WOMEN IN HORROR RECOGNITION MONTH: FEMALE HORROR ICON MOMENTS

In honor of Women in Horror Recognition Month, I present my personal top 3 of iconic moments of women in horror.









JANET LEIGH'S SHOWER
Born Jeanette Helen Morrison (July 6th 1927-October 3rd 2004), Janet Leigh was an American actress who begun her acting career in the late 1940s, but who became a cult icon when she played the morally ambiguous Marion Crane in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960). Not only did she make cinematic history with her toilet-flushing scene, Janet Leigh also became a cult icon being brutally stabbed in the famous shower murder scene.

Janet Leigh as Marion Crane in Psycho (1960)

Janet Leigh has said that, when casting her, Hitchcock gave her the following charter: "I hire you because you are an actress! I will only direct you if A: you attempt to make more than you share of the pie, B: you don't take enough, and C:  if you're having trouble motivating the necessary timed movement." It has also been told that Hitchcock tested the shock value of 'Mother's' corpse by placing it in Leigh's dressing room and listening to how loud she screamed when she discovered it there.

Obviously delivering as a Scream Queen, Janet Leigh received a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

ELSA LANCHESTER'S AWAKENING

Elsa Lanchester (1902-1986) was an English-American character actress with a long career in theatre, film and television.

Elsa Lanchester as The Bride and Boris Karloff
as The Monster in Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

Her perhaps most iconic role was as the title character in Bride of Frankenstein (1935), a part that brought her the recognition she wanted and a for which she is now best remembered. The macabre, satirical undertone of the movie is perhaps what has made it one of the greatest horror movies of all times. What started out as a macabre and surrealistic experiment, wildly flirting with the sci-fi characteristics, culminated in ultimate horror, and one could say failure on Dr. Frankenstein's part, as the much anticipated 'Bride' wakes up only to be abhorred by The Monster. Wedding church bells ring on the soundtrack as The Bride unveiled and unstable on her feet she sways back and forth. The parody of typical romantic courtship is heart-breaking as The Monster eagerly but shyly wishes to woo his new bride. But The Bride recoils at the sight of the ugly creature and emits a piercing shriek, making Elsa Lanchester, perhaps a different but nontheless, one of the earliest Scream Queens and The Bride an iconic horror character.


LINDA BLAIR'S SPIDER WALK

Linda Blair as Regan MacNeil in The Exorcist (1973)

Regan MacNeil, a 12 year-old girl with no problems in life, starts displaying strange and aggressive behavior until her exterior starts to look as twisted as her inside. Unknown to her mother, Regan has become possessed by a mysterious entity, later known as an ancient demon. So goes the story plot of one of the 20th century's most appraised and cultified horror movies; The Exorcist (1973).

For me, this is hands down the scariest movie dealing with demonic possession and exorcism. Being an exploration of religious faith, the film is not solemnly based on its plot, but also on its strong performance. As Regan's symptoms increase in gruesomeness the classic scenes of masturbating with a crucifix, speaking in tongue (and backwards), vomiting green mukus and twisting her head 360 degrees, culminated in the most iconic moment of the 122 minutes of horror; the spider-walk down the stairs. Linda Blair gives an exhaustingly hexed performance that leaves a disturbing mark in the viewers psyche.

Linda Blair was, for her role as Regan MacNeil, nominated for an Academy Award and two Golden Globes, winning one.