20 Terrifying Women in Horror Cinema

For years the horror genre has been a platform for strong female characters. While it's true that violence towards women is quite frequent in horror films, it's equally true that the genre has allowed for the creation of more empowered female characters as well. From strong-willed final girls such as Laurie Strode and Kirsty Cotton, to some truly bad-ass woman like Ellen Ripley, the horror genre has done a lot for the female protagonist, perhaps moreso than most other genres have. However, horror cinema has given us an equal amount of chilling female antagonists as well. Be they cunning, seductive, or downright savage, the villainesses of horror cinema come in many shapes an sizes, and are all equally terrifying in their own rites. To list them all would take forever, so for now, here are 20 terrifying women in horror cinema (in no particular order). There are some potential SPOILERS ahead so be careful of that, enjoy.

Irena Dubrovna- Cat People (1942)

On the surface, Irena Dubrovna (Simone Simon) is an attractive and quick-witted, Serbian-born fashion designer. However, Irena harbors a dark secret that slowly begins to surface when her husband begins to grow close to his assistant Alice (Jane Randolph). Irena is in fact cursed to transform into a cat-person, and in a jealous rage she succumbs to her curse in order to eliminate her husbands new lover for good. Irena is by no means a bad person, in fact she is one of the only good people in the film, however the manner in which she unleashes that terrible cat-curse makes her a force to be reckoned with, as her psychiatrist soon found out in the films shocking climax...

Angel Blake- The Blood on Satan's Claw (1971)

When the young people of a small English town are overcome by the power of the devil, they soon form a satanic cult with Angel Blake (Linda Hayden) at the forefront. The ironically-named Angel is the most malevolent of the young cultists, using her feminine charms to seduce potential sacrifices and manipulate some of the village men. She even almost turns the town Reverend away from celibacy, before ultimately accusing him of sexual assault. Blake is willing to do whatever it takes for the sake of the cult, even going as far as to give up her fellow members to save herself. She has the closest relationship with the cults demonic deity and stays by his side right until the bitter end.

Mary Shaw- Dead Silence (2007)

Dead Silence may not be the best film from the duo of James Wan and Leigh Whannell, but its villain Mary Shaw (Judith Roberts) is by far one of their most terrifying creations yet. In life, Shaw was a ventriloquist whose show was once interrupted by a young boy, pointing out to the crowd that her lips were moving. When the boy subsequently disappeared, Shaw was blamed and then lynched by the angry townsfolk. Shaw continued to terrorise the citizens of Raven's Fair from beyond the grave, utilising her collection of terrifying dolls and dummies to frighten her victims into screaming, before ripping their tongues out from their throats. Cunning, clever, and downright horrific, Shaw has a number of tricks up her sleeve to keep Raven's Fair terrified for generations.

Angela Baker- Sleepaway Camp (1983)

To say that Angela Baker (Felissa Rose) had a rough childhood is an understatement. Not only did she witness the death of her father and his boyfriend during a grizzly speedboat accident at a young age, she also spent her subsequent years under the guardianship of her emotionally abusive aunt. While she initially comes across as quiet and well-meaning, it soon becomes clear that Angela may be behind the grizzly murders taking place during her stay at Camp Arawak. The ultimate 'twist' of Angela being transgender is no longer the sort of shock ending that it would have been in 1983, but it's interesting to see the subject being addressed in a slasher film of all things, even if it's not the most tasteful approach.

May Dove Canaday- May (2002)

May (Angela Bettis) is a sweet, but lonely young woman who grew up with little social interaction, her only friend being a creepy doll named Suzie. Upon befriending a young mechanic named Adam (Jeremy Sisto), May soon develops strange new feelings of a sexual, and somewhat violent nature. However, when her life soon takes a turn for the worst after a series of mishaps, May sets out to make the perfect companion.. out of human remains. May is not a bad person, she's actually quite a sympathetic character, but her gruesome actions prove that she is capable of doing truly horrifying things, earning her a place on this list.

Ginger Fitzgerald- Ginger Snaps (2000)

Initially a social outcast of sorts, along with her sister Brigitte (Emily Perkins), Ginger Fitzgerald (Katherine Isabelle) begins to go through strange developments after being attacked by a mysterious beast on the night of her first period. She becomes more outgoing, more promiscuous, and considerably more violent, it's evident that Ginger may very well be transforming into a werewolf. Ginger is a complex character who embraces these new changes as opposed to fighting them, she gives herself into these violent and sexual tendencies, doing whatever it takes to satisfy her urges. It's highly entertaining to see Ginger embrace this newly-empowered side of herself, even if she is a werewolf.

Kayako Sakei- Ju-on: The Grudge (2002)

When her husband discovered that she was in love with their sons teacher, Kayako (Takako Fuji) was brutally murdered, causing her spirit to manifest itself as an Onryō. Her vengeful spirit proceeded to take revenge on her husband, creating a curse on their former house and consuming anybody who enters it. Known for her ghostly-white appearance and sinister death-rattle, Kayako is a terrifying spirit who appears to young social worker Rika (Megumi Onika) when she is sent to care for the houses former owner. Usually accompanied by her ghostly son Toshio (Yuya Ozeki), Kayako is a truly frightening being due to her unnatural movements and ghastly face. She is doomed for the rest of her afterlife to murder anybody touched by her curse.

Angela Franklin- Night of the Demons (1988)

Angela (Amelia Kinkade) was once a regular teenage girl, however, on one faithful Halloween night her life changed forever. Upon being possessed by the evil spirits of Hull House, Angela became a violent and formidable demon who set out to slaughter her former peers one by one. Dressed in her gothic black dress and with her frizzy brown hair, Angela makes for a fitting monster and is easily the most terrifying of the bunch, despite only being the second person to become possessed. After the events of the first film, Angela's demonic spirit continued to haunt Hull House, preying on any unsuspecting visitor who entered.

Baby Firefly- House of 1000 Corpses & The Devils Reject's (2003 & 2005)

At first glance, Baby Firefly (Sheri Moon Zombie) comes across as a simple, fun-loving, if not slightly irritating young woman. In reality however, Baby is a demented killer who, with the rest of her family, lure in unsuspecting victims to their home in the Texas backwoods. The sadistic and unhinged ms. Firefly enjoys toying with her victims and takes particular pleasure in scalping the unfortunate young Jerry (Chris Hardwick). A self-proclaimed fan of Bette Davis and Betty Boop songs, Baby continued her murderous antics well after the destruction of her family home and right up until her death at the hands of the law. However, if the news is correct, it sounds as though she and her fellow Devil's Rejects could be getting resurrected very soon.

Sadako Yamamura- Ringu (1998)

Much like her contemporary Kayako, Sadako Yamamura (Rie Ino) is an Onryō whose spirit is attached to a cursed videotape. Whoever watches said tape subsequently dies exactly seven days later at the hands of Sadako. Sadako possessed psychic powers, much like her mother, and when her body was sealed at the bottom of a well these powers manifested themselves in the cursed videotape. After her remains were discovered, it was believed that her curse would be broken for good, but Sadako soon put these beliefs to rest when she crawled from the television of Ryuji Takayama (Hiroyuki Sanada) and murdered him in cold blood. Clad in a long white gown, with her face obscured by her jet black hair, Sadako's ghostly appearance is frightening enough, but watching her crawl from that television in the final moments of Ringu are what cemented her as an icon of the horror genre.

Asa Vajda- Black Sunday (1960)

After being accused of practicing black magic, Asa Vajda (Barbara Steele) was executed by having a metal mask nailed to her face. Two hundred years later, Vajda was unwittingly resurrected by two passing doctors, causing her to rise again and seek immortality by draining the life from her descendant Katia (also Steele). With her cunning mind and feminine charms, Asa is a strong woman who proceeds to manipulate a number of men into serving her. As well as that, her gaunt facial features and ghoulish wounds give her a truly frightening appearance as well. As well as being one of the most evil women in the history of horror cinema, Asa Vajda's frightening appearance has become somewhat iconic, and Barbara Steele's performance cemented her as one of the most beloved scream queens of all time.

Helena Markos- Suspiria (1977)

Helena Markos, or Mater Suspiriorum to her pals, was a malevolent witch who acted as the directress of the prestigious Tanz Dance Academy in Germany. Being a powerful black queen, Markos lent her powers to the coven so that they could eliminate their respective enemies who sought to expose or destroy them. While Markos herself kept to the shadows, she utilised a variety of agents to carry out her dirty work in order to sustain her dark powers. As well as being the head of the Tanz Academy coven, Markos was also one of the three mothers, a trifecta of malevolent sorceresses who resided in Germany, New York, and Rome. Despite her incredible abilities, Markos was no match for the wits of young Suzy Bannion (Jessica Harper), who put a stop to her evil ways once and for all.

Julia Cotton- Hellraiser & Hellbound: Hellraiser 2 (1987&1988)

In the first Hellraiser film, Julia Cotton (Clare Higgins) helps her former lover, newly resurrected Frank (Sean Chapman), return to his former self after being horribly mutilated by the Cenobites. Using her charisma, she seduced a number of men in order to lure them to Frank so that he could consume their blood and regenerate his body. After being sucked into hell with the rest of the Cenobites, Julia was soon resurrected herself by the sadistic Dr. Channard (Kenneth Cranham) in order to help him learn about the Cenobite world. Julia is a selfish and manipulative woman, particularly after her resurrection, and everything she does is simply in order to serve herself. I mean you have to give credit where credit is due, she may have been a manipulative, deceitful, and downright evil woman, but she was damn good at it.

Regan MacNeil- The Exorcist (1973)

Much like many of the people on this list, Regan (Linda Blair) was once an ordinary girl. However, after naive young Regan meddled with a ouija board, she soon became possessed by the malevolent Pazuzu and proceeded to make her mothers life a living hell. While possessed by Pazuzu, Regan began to act extremely unnaturally, contorting her body in a variety of ways, mutilating herself, and spouting foul language at anyone who dared enter her room. She even went as far as to kill one of her mothers colleagues while he entered her room to check on her. While it's fair to say that it's not Regan who was evil, but Pazuzu, Linda Blair's chilling performance at such a young age is what makes Regan such a terrifying character.

Rose Armitage- Get Out (2017)

The most recent entry on our list, Rose Armitage (Allison Williams) initially appears to be a kind and caring young woman. When she and her African-American boyfriend Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) embark on a trip to her parents estate in the woods however, it soon becomes clear that Rose is not all that she seems. Much like her family, Rose is a member of The Coagula, a group of individuals who kindap black people and use their bodies as vessels for white people. Rose uses her incredible acting skills to charm young black men into a relationship, so that they can later be used by The Coagula. Ruthless, manipulative, and highly articulate (she even seperates her cereal from the milk, and drinks the latter through a straw), Rose Armitage is a woman who you do not want to cross paths with.

Lola Stone- The Loved Ones (2009)

When she first asks protagonist Brett (Xavier Samuel) to the prom, Lola Stone (Robin McLeavy) seems like just another girl. However, when he turns down her request, Lola and her father proceed to kidnap Brett, holding him hostage and brutally torturing him in a twisted prom night of her own. Rose is her daddies little princess, and its clear that when she wants something she gets it. They share a close relationship (maybe too close?) and even go as far as to lobotomise her own mother. She is a sadistic young girl who carries out a number of brutal acts on Brett such as mutilation and drilling, in order to force him into 'enjoying' her prom night. While at times we feel somewhat sorry for Lola, she quickly reminds us that she is nothing but pure evil again and again.

Asami Yamazaki- Audition (1998)

After holding an 'audition' to find a new girlfriend, Shigeharu Aoyama (Ryo Ishibashi) becomes fascinated by the charming young Asami (Eihi Shiina). Unbeknownst to him however, Asami suffered a highly abusive childhood that has led her to resent men and carry out a number of violent acts throughout her life. After becoming jealous over a picture of Shigeharu's dead wife, Asami proceeds to drug him and torture him, with the most creative use of razor wire ever seen in cinema. While she is without a doubt a violent individual, it's hard not to sympathise with Asami due to her hard ubringing, and it's quite admirable to see her conquer her oppressors in such creative ways. With everything that's been happening in Hollywood over the past few months, we can't help yearn for more women like Asami out there.

Pamela Voorhees- Friday the 13th (1980)

After her son Jason apparently drowned, Pamela Voorhees (Betsy Palmer) set out to murder the negligent counsellors of Camp Crystal Lake. Using a variety of weapons such as an axe and an arrow, Mrs. Voorhees continued to murder the new counsellors 20 years later, who intended to re-open the camp. While she is not seen for most of the film, only revealing herself in the climax of the film, Pamela Voorhees is without a doubt one of the most vicious cinema slashers the world has ever seen. Her unnatural sense of stealth and knowledge of the camp grounds made her the ideal killer, although one question still remains: we know that Jason didn't actually drown, so how come he and his mother never crossed paths in the 20 years between his supposed drowning and the events of the film? To be honest, considering how the rest of the franchise went it doesn't seem that unlikely.

Margaret White- Carrie (1976)

While Carrie (Sissy Spacek) herself is quite an imposing girl, it's her mother Margaret (Piper Laurie) who is the real villain of the piece. An obsessive religious fanatic, Margaret White was a highly oppressive figure in her daughters life, often spouting religious jargon at her and even going as far as physically abusing her when she felt that she was out of  line. While her hatred towards her daughter can be attributed to Carrie being conceived during marital rape, the fact that she almost murders her on the night of the prom and consistently puts her down leaves us with little to no sympathy for her. Calling her ultimate demise 'satisfying' is a massive understatement. 

Annie Wilkes- Misery (1990)

The self-proclaimed 'biggest fan' of writer Paul Sheldon (James Caan), Annie Wilkes finds her wildest dreams coming to life when she recovers Sheldon's body after a car accident. While initially she nurses him back to health, she becomes dissatisfied after reading the final draft for his new novel in which he kills off the much beloved protagonist. Wilkes proceeds to hold Sheldon hostage, forcing him to rewrite the novel while physically and emotionally abusing him whenever she sees fit. From breaking his ankles, to calling him a 'dirty birdie', Annie Wilkes puts Paul through a living hell. As well as that, it soon surfaces that she was also responsible for a number of infant deaths many years prior. Annie Wilkes is by far one of the most terrifying women in cinema itself, let alone horror cinema. It's her violent, yet grounded nature, that makes her such a horrific character.