[missmacabre]

I am doing an essay on women in horror movies. Hopefully it won't turn into the average Final Girl essay although I do intend to discuss the phenomenon briefly.

I`m not even sure how I am going to phrase my thesis statement but essentially I am trying to prove that womens' roles in horror movies have changed from victim to heroine over the decades.

50s-60s- Women were the victim, always saved my a man.
70s- women were the ultimate survivors but seemed to survive at random.
80's- Women survived by using their wit, but by being the stereotypical prudish virgin were still viewed as masculine.
90's- Women like Sydney in Scream survived based on their smarts but challenged the stereotypical Final Girl views. (survived despite losing her virginity, and saving a male virgin from near death)


I need to take this into the 2000s to really prove my point but I don't know where to go. I could discuss movies like All the Boys Love Mandi Lane- Where the lead female plays the sexy and gutsy heroine (not prudish) but also plays the monster. She is both victim and villain.

The Descent deals majorly in feminism, and a woman's will to survive. Female vs. female violence and understanding who is the villain in the situation.


Any ideas or reading I can do? I have already read Men, Women and Chainsaws by Carol Clover.