With it being the 1st of October and Halloween approaching, it seemed perfect timing to talk about horror films. Or more specifically, the women in horror movies. Anyone who reads my blog regularly will know of my love for both horror films and especially a strong female character. So I thought I’d combine them and write about two of my favourite ladies from the genre.
Sidney Prescott(Neve Campbell)- The Scream Movies:
The consistently victimized Sidney has already been through a lot before we first meet her. Chief among these is the brutal rape and murder of her mother a year prior. When a new spate of killings begins and she becomes the target, we observe a shift in her. Initially she is a terrified young girl who is vulnerable and confused, but as the series grows Sidney does too. She emerges as a resourceful survivor who can more than handle herself and the various traumas thrust on her. Neve Campbell is perfect in the role, making it her own and imbuing Sidney with a sympathy and inner strength. Where Campbell most succeeds is getting us to root for Sidney and feel a sense of pride when her power to tackle the horror around her comes into bloom. The character that we see in the beginning is totally different from the woman who we see in the end.
Ellen Ripley(Sigourney Weaver) – Alien Series:
And now for the queen of the list, Ellen Ripley. A warrant officer in a futuristic space ship, Ripley is a level-headed woman who more than knows how to do her job. Once the eponymous beast begins picking off the crew and bodies brutally drop, Ripley is forced into desperate action and this is where she shines. She is a tough cookie, but never lets us forget the humanity underneath it all. As the series continues, she takes on a bigger role and becomes the heart of the series. Alternating between steely and emotional with relative ease, Sigourney Weaver cemented herself as a major talent and unforgettable scream queen who kicks ass in style. There is a depth of humanity that comes from Ripley and we never forget that she is an ordinary woman thrust into horrible circumstances. The good of that is we witness the birth of a warrior who is sharp, smart and above all not a person to mess with in any way.
