Nightmare Makers: 5 Women Directing Fearsome Films
As we celebrate Women’s History Month this March, it’s the perfect time to spotlight some of the talented women who have shaped and redefined horror cinema with their chilling, thought-provoking, and groundbreaking horror films. From eerie psychological thrillers to gruesome slashers, these visionary directors have brought fresh perspectives, subverted genre tropes, and delivered some unforgettable scares captured on film.
The women behind these films have not only crafted unforgettable horror stories but have also reshaped the genre with their bold, visionary storytelling. These directors prove that horror is as much about perspective as it is about scares.
XX (2017) (dir. by Jovanka Vuckovic, Annie Clark, Roxanne Benjamin, and Karyn Kusama)
Where You Can Watch: Tubi, PLEX, and Fandango at Home
If you’re a fan of horror anthologies, let me introduce you to XX. Each segment showcases its own twisted vision of the genre. These segments focus on psychological and thematic horror that leans heavily on dread and tension. Adding an extra layer of eerie, Sofia Carrillo creates a beautifully crafted stop-motion wraparound sequence that left me wanting more. Though it does have its flaws, XX is bold, strange, and well worth a watch.
Honeymoon (2014) (dir. Leigh Janiak)
Where You Can Watch: Tubi, Peacock, XUMO Play and Amazon Prime
I, AshXAshes, take you, beautiful reader, to be my love from this day forward…
There is nothing like mixing body horror and marriage together. Leigh Janiak takes an intimate, slow-burning approach, blending relationship paranoia and body horror with her movie, Honeymoon. Spending their honeymoon in a cabin in the woods, everything seems perfect—until one night Paul finds Bea wandering in the woods, naked and disoriented. Bea suddenly becomes distant and begins acting strange, and Paul begins to suspect something is very wrong with his new bride. For those who enjoy body horror dripping with dread, Honeymoon is a chilling, underrated gem that should be added to your queue.
The Velvet Vampire (1971) (dir. Stephanie Rothman)
Where You Can Watch: Tubi and PLEX
Ah, vampires—who doesn’t love them? Creatures of the night, lurking in creepy castles, right? Wrong.
In The Velvet Vampire, our bloodsucking femme fatale Diane prefers sunbaked desert landscapes and luring clueless couples into her stylish lair of doom. Director Stephanie Rothman’s offbeat cult gem is what happens when classic gothic horror takes a detour through a psychedelic dreamscape—part art-house fever dream, part soft-focus seduction, and part cautionary tale about accepting an invitation from a mysterious woman.
Also known as Cemetery Girls, we follow Lee and his wife, Susan, who accept Diane’s invitation to visit her secluded desert estate. Unaware that Diane is a vampire, the young couple realizes that they’re both the objects of Diane’s seduction. This film is a bit boring during the first half, but when the second half kicked in, I found myself having a good time, especially in its final 15 minutes.
Chained (2012) (dir. Jennifer Lynch)
Where You Can Watch: Tubi, PLEX, Amazon Prime Video
Listen, when I tell you that this movie had me shooketh (yes, shooketh), I’m not lying! Chained is a psychological horror film starring Vincent D’Onofrio as a serial killer and Eamon Farren as the young prisoner of the killer. Stripping away the glamor, Chained presents a raw story of trauma, control, and the horrifying ways violence perpetuates itself. What makes this film terrifying isn’t just the premise, it’s the way the film explores the cycle of abuse. I will warn you, this film is not for the faint of heart.
Slut (2014) (dir. Chloe Okuno)
Where You Can Watch: Youtube
Slut won “Best Student Short” at Screamfest. This brilliantly executed short is the perfect blend of psychological tension and a coming-of-age narrative. Set in a small town, the film focuses on 16-year-old Maddy who yearns for attention, particularly from the opposite sex. Wanting to shed her innocent persona, Maddy attracts the attention of a dangerous predator. If this award-winning short left you wanting more, make sure to check out Chloe Okuno’s feature-length debut Watcher starring Maika Monroe.
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