WOMEN IN HORROR RECOGNITION MONTH 2013

Yay! Finlly it's back! Women in Horror Recognition Month has returned to assist the female geniuses of the horror world in gaining opportunities, exposure and education through philantropic events, printed articles and interviews and endless types of online support. At the same time Women in Horror Recognition Month wishes to break down social construct and educate the public in terms of discrimination within the business and how the public can help females in reaching equality and the opportunity to create and share their concept of life, pain and freedom.

Strong, artistic females that aren't afraid to break away and set an example, are truly and personally inspiring to me. I often feel that women (no, I'm not one of those who androgynize people) are more artistic and emotionally expressing themselves, so encouraging the public to get involved with underrepresented female artists can also turn the public into a positive platform for aspiring women that need an extra spark of courage and enlightenment.

Last year I published a few entries on female rolemodels (or simply just hot females) within the genre, both characters and artists; Women in Uniforms, The Femme Fatale of Female Villains, Feisty Females & Classic Scream Queens, Female Horror Icon Moments, Fabulous Female Writers, Female Filmmakers and Fabulous Female Artists. This year I haven't planned on posting anything personal in relation to WiHM but I would recommend you to take a look at this year's ambassadors - amongst them some of my personal favorites that I'll be following.

BLOGS
Two of my favorite horror bloggers have taken on the task of enlightening us of the female power on different levels within horror; Brittney-Jade Colangelo at Day of the Woman and Christine Hadden at Fascination With Fear. I also stumbled across Disturbed - Patient #9 which is a twisted but fascinating blog posting both personal thoughts, imagery and videos.

PODCASTS

Dark Dolls talk all things horror related, wheter it's books, movies or real life events. They are also open for submissions of independent movies, books, music, PR etc. The Whorer takes a punk-fem-queer approach to horror films and offers diverse episodes from tv-show and movie analyses to horror history.

FILM FESTIVALS
Ax Wound Film Festival (US) is this year supporting WiHM on the big screen by accepting short and feature horror film made by women. Jennifer's Bodies (UK) is hosting its 2013 film festival in Edinburgh, Scotland and accepting submissions directed, produced or written by women. Popcorn Horror's (UK) mission is to show the world that you don't need to be a famous movie producer to release an amazing film. Popcorn Horror is open for submissions and is building a community based on its content providers.

SHORT STORIES & REVIEWS

Sirens Call Publications is always on the lookout for new talents and if you have a piece that shows creativity, originality and a desire to share your story - don't hestitate to submit. Nina D'Arcangela posts some juicy book reviews at Spreading the Writer's Word and Bleeding Dead Film Reviews offers a wide range of both short and feature film previews and reviews.

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.