flora, are being haunted by the spirits of their former governess, Miss Jessel, and her lover, Peter Quint. As she struggles to protect the children from the supernatural forces, Miss Giddens begins to question her own sanity. With its atmospheric cinematography and intense performances, The Innocents is a timeless horror masterpiece that continues to haunt audiences to this day.

From John Carpenter, starring Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tony Moran, Nancy Kyes
Rated R

Halloween is a 1978 American slasher film directed and scored by John Carpenter. The film tells the story of Michael Myers, a disturbed and violent killer who returns to the town of Haddonfield, Illinois 15 years after murdering his older sister. He stalks and kills teenage babysitters and their friends on the night of Halloween. Laurie Strode, the main protagonist, must find a way to survive her encounter with Michael and put an end to his killing spree. The film also features Donald Pleasence and Jamie Lee Curtis in pivotal roles as Dr. Sam Loomis and Laurie Strode, respectively. Halloween is widely regarded as a classic and is credited with laying the groundwork for the slasher genre.

From Alejandro Amenábar, starring Nicole Kidman, Christopher Eccleston, Fionnula Flanagan, Alakina Mann
Rated PG-13

The Others is a psychological horror film directed by Alejandro Amenábar and starring Nicole Kidman. It follows a woman, Grace Stewart, and her two children who live in a remote estate in 1945 England. Grace is a devoutly religious woman who has become deeply paranoid that her home is haunted. Despite the warnings of her servants, she insists that her house must be kept in absolute darkness. When three mysterious servants appear, strange events begin to occur and Grace finds herself in a fight to protect her family from the unseen forces in her home. As the mystery unravels, Grace discovers a shocking truth that shakes her faith to its core. In the end, she must come to terms with the truth and make peace with her past.

From Alfred Hitchcock, starring Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren, Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette
Rated PG-13

The Birds is a psychological thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock and released in 1963. It follows the story of Melanie Daniels, a wealthy socialite who meets Mitch Brenner in a pet shop in San Francisco. As they become closer, they travel to the rural town of Bodega Bay, where they are soon faced with a strange, unexplainable phenomenon: birds of all species are attacking people. As the attacks become more frequent, the town is thrown into chaos, with the locals growing increasingly worried about their safety. As Melanie and Mitch investigate the cause of the bird attacks, they uncover a sinister plot and must fight to survive before it is too late.

From Roman Polanski, starring Catherine Deneuve, Ian Hendry, John Fraser, Yvonne Furneaux
Rated Not Rated

Repulsion is a psychological horror film from 1965 directed by Roman Polanski, starring Catherine Deneuve as a young Belgian woman named Carol. Carol is a repressed and isolated woman living in London and is plagued by vivid and terrifying hallucinations. As her mental state begins to deteriorate, Carol’s behavior becomes increasingly erratic and self-destructive, eventually leading to sinister and violent acts. The film takes an unflinching look at how human isolation and desperation can lead to extreme psychological distress and the lengths a person will go to in order to escape an unbearable reality.

From J.A. Bayona, starring Belén Rueda, Fernando Cayo, Roger Príncep, Mabel Rivera
Rated R

From Wes Craven, starring Heather Langenkamp, Johnny Depp, Robert Englund, John Saxon
Rated R

From Directors: Jaume Balagueró, Paco Plaza, starring Manuela Velasco, Ferran Terraza, Jorge-Yamam Serrano, Pablo Rosso
Rated R

From Wes Craven, starring Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Skeet Ulrich
Rated R

From Brian De Palma, starring Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, Amy Irving, John Travolta
Rated R

From Ari Aster, starring Toni Collette, Milly Shapiro, Gabriel Byrne, Alex Wolff
Rated R

From Dario Argento, starring Jessica Harper, Stefania Casini, Flavio Bucci, Miguel Bosé
Rated R

From Neil Marshall, starring Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reid, Saskia Mulder
Rated R

From Dan Trachtenberg, starring John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Gallagher Jr., Douglas M. Griffin
Rated PG-13

From Leigh Whannell, starring Elisabeth Moss, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Harriet Dyer, Aldis Hodge
Rated R

From Gore Verbinski, starring Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, Brian Cox, David Dorfman
Rated PG-13

From Bob Clark, starring Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder, John Saxon
Rated R

From Fede Alvarez, starring Stephen Lang, Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto
Rated R

From Jaume Collet-Serra, starring Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard, Isabelle Fuhrman, CCH Pounder
Rated R

From Julia Ducournau, starring Garance Marillier, Ella Rumpf, Rabah Nait Oufella, Laurent Lucas
Rated R