THE ABC's OF WOMEN IN HORROR: E IS FOR...

To celebrate Women In Horror Recognition month, Day of the Woman is celebrating by compiling the ABC's of women in horror.  

TODAY'S PROGRAM IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE LETTER: E

While her credentials do have quite the impressive list of horror chops, Elsa Lanchester easily has the top billing when it comes to female significance.  The Bride herself may not be the most ideal of a female character (she’s inarticulate, rude, and loud) she marked a very important transgression for women in the horror genre to become monsters rather than victims.  Many horror fanatics like to criticize The Bride for rejecting the man she was created for, but I find her rejection of Frankie to be the most empowering move the Bride could make.  Brought into this world solely on the grounds of being the mate for the monster, she stands her ground and says "NO".  Well, she doesn't exactly say it...she sort of screams bloody murder and hisses at him like an irate cat. Regardless, Elsa Lanchester is the true godmother of Women In Horror everywhere.

Kathryn Bigelow may be first female director to win the Oscar for Best Director & Best Picture but it is VERY possible that a woman can create a quality film.  Elisabeth Fies are living proof that women can be more in the film industry than actresses and makeup artists. Fies is just bursting with talent from every angle, and if the big-wigs in the film industry had half a brain...they'd give her a big budget and the freedom to make a film with the same power as her indie hit, The Commune.  In 2010, Elisabeth Fies was the winner of a Golden Cob Award (recognizes the best in B-Movies) for the Best Emerging Director.  Not only is Elisabeth Fies a fantastic director/writer, but she's also an actress, producer, and one of the founding directors (her sister Brenda is the other one) of Bleedfest-a monthly genre film fest featuring all female directed material.  The mission of Bleedfest is to spotlight edgy genre work and their fearless makers, and to allow audiences to see through a variety of women's eyes.  Each month Bleedfest DOES screen a male filmmaker who has an empowering, authentic, and feminist female protagonist; his work screens out of competition and receives the honorable "Partnership Award".  Elisabeth is an inspirational woman, and one of the most sincere women I've interacted with.  I cannot wait to see what else she concocts for the future.

Elvira: Mistress of the Dark very well may be one of if not the most easily identifiable woman in the  horror genre.  With an iconic look, set of catchphrases, her own theme park ride, dozens of films, and a fan base that spans over four decades Cassandra Peterson's Elvira character is one of the most recognizable women to slither in a black gown.  Along with Robert Redding, Peterson developed the big haired, big boobed look of Elvira and the rest is history.  What started out as a simple Horror Host gig to cover after Vampira called it quits became a cult sensation and horror franchise.  

When I was thirteen years old, I was wondering why my parents couldn't understand my junior high trauma.  When Emily Hagins was thirteen years old, she became the first teenage girl in America to direct a feature film, the bad-ass zombie film called Pathogen and being filmed by a documentary crew about her journey.  She hasn't quit making films and her vampire action/romance/comedy My Sucky Teen Romance will be playing at SXSW. Not bad for someone who's never been eligible to vote in a Presidential Election.  

Obviously, there are PLENTY of women and films that have yet to be uncovered, but who knows...maybe they'll make an appearance under another letter.  Stay tuned to Day of the Woman for a continuation of this series and

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