“But it is women who love horror. Gloat over it. Feed on it. Are nourished by it. Shudder and cling and cry out – and come back for more.”
-Bela Lugosi
You said it, Bela.
I love horror movies. I’m a total wimp about them, the screaming, crying, watch-the-movie-behind-my-hands, “NO DON’T GO IN THERE oh god why am I watching this” kind of wimp, but I love them. Horror movies not only create spaces where we can explore and exorcise cultural fears: they are fantastically complex pieces of media that can reinforce cultural rules or shatter them, that celebrate and condemn transgression.
Plus they’re just wicked fun.
Here’s a list of some of my favorites. For best results, I’ve recommended a food/drink combo and some complementary feminist literature. Happy Halloween!
Anthony Frederick Augustus Sandys’ “Medea.” Don’t mess with the best.
Suggested reading for everything: Men, Women, and Chainsaws, Carol Clover — the definitive work on feminism and horror films
Coming to the Edge 