Horror is one of the least respected genres of cinema, and yet it portrays much of today’s culture and values within its context. These movies show heavy symbolism, especially in the portrayal of women and femininity, through images of fear of castration, and the strength of females. Horror films are famous for portraying women as damsels in distress who are usually murdered within the first five minutes as punishment for their indiscretions. They are also portrayed as antagonists, which can be seen as a reflection of men’s pathological fear of women. Horror is a genre that rarely features women in a non-exploitative way, even with modern movies such as the new ‘Friday the 13th’ being extremely sexist.
There are however positive female characters in this genre and these films are usually much more respected by critics and the public. In movies such as ‘The Descent’ and ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’, women can be seen defeating typically male villains and exhibiting strength and intelligence, moving from victim to heroine.
The female subject is shown in horror movies in different ways through time. Women are beginning to come into their own in the horror genre, showing that they are as strong as men and are not the sexual objects they were once perceived.
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