5 Horror Films By Female Directors To Add The Spooks To Your Halloween Spirit

October is here which warrants candies and horror. And while I don’t care much about the candy aspect of Halloween, I will say that the spooky vibes is what I am here for. This year, I decided to do a Halloween countdown where I watch one horror movie every night until Halloween arrives. And while I was doing my research regarding what movies I should watch, I realised that the horror genre is saturated with male directors. That is when I chose to make this harder on myself and do female-directed horror films and may I just say that we have some good ones to pick from. So here are 5 female-led horror movies you HAVE TO watch for the spooky season.

1. American Psycho by Mary Harron

Mary Harron, who made her feature film debut as a director with the contentious indie film I Shot Andy Warhol, struggled to helm the movie adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’s infamous book American Psycho. Harron and her writing partner, Guinevere Turner, successfully parody the overt consumerism, misogyny, and violence in the story by giving Patrick Bateman’s character a satirical spin. Harron and Turner gave American Psycho a razor-sharp feminist perspective by giving the narrative a campy and humorous spin.

2. The Babadook by Jennifer Kent

Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook revolves around Amelia, a widowed single mother who tries to raise Samuel, her son who is six years old. Samuel is convinced that Mister Babadook is real after reading a peculiar pop-up storybook about him. Soon, a mysterious presence haunts their home, and the line between fantasy and reality starts fading. Since grief is the true monster in The Babadook, it is not only profoundly horrifying but also extraordinarily emotional. It was the top-rated horror movie in 2014, according to Rotten Tomatoes, and the third-best movie overall.

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3. Raw by Julia Ducournau

Raw, directed by Julia Ducournau, follows the story of Justine, a vegetarian and sixteen-year-old veterinary student who becomes obsessed with human flesh after tasting meat for the first time during a traditional hazing ritual. Raw uses the idea of cannibalism to examine the pain and humanity of puberty. Justine must confront the changes she is going through while concealing her cravings from everyone around her while she deals with feelings of humiliation, uncertainty, and solitude. Considering that two people apparently passed out at the Toronto International Film Festival, Raw received criticism for its brutal body horror. So be sure you can handle the gore and horror this film is full of!

4. The Hitch-Hiker by Ida Lupino

The Hitch-Hiker by Ida Lupino follows two fishermen who pick up an escaped prisoner and tells them that he will be killing them when the ride is over. It’s a fictitious account of Billy Cook’s 1950–1951 murderous rampage. Audiences adore the deceptively straightforward premise that didn’t require a large budget to milk the suspense of the plot, thanks to Lupino’s direction. The escalating uneasiness over the situation, which moves like a ticking clock, is undeniably captured in the movie. It was the first mainstream noir movie made in America with a female director.

Also Read: 6 Of The Most Wicked Halloween Traditions From Around The Globe. Let’s Get Spooky!

5. Pet Sematary by Mary Lambert 

Adapted from Stephen King’s novel by the same name, the story follows Louis Creed who discovers a prehistoric burial ground in the forest behind his new home. The family cat who was killed by a car which Louis buries appears to come back to life but becomes more violent. Louis buried his infant son Gage after a tragic event resulting in Gage coming back as something insidious. Pet Sematary is hailed by fans for its eerie atmosphere, with the cemetery and cat Church serving as its highlights. The idea that the novel conveys—”Sometimes dead is better” —is one that fans adore and find intriguing. Many people believe it to be among the scariest films ever made.

So, be it a countdown like what I am doing or some sleepover with your girlfriends, these 5 films are a great place to start if you want to explore scary movies directed by female directors. Enjoy the spooks, guys!

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