The 2011 Women in Horror Recognition Month Finale

Last time we talked about Women in Horror month, I felt like I was slacking.  Gotta be honest, I still kinda feel that way.  While I managed to focus on some of my favorite portrayals of women in horror in this month's Midnight Movie of the Week posts, and I was able to share a few links from some fine folks across the world who I adore.  But did I do Women in Horror Recognition Month justice?

I mean, I could have spent some time honoring the women who have starred in horror films.  Let's be honest, the horror genre is all about putting women in danger - because that's more interesting than men in peril - and the genre got to where it is on the backs of these great women.  Does Michael Myers scare us so much if Jamie Lee Curtis isn't so pure?  Does Psycho shock us so much if we don't spend our time watching Janet Leigh unravel?  I could have talked about the likes of Jo Beth Williams or Jessica Harper or Mia Farrow.  I could have broke down the greatest performances in horror for as long as I could type.

I could have talked about the women who make horror happen.  I could have gone back to Mary Shelley, or I could have come all the way up to Elisabeth Fies or Jen & Sylvia Soska.  To be honest, I'd have to have done a lot of research on the likes of Mary Harron or Mary Lambert to get that all ready, because women filmmakers have been so poorly represented by the masses, though the likes of Ms. Fies and the all-woman genre-fest Bleedfest have been working to change that.

I could have focused on the women who love horror, of which there are many.  There are plenty of women out there who have inspired me as a writer and horror fan, including (but not limited to) Christine Hadden, Emily Intravia, Stacie Ponder, Andre Dumas (Hi TW!), Brittney-Jade Colangelo, and Kristy Jett.  Oh, and there are the women of The Midnight Warriors who have been kind enough to share their own Women in Horror posts this month, who include:

• Michele of The Girl Who Loves Horror (Who just sent me this cool post, BTW!)
• Jinx of Totally Jinxed
• Syrin of My Own Little Corner
• Enbrethliel of Shredded Cheddar
• (And, Bleaux Leaux of the Bleaux Leaux Reveaux - who is not a woman in horror, but that's OK.  We take all kinds at FMWL.  Rock on good sir!)

So yeah, I could have focused on all those people too.  And when I look at this list of all the amazing women in the horror genre who have amazed, excited, intrigued, and inspired me - I frankly don't know where to begin.  Twenty-eight little days is nowhere near enough time to focus on all these fantastic ladies, nor is it even enough time to start finding and recognizing all the Women in Horror that I've already missed.  One man can't take on all this alone.  And name dropping - which is what this post boils down to - is a poor excuse for recognition.

So what can I do to take on this impossible challenge?  How can I truly honor the women who have fought for horror despite the sad truth that they get far less of a chance than their male counterparts in most situations?  I've spent too much time considering questions like this, but the answer is simple.

And this is the part where I start to sound like Bill Murray in Scrooged, because it becomes evident that recognizing the women who have advanced the horror genre simply can not be a one time deal.  Sure, Women in Horror Month is still February, and will still be February - a fact we all owe to the fabulous Hannah Neurotica who conceived this lovely C.H.U.D. of a month (and I mean that in the nicest possible way) - but we don't have to just celebrate the women who make horror great once a year.  It's our duty as horror fans to shake the trees, to light the fires, to cry from the mountaintops - all from the safety of our computers, of course - to find a way to remind the world that women have given more to horror than we've ever imagined.  That women MEAN more to horror than we've ever let on.  That women in horror are among us, and that they are often ridiculously fantastic.

Maybe I didn't accomplish everything that was humanly possible during Women in Horror Month...but I'm not going anywhere.  From Midnight, With Love is not here to jump on a trend and then trash it like last night's leftovers, we're here to shine a light on all we love about genre cinema.  And I can promise, women in horror will always have a welcome home at our humble little corner of the horror 'verse, because they deserve that and a whole lot more. 

It's with great pride that I salute all who have given to Women in Horror Month, from the Midnight Warriors who have shared here to the filmmakers who have fought for the cause.  But as I do so, I feel obliged to offer a challenge.  You've all done great things for Women in Horror - now do more.  If we work together, if we keep on pushing the boundaries of what we find comfortable, we can make sure that Women in Horror are never forgotten again.  That's gonna take a lot of work, but - like I said - I'm not going anywhere.  Women in Horror will always be a key part of what From Midnight, With Love is - no matter what month it is.

Midnight Movie of the Week #60 - The Stepford Wives

This is the only horror movie in which the men encourage the women to wear bras.  I'm not sure if that's the most important thing to say about The Stepford Wives, but it's the first thing that came to my mind when I started typing this post.

As far as this Mike is concerned, The Stepford Wives is the definitive horror film about a woman who is being tortured.  It's certainly a cheesy film and sets itself up to be spoofed, but - like similar '70s hits Soylent Green and Westworld - it's the rare kind of film that puts a character in an inconceivable situation and then insists that we identify with that character as they face an unspeakable reality.  Inside its ridiculous look at humanity - which is of course meant to parody the ridiculous perceptions some have of humanity - there's a shocking amount of drama as we see a poor woman bullied to conform to a fate that others have put together for her.

The movie focuses on Joanna and Walter Eberhart, played by Katharine Ross and Peter Masterson, a New York City couple who move to the quiet suburban town of Stepford to get away from troubles of the city (like men walking down the street with mannequins under their arms).  While Walter is ready for suburban living and wants nothing but a quiet life, Joanna is a "shutterbug" who longs for excitement and just wants to be able to do her thing.  As she begins to meet the women of Stepford, who look like they just stepped out of and episode of Leave it to Beaver, she slowly begins to go mad at the idea of becoming one of these mindless and submissive housewives.  Unfortunately, she's got good reason to be afraid.

There are few things in horror movies that really infuriate me, and few villains that actually get under my skin.  But the Stepford Wives gives me a rare "I'm mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it any more" kind of feeling because - to put it simply - the men in this film make me sick.  When Walter Eberhart - long before he knows of the men's council that runs Stepford - looks across the street and tells his neighbor that his wife "cooks as good as she looks", I become seriously annoyed with these men.  Worse, I know real human people who share their opinion that the woman exists only to serve.  Now I'm no truly enlightened male - I admit to loving a mindless pair of boobs as much as the next guy - but anyone who could undervalue a woman like this is a little bit terrifying to me.

Look everybody!  It's Dee Wallace!!!!

The thing about Joanna Eberhart is that Joanna Eberhart is kind of fantastic.  Though the film puts her in plenty of token feminist situations - again, I must point out her inability to put on a bra - the film does an incredible job of pointing out just how wonderfully human she is.  As she interacts with those around her while trying to take care of her children or convince that bonehead Walter that there's something wrong in Stepford, Ross infuses an appealing vigor into Joanna through her drive to be a strong, independent woman.  Her resolve shines through as her path through the film becomes more difficult, and a scene in which she shares her fears with a female psychiatrist is one of the more heartbreaking scenes I can recall in a horror film.  Ross' performance in this scene particularly is on par with any performance in any movie, and as she fights through tears to proclaim that she's afraid of becoming something who "won't be me" I get a little more furious with the men around her.

Walter Eberhart is not a total loss, and the early film scene in which he appears shocked after his first visit to Stepford's Men's Group shows a man who is clearly conflicted over what he's seen.  I'm not sure at what point in the movie Walter loses that, but what he loses as he becomes an antagonist to Joanna is awfully sad.  The other men in the movie show far less range and it's easy to see their old fashioned, "men only", morals on their sleeves.  Joanna's attempts to stand up to them are courageous, but it becomes increasingly evident that she's doomed as the women around her are immune to overpower their husbands.

Sadly, I don't know if there's a horror movie out there that presents such a tragic look at gender roles and those who discredit women as successfully as The Stepford Wives does.  It's a film that thoroughly fascinates me, because I'm forced to believe that there are men out there who treat their significant others as if they should be slaves.  I know there aren't dudes actually turning their women into Disneyland inspired robots - at least I hope there aren't - but let's be honest.  There hasn't exactly been a grand change in gender dynamics in the past 35 years.

Think about that.  In the 35 years since this film was released, we went from console TVs with four channels to flatscreens on walls that have better picture quality than our eyes are trained to see and more channels than you can shake a stick at.  We went from vinyl to cassettes to CDs to thousands of magical digital songs inside a tiny metal block that's the size of a fish stick.  Oh, and we have this internet thing which allows a guy who grew up on a hog farm in Iowa to post his ramblings on a thirty-five year old movie so people from Los Angeles to the Philippines can read it at the click of a button.  We - and by we, I of course mean smart people who invent things - did a lot of great things to change our world....but many men still can't be bothered to spend time in the kitchen or help raise their children. Maybe this society of old fashioned men will die out eventually, but it's still a lot further away than the invention of that Back to the Future hoverboard is.

(One thing that has changed for the worst in the past 35 years, you ask?  Easy - WALLPAPER.  When's the last time you saw something as awesome as THIS!)

Maybe I'm overthinking the world of Stepford, but I'm a trifle fired up by the film.  And when a horror film can so clearly bring real world issues home and can remind us of just how idiotic and unfair life can really be - that's the kind of horror film I want to come home to.  So thank you to you, The Stepford Wives, for keeping us on our toes and reminding us to watch out for the good 'ol boys.  You know, the ones who don't know how good they've got it when a fair haired creature that smells better than them offers to spend time with 'em.  You're a fine feminine horror movie, and I promise I'll never try to convince you to put one of those silly uplifting bras on.

More Midnight Warrior Women in Horror Month Goodies!

Maybe I've been a little slow in following stuff this month (I have, and I'm very sorry!), but it seems like Women in Horror Recognition Month has kind of flown right past us.  I know there's still a lot of time left, but I feel like I've only scratched the surface of the Women in Horror stratosphere. 

Thankfully, a lot of great Midnight Warriors have been rolling with pride through the month.  Some have sent me links to their posts, some I have found and loved on my own, but ALL of them are quite awesome.

Let's see what we've got:

Last time we met I promised that my long-time Midnight Warrior Enbrethliel of Shredded Cheddar had some Women in Horror posts coming up, and she hasn't disappointed.  She took on the portrayal of women in the recent hit Zombieland, then looked at some of her favorite women in thrillers (and we all know thrillers are like little baby horror movies), then live bloggified her way through the Hammer Films/Bette Davis chiller The Nanny! (Insert obligatory Bette Davis Eyes joke here, because The Mike is totally in love with that song.)  It's safe to say that the one I simply call "E" and Shredded Cheddar are pure as New York snow (See what I did there, Kim Carnes?) in their support of Women in Horror Month.

Ms. E also sent a new Midnight Warrior toward FMWL, and now I have to be even more forever grateful to her.  Meet Syrin, who hosts the action at her own little aptly titled blog My Own Little Corner.  She's taken a great look at a couple of portrayals of Women in Horror, starting with Aliens and Splice.  (And, as I check my links, I see there's a post about Halloween up there too.  That's like found candy...even if it is a surprising negative review.  I must think on this further...)  Regardless of any difference of opinions, I'm happy to welcome her to the Midnight Warrior family today, and look forward to seeing more of her stuff in the future! 

Some previously mentioned Midnight Warriors have continued to wave their own WiH Month flags as well.  Our good friend Jinx has totally continued to do her own thing over at Totally Jinxed, with a barrage of images of her favorite women and a post on Old Girls Gone Wild.  Also keeping pace is The Bleaux Leaux Reveaux, with a breakdown of female directors of horror.

There are a lot of other great sites covering the Women in Horror phenomenon - places like The Lightning Bug's Lair and Day of the Woman - and I'm excited that others are picking up where I'm slacking.  If you have your own Women in Horror ideas or posts, go ahead and email 'em on over (frommidnightwithlove(at)gmail(dot)com), and I'll make sure to share more Women in Horror goodies before the month is up. 

Keep up the great work y'all!

Midnight Movie of the Week #59 - Sisters

There are few horror movies that cover womanhood as thoroughly as Brian De Palma's Sisters does.  The 1973 chiller asks Margot Kidder to perform as Siamese twins that have been "cut asunder" and separated, while also asking Jennifer Salt to portray a reporter/amateur detective who witnesses a violent act and thus becomes both the third side in the film's triangle of intrigue and the logical actress opposite Kidder's animalistic characters.  Though the film's plot is pretty straight forward - except for an abstract dream sequence that shakes the characters' reality during the final act - the three roles that the two women play can get wrapped up in a confusing web.

The film spends most of its time with Kidder's Danielle & Dominique, and it allows the actress to portray both monster and victim.  Danielle generally seems delicate and seems naive, while the moments we share with Dominique are raw and vicious.  Kidder does a good job of handling the disconnect between two characters who seem to be on opposite ends of the human spectrum, and Salt covers the middle ground as the nosy Grace Collier quite well.

While the problems the twins face are probably foreign to most women, Ms. Collier is forced to deal with more common, everyday issues.  She has built a name in the newspaper industry by "calling it like she sees it", and thus has made enemies with several men, including the police force.  At the same time she has to put up with her overbearing mother, who reminds her that people her age are getting married and refers to her job, which Grace is quite passionate about, as a hobby.  As she fights through these issues with some pushy tactics, Grace becomes abrasive to even the viewer.  I often find myself disliking the character - despite knowing she's right - simply because of her mannerisms as she searches for the truth.

Opposite these women are a host of voyeuristic males.  The male gaze has always been a key proponent of De Palma's films, but it seems like the male characters in Sisters are all judging the movements of Kidder and Salt's characters.  The most obvious examples surround Danielle, with both her gentleman caller (played by Lisle Wilson) and her ex-husband (future Phantom of the Paradise William Finley!) often being framed while staring at her as if she's an object.  Some would argue that Dominique is empowered - in her own way - by this gaze, but Danielle seems to barely notice it.  Salt's Grace faces a different set of looks from the males, as both the police officers and the private investigator (Charles Durning) who she enlists in her cause hear her demands and look at her as if she's from a different planet.

There's a chasm between Danielle and Grace when it comes to why people are staring at them.  Danielle is desired by the men in her life, because she literally plays the role of bait using her looks and is totally willing to fall into the roles that her modeling and acting promote in her.  Grace, however, is determined to buck the trend and be seen as an equal to any reporter, which leads her to an uncertain approach from those around her.  The male characters - and maybe even the male viewers like myself - aren't comfortable around Grace because of her aggressive approach to those around her.  Danielle, on the other hand, uses her feminine side to her advantage to get what she wants when she can.

The fact of the matter is that neither actress fits their performance into what we'd expect from a woman in an average horror film, and the result is three unique characters that don't fit into standard gender roles.  There's not really a hero that we pull for or a villain we despise, just a group of women who are the focal point of an entirely fascinating script.  Like Hitchcock's Vertigo, it becomes evident as the film goes on that the viewer doesn't have a specific side to pull for - which gives the viewer the chance to just sit back and enjoy the ride.

Though the characters in Sisters are far from the shining ideal of what a woman in horror can be, I adore the fact that the two actresses are given so much power to do interesting things as the film unfolds.  Sisters might not seem to advance the portrayal of women in horror on the surface, but De Palma (and co-writer Louisa Rose) do a great job of keeping the viewer off balance with these three unconventional female characters.  There are a lot of other great things going on in Sisters too - I could recommend the film entirely based on the fantastic final shot, which reminds us that voyeurism can be a dead end - but the unique roles for these actresses make it a great film to check out during Women in Horror Recognition Month.

Midnight Movie of the Week #58 - Carnival of Souls

"I understand what makes a woman feel like any man is better than nothing.  I've just never understood what makes her feel like she has nothing." - Jeremy Goodwin

That's a quote from my co-favorite television show, Sports Night, and I'm not entirely sure why it came to mind when I started thinking about Carnival of Souls.  This isn't to say that I think Herk Harvey's independent horror masterpiece - which might be the gold standard for all low budget products of passion - is about our lead characters' search for romance.  It's just that, with each viewing of the film, I feel a little sadder about the plight of poor Mary Henry.  She just might be the most doomed woman in the history of horror, and I don't know why.

Having seen the film nearly a dozen times, I of course know the literal reason why there are strange things happening to Mary.  And, although the film's plot was pretty revolutionary at the time, it shouldn't take long for today's viewer to piece together what's going on in the film.  Despite the fact that anyone with a basic knowledge of modern storytelling will see the "twist" coming a mile away, Mary's plight still creates a haunting unease in me.  From the beginning of the film, Mary Henry - as played by Candace Hilligoss - has the look of a sad, lonely puppy.  And the strange thing is...most of the characters treat her like one.

When you come across a sad mutt, there are a few things you can do to try and change its mood.  The pastor Mary will be working for decides to take her for a drive, but when they come across the carnival playground that previously caught Mary's eye he denies her urge to wander around it, asking her "What attraction could there be for you out there?"  He even emphasizes the last two words, emphasizing in his own way that her desires MUST be squashed and she must remain obedient to his god and their laws.  Not to be outdone, the landlady that she takes up a room with repeatedly offers Mary "as many baths as [she] likes", as if the answer to her problems lies in a bit of grooming.

Then there's her creeper neighbor, played by Sidney Berger, who Roger Ebert called the "definitive study of a nerd in lust".  While other acquaintances have been at least human toward Mary, Berger's John Linden takes the hound dog approach to gaining her attention.  He offers her food and drink, a move that could have been nice in a weird Lady and the Tramp kind of way, but his male gaze toward her is obvious and unsettling.  With the tact of a pitbull and the yap of an overzealous basset hound, John Linden is most certainly not the answer to Mary's problems, despite his pleas to the contrary.

What will help Mary out of her funk?  We honestly never know.  She struts around with her head high and shows a desire for independence, but when she is actually secluded from society - as unknown forces make her seemingly invisible to the world around her - she begins to bounce from person to person seeking validation.  She isn't looking for love (which, in the dog analogy, would be equal to ownership), but it's clear that she deeply needs someone or something to give her attention - and that being unable to fulfill her needs is deeply affecting her well-being.

(Also, the film gains extra points due to Hilligoss' performance as Mary, not only because she's fantastic in the film, but because she would basically disappear from acting after only one more side role (in 1964's The Curse of the Living Corpse, which is more notable for being Roy Scheider's film debut).  How exactly does an actress in the horror genre, where fans are rabid and producers are shameless, just disappear after such an iconic, mesmerizing performance?  I really want to know.)

There's no glimmer of hope for Mary.  There's no light at the end of the tunnel.  All there is is an abandoned carnival and a man, "The Man", played by director Harvey.  It's as obvious to Mary as it is to the viewer that this Man is certainly not what she's looking for either, but it becomes increasingly clear that The Man is looking specifically for her.  Though Mary can run to a therapist or scream "I DON'T WANT TO BE ALONE!" to the heavens, there seems to be no way that she can escape the gaze of The Man.  Despite the fact we've spent all this time watching her, the viewer really doesn't know who she is or what she needs either.

As I've already said, most modern viewers should know what's going on in Carnival of Souls immediately.  In fact, I've probably said more than enough to give away the plot's final twist here.  But the film still manages to get under my skin as much as any classic horror film, because it introduces us to this woman and then treats her like a worthless animal for 80 minutes.

 Harvey lets the film spiral to its conclusion - using some incredibly haunting imagery for a low budget film of 1962 - and I'm left amazed at how much I can care for a thinly developed character who got the short straw.  Mary Henry is no less than abused by the souls that surround her, and it's tough to see a woman who truly has nothing face such madness.  The final result is one of the most fascinating women ever put on the horror screen, and one of the most engrossing examples of just what independent horror can do.

Midnight Warriors & Super Bowl Sunday Linky Stuff

I'm gonna be brief today, because I'm way past the point of calm.  By the time you read this, I'll be safely watching the Super Bowl with a large amount of people on site to restrain me.  If you never hear from me again, there's a great horror script to be written about my disease.  (Hint: The film ends with a madman in a strait jacket screaming "GO PACK GO!" in his final breaths.)

A few Midnight Warriors have been showing up at FMWL in the first week of Women in Horror Recognition month.  Among them are The lovely and devilish Jinx, of Totally Jinxed, who takes a look at some of the Bad Girls of Horror that she loves.  Speaking of girls and horror, The Girl Who Loves Horror has also started her own Women in Horror journey with a look the women of Stephen King fiction! 

I've also found some awesome Women in Horrorness going on at The Bleaux Leaux Reveaux, and am hearing rumors of some Women in Horror action coming soon to my favorite book blog, Shredded Cheddar.  (And no, it's not just my favorite because I'm a Cheesehead and there's cheese in the title.  It's because it's awesome.)

(Of course, there's always the official Women in Horror Month site and their Facebook page, where you can find awesome stuff too!)

And, if you missed it, my latest piece over at Flickchart: The Blog is up.  It's another in their "Movies To See Before You Die" series, and it features THIS FILM.

You know...THIS FILM:

 

Have a great day everyone!  If I'm not back by Thursday, send out the dogs!

Midnight Movie of the Week #57 - Attack of the 50 Foot Woman

(I wonder what people who use the metric system call this movie?)

It seems like a weird film to call up during Women in Horror Month - it's not commonly thought of as horror and it's kind of a crap movie - but 1958's Attack of the 50 Foot Woman (not to be confused with the vapid remake that was shockingly directed by the brilliant Christopher Guest) has often made me stop and wonder.  The sci-fi/horrors of this era generally warned of communists, preached paranoia, and often settled on religion as the worlds' only hope.  They were films that attempted to convince audiences that a strong and practical husband and a proper and subservient wife were also needed to survive whatever dramatic trauma the world could send our way.  Attack of the 50 Foot Woman, however, does not subscribe to these theories.

In fact, it seems like 90% of the movie is about how bad marriage can be.  Nancy and Harry Archer are not at all a happy couple, as the film begins with frantic Nancy - a former mental patient - driving angry and running into a floating orb which has been spotted across the globe and seems to have touched down to terrorize her.  In the meantime, Harry is publicly snuggling up with a barroom honey named...Honey.  They talk about how hard it is for him to get a divorce and talk his rich wife's money, and how much easier things would be if she were dead.  All while Nancy is freaking out and telling the world she saw a flying saucer.  It's most certainly not the template for a happy couple.

Nancy is played by Allison Hayes, who had previously appeared opposite John Carradine and Tor Johnson in The Unearthly (which featured Tor's iconic order "TIME FOR GO TO BED!") and played the female lead in Zombies of Mora Tau.  A former contestant in the Miss America pageant, Hayes was often cast for her good looks - yet the opening acts of Attack present her primarily as a bitter woman who can't even turn her own husband's head.  It wasn't until the second half of the film that she cemented her status as a B-movie icon.

In most regards, if you start a film with a volatile ex-mental patient and then they're transformed into a giant, house shattering creature who wants revenge - that's what people call a horror movie.  (It should also be noted that the giant house shattering creature is angry because their husband tried to kill them...WITH A SYRINGE THAT HAD A HUGE NEEDLE.)  But in this case, no one seems to talk about Attack of the 50 Foot Woman as a horror flick - because people aren't afraid of a monster that competed in the Miss America pageant.  Perhaps those people forget that quote about a woman scorned, because I think we don't give MEGA NANCY enough credit as one of the truly empowered women of genre cinema.

While most drive-in flicks of this time period were telling women to bake goodies and scream for their husband's help, the message we get here seems to be along the lines of "don't put up with an ignorant husband".  And while the film primarily made its name on spectacle - What dude doesn't want to stare at a towering model with an exposed midriff? - a male viewer with a clear mind will probably be reminded that being unfaithful can bring a full-scale rage upon them.

I don't know, maybe Attack of the 50 Foot Woman is just a silly b-movie that exists as an excuse to show off a giant makeshift bikini and the amazonian lass who inhabits it.  But the portrayal of Nancy Archer, in spite of Hayes' limited range, always seems like an aberration in the '50s sci-fi/horror subgenre to me.  This is a rare bit of pulp terror that gives the female character power of the male character, and for that I have to salute Ms. Hayes and those behind the film for doing something unique with what could have easily been something more kitschy.  The film may have gained greater acceptance had they played up the comedy and made it resemble an episode of Leave It To Beaver, but Attack of the 50 Foot Woman instead lives on as the tale of a woman who literally refuses to shrink away from her husband's attention. 

FMWL Indie Spotlight - The Twisted Twins Kick Off Women in Horror Month by Revealing American Mary!

I've talked a lot about my favorite twin Canadian filmmakers of 2010 - The Soska Sisters - at FMWL.  Their next film, American Mary, has quickly become one of the most anticipated films on the indie horror scene for 2011.  We were able to share the teaser trailer with you all upon its release in December, and today they've unleashed more awesomeness upon the horror scene.

Below is a Public Service Announcement for the WiH Month Massive Blood Drive that the Twins are promoting, urging all who love horror to give their blood to help those in need.  You can check out a breakdown of the making of said video over at their blog, including a listing of who's who among the women of indie horror that appear in said video. 

(On a personal note, The Mike will not be giving blood.  Why?  BECAUSE HE'S A HUGE FREAKIN' PANSY AROUND NEEDLES, alright?  I'm spreading the word instead, OK???  Ahem.  Sorry about that.  HUGS!  Let's get back on track, shall we?)
Ant the end of the video, you will find the big reveal of the day - Katharine Isabelle, star of former Midnight Movie of the Week Ginger Snaps.  Ms. Isabelle will be taking on the title role in American Mary, opposite the Soskas and Paula Lindberg (who was featured prominently in the teaser trailer as Ruby Realgirl).  Isabelle definitely showed that she has the chops to shine in the horror genre with that film (as well as in her supporting role in Freddy vs. Jason), and I can't wait to see what she has in store for us all.

With the magical conjunction between the Soskas and Isabelle, I feel confident predicting that American Mary will offer up as much girl power as is humanly possible.  And if you don't believe me, you should also know that it has just been announced that Women in Horror Recognition Month founder Hannah Neurotica will also appear - in a cameo role - in the film.

I can assure you of one thing - these ladies aim to make anyone who loves Women in Horror proud.  I can't wait to see what they have in store for us all.

Hey Midnight Warriors! Come Join FMWL in Celebrating Women in Horror Recognition Month!

Ladies and Gentlemen, it's that time of year again!  February is already upon us, and that can mean only one thing...THE PACKERS ARE PLAYING IN THE SUPER BOWL ON SUNDAY!!!!!!!!

Wait, wait...sorry...The Mike's mind is not functioning right.  While the above fact is true, that's certainly not the one thing I mean to speak about.  The truth of the matter, as my post's title gives away, is that it's once again Women in Horror Recognition Month.  And, boy howdy, FMWL wants to help get this party started!

I put a lot of thought into what I could do to celebrate women of horror, because I believe that it is women who have made horror what it is today.  It occurs to me that many - most likely too many - horror films gain their power over the viewer by putting women in predicaments that we don't expect women to survive.  For example, The Descent is widely considered a horror film, while a film like Predator is not as widely considered such.  What's the difference between the two films where a trained group of individuals is dropped into a survival situation and meets a menace they didn't expect?  The easiest answer to give is that viewers expect Arnold Schwarzenegger to survive an unknown evil.

And, as I pondered conundrums like the one above, I spiraled deeper and deeper into my own mind.  What do we really expect from women in our societies, and how do horror films exploit the norms that we're taught by those around us?  Are a lot of the horror movies we love exploiting the stereotypes that we are too blind to see?  And if so, which flicks have gotten it right?  Which films should we be championing as we look to the future of the portrayal of women in horror?

So, while I will of course spend much of Women in Horror Recognition Month recognizing Women in Horror (Like, duh!), I also want to break through some of the barriers we set for ourselves.  And that's where I need the help of YOU, you Midnight Warriors!

As we travel through February, I invite Midnight Warriors of all shapes, sizes, genders, and mindsets (and even of all football fandoms) to join me and share their experiences, opinions, and theories about women in horror and why we love them.  It's certainly a vague challenge, but I don't want to let semantics get in the way of the common goal.  After all, this IS a celebration.  I'm gonna dive into the psyche of the horror genre while doing my best to honor women in horror, and you can do the same....or you can do whatever you like to celebrate women in horror. 

So, do what you do.  You can email me (frommidnightwithlove (at) gmail (dot) com) links to stories you write so I can post them here, or you can send me your stories and I will post them at FMWL as guest posts.  There will, of course, be maximum linkage to your own sites, so don't feel as if I'm trying to make you do work for me.  I just want to make sure FMWL does everything it can to honor the women who have helped me love horror.

Go forth, Midnight Warriors, and pay tribute!  I can't wait to see what you all have up your sleeves.  In the meantime, I'll have a brief post recognizing some women of horror I love coming up very soon.  The Mike's ready to wave the Women in Horror flag all month long, and he wants YOU to join him!