My Homework Assignment: Are Horror Movies Misogynistic?

            As a horror movie buff from way back, let’s first take a look at what defines a horror movie.  The concept of tales of terror is nothing new; it’s just a new medium for an old tradition.  Storytelling around a campfire has been around as long as spoken language has been.  Now it’s just splayed out on the big screen instead of shadows on the cave wall with huddled clansmen.  Fairy tales were for the most part told to impart a lesson in a frightening manner meant to scare the listeners into behaving.  Not every story was based on a weak female either; look at Hansel and Gretel for example.  Brother and sister were equally clever throughout, but it was Gretel that saved the two from the cannibalistic witch in the gingerbread house.

            Ultimately, any story meant to frighten has some sort of lesson to it.  Trust your instincts, don’t hitchhike, for cripes sake don’t bar yourself in a cellar during a zombie attack.  To be sure, there are a number of horror movies that exploit the evil bad guy going after the innocent girl, but then most mainstream American movies (drama, romance, comedy) follow this formula as well.  Why?  The same reason that boy bands keep being renewed once every eight to ten years; it’s a formula that makes money.  All that really changes is whether or not she marries the guy in the end.  The real mark of a good horror movie versus a bad one are:

1. Can you empathize with the villain?
2. Is the hero one dimensional?

If you find yourself not necessarily agreeing with, but understanding why the psychotic killer does what they do, the story gains complexity and becomes more than just a slasher flick.  It’s now a movie that sucks you into the characters instead of just leading you along the storyline.       

Plus, if the hero is your average chauvinistic jock/ette that overcomes the bad guy by sheer luck and mindless bravado there is absolutely no thrill to be had.  Anybody with a little muscle and half a mind to aim can splatter a head like a pumpkin.  Whee.

The best example in the horror realm of both is the original Nightmare on Elm Street.  Heather Langenkamp’s Nancy as the foil to Freddy was your typical naïve high schooler but she didn’t stay that way long.  She took measures to find out how to beat Freddy at his own game even going to the extent of learning booby traps to give herself an advantage.  As far as Kreuger goes, psychopathic child killer or no, it’s easy to see how he might be a little hacked off at a horde of angry parents burning him to death and taking revenge. 

If there is one proof that horror films favor the male it’s the actual chemical reaction to fear.  When experiencing fear the body receives a rush of adrenaline.  Adrenaline is released during times of fear or arousal.  This in turn triggers the survival responses, fight, flight or…fool around.  Fighting is an unusual response toward watching a movie so you are left with either fleeing (which is stopped by a strong, comforting arm and soothing words) or a pounding heart that can easily be confused as something else equally interesting.  Either way, the spooked female is likely to turn into her date’s arms rather than away.  That is, provided he’s not more scared than she is. 

For more flicks that feature strong female characters, check these out.  Thanks to the original Texas Zombie Hunter Mike Sir Hendrey for his input. 

I Spit on Your Grave
Resident Evil series
Remake of the Night of the Living Dead
The Horde