Women in Horror (and the Men Who Love Them!)

Press Release: July 2004
Pretty/Scary: Women in Horror
http://www.pretty-scary.com

Women in Horror: Why?

Pretty/Scary. The duality of the phrase is simple. Women can be pretty.
They can also be scary. Women can be pretty scary. In a world where most
geeks are men, it’s hard for women to find one another among all the
testosterone-ridden conventions, film screenings, comic book stores, and
underground video collections. It’s also difficult to find a way for
women to accept their beauty, sex appeal, and femininity while
acknowledging that they are smart, talented, and intelligent as well.
When you think of a geek, does Angelina Jolie pop into your head? Well,
not really. But if you think about some of the films she’s been in (Tomb
Raider, anyone?) it’s clear to see that she’s got a geeky side to
herself. For years women have been presented as only the objects of
men’s affections, gracing the covers of Draculina Magazine and appearing
nearly naked in slasher films, with never a thought from anyone that
maybe women are doing it cause they like horror and science fiction.
Maybe they don’t only exist to please men, but to please themselves.
Maybe there are pretty geeks, after all!

When I started getting to know women in the horror business, I soon
found out that many driving forces were women. There are actresses who
seduce, but also produce. There are horror writers, actresses, and
artists out there who are just as active, if not more so, than men, who
don’t get a chance to exploit their femininity. It’s the twenty-first
century, and it’s about time that women can be pretty and scary without
having to compromise either their beauty or their intelligence in order
to be part of the horror world.

Amy Lynn Best, Jennifer Whildin, and I (Heidi Martinuzzi) started
Pretty/Scary so that women in horror have a place to promote their films
and novels, to congregate, to read about other women, to network, and to
read about horror from the point of view of other women. Not to sound
like a feminist (and I’m not knocking feminism), but most horror
magazines and websites are all about men. Women are treated only as eye
candy only. At Pretty/Scary, we treat men like Eye candy. Every month we
will list a new Hot Man in Horror, and we'll turn him into a piece of
meat for all to see. Our first HOT man is Eli Roth, director of Cabin
Fever and his interview is about 5 lines long. He's lucky we gave him
that before we started drooling. We will also honor actresses, writers,
and producers for their contributions to the horror industry. Our first
honoree is Cassandra Peterson, AKA Elvira, who graces us with a three
page interview and her view on women in horror.

Aside from interviews and news, Pretty/Scary hopes to be the definitive
review site for horror films and novels by women. Giving an in-depth
look at all novels and films written, produced, or directed by women,
Pretty/Scary will also review books and films where women are the main
characters (Like I spit on your Grave, Catwoman, and The Grudge). There
is a mailing list and a forum, plus an area where members can post their
own horror fiction. We have original dark and horror themed artwork by
women in our art galleries, and we will be covering and reviewing women
in punk, gothic, and hardcore metal bands. We're trying to cover all
aspects of horror, so if we've left anything out, please let us know! We
want to cover independent and mainstream horror alike; there' s no room
for distinction when our main focus is on women.

The website will be launched July 30th, 2004 and can be found at
www.pretty-scary.com. We welcome anyone in the horror business, female
and male, to come visit and contribute in any way. Likewise, we are
always looking for news stories and women to promote.

Pretty/Scary, in conjunction with Necroscopic Entertainment, is
launching a 2005 Women in Independent Horror Calendar that will be
available for purchase on the Pretty/Scary website and in comic book
stores and book stores around the country this Fall. The calendar
features horror actresses Sheri Moon Zombie, Brinke Stevens, Debbie
Rochon, Ryli Morgan, Melantha Blackthorne, Suzi Lorraine, Amy Lynn Best,
Syn DeVil, Lilith Stabs, April Burril, Rachael Robbins, and me, Heidi!
(Even though I am not a Scream Queen) One of the main issues I have
found with Women in Horror is the strange distinction that some horror
actresses have developed, that of Scream Queen. I thought it was an
interesting topic to ask the girls about, since not only are they Scream
Queens, but they are being put in a Calendar for that very reason. Here
is what some of the most important women in horror films today have to
say about the ideas of women, horror, and being pretty scary…

“Well, it has been my experience that most horror actors limit
themselves to just that...acting. I have made it a point over my career
to ask many questions and inform myself about all levels of film
production. The knowledge I have picked up along the way has allowed me
to participate to varying degrees in the writing, directing and
producing of most of the projects in which I have been involved”
_Melantha Blackthorne

“Part of me loves it, and wants to at least come close to that status.
The other part of me doesn't like that term very much, because I know a
few of these ladies and there is SO much more to them than their ability
to jiggle in the right places and scream at the horrible monster that's
coming their way. I don't want to say it's demeaning, but it isn't as
all-encompassing a description as it should be, in order to properly
describe these women.” _Ryli Morgan, on the term “Scream Queen”

“Right now I think it helps to portray myself as having sex appeal. I
mean, why not? I'm young and sexy, right?! But in my last film
“Screaming Dead” I was actually cast as the plain, level headed girl.
And that was a nice departure. I mean I can't play the damsel in
distress forever. It was fun playing the bimbo, cheerleader, and
bombshell. But what comes after that for those characters? They are fun
and cute when it's a young girl playing them, but the aging version is
just plain old pathetic! Think of Mrs. Roper on “Three's Company”!!”
Rachael Robbins on being hot

“There's this scene that I did in a movie called “Love” _ basically I
play this obsessive compulsive chick with numerous neuroses _ my
character has a fight with the other lead actor _ I just seized the
moment and went balls to the walls ballistic & crazy. I think everybody
on set was genuinely scared, haha. Afterwards they told me the scene
kicked some major ass!” Suzi Lorraine on her favorite scene in a horror
film

“I think it's been turned into a generic word. Nowadays, ever woman in a
low budget movie, horror or not, has been called a Scream Queen. The
meaning has been completely diluted. My own term has become “Spicy
Sister”.” Amy Lynn best on the term Scream Queen

“One certainly doesn't become a Scream Queen without solid attributes;
she could hit a high pitched scream as well as her low budget sisters
could, but more importantly, well endowed or not, she was perfectly
inclined to go topless. And the willingness to go topless has been the
number one requirement of a working Scream Queen since the 'big' 80's.”
Debbie Rochon on Scream Queens
“I have set myself apart by perfecting a Jekyll & Hyde switch in films.
I often start out normal -- an apparent victim -- and then something
happens to transform me into a villain. Like, I get possessed by demons,
or go insane and become a homicidal maniac, or I get bitten and turn
into a blood-sucking vampire. (Examples of that are "HAUNTING FEAR",
"SPIRITS", "GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE", and "TRANSYLVANIA TWIST".) I've also
played a lot of strong female characters, despite my petite size (like
"HYBRID", "CORPSES ARE FOREVER") -- and I've fondly been dubbed "The
thinking man's Scream Queen" because of my college degrees.” Brinke
Stevens, on what makes her different from other women in horror
“ I think my name is pretty cool...hell that's why I use it.... to hear
a horror actress playing a vampire or monster or something & her name is
like June summers it just doesn't seem right” Syn Devil on her name

”…The final, bloody killing scene in “Chainsaw Sally”. Something about
having all that fake blood splashed on me while holding a running
chainsaw as I stand over my victim really lights my fire! Call me
crazy...” April Burril on her favorite scene in Chainsaw Sally

Women have minds and intellect and talent. And beauty. And they can be
terrifying. From film festivals to magazines to movies, women are taking
a much bigger role in horror than ever before, and it's time someone was
there to get the story straight. That's what Pretty/Scary is all about….

For Press Information, Submissions, and General Info:
Pretty/Scary
www.pretty-scary.com
Press contact: [email protected]

[feral cat]

... I get to your site and there is nothing but little crosses for missing linked images!!!

The site doesn't officially open till July 30th. However, the front page shouldn't have broken images. I can see all the images, but I'll look into it and see if others are experiencing the same problem. Thanks for letting me know.