It's a fact acknowledged by general audiences and cinema buffs alike, that men have dominated the horror genre for decades before the spotlight began to shift onto female leads. That's not to say that the infamous "final girl" trope hasn't been around for a long time, utilized most in classic '70s horror films such as Black Christmas (1974). However, in the aforementioned trope, female characters were often exploited for the sole reason of being "final girls".
Female-led horror movies have certainly made their mark in the film world, especially in the past few years. Recently, we've got Us both exceptional female-led horror films. With the fact in mind that many of our favourite iconic girls in horror movies, had personal relationships - whether bad or good - let's take a look at some of these characters who were the best girlfriends.
Nancy Thompson (A Nightmare On Elm Street)
A Nightmare On Elm Street took the cinemas by storm upon its release in 1984. The low-budget indie slasher defied the odds, receiving significant success and eventually growing into a franchise. A Nightmare On Elm Street, along with its multiple sequels, has been terrifying audiences for decades. Though Freddie Krueger remains iconic for being the man of all of our nightmares, the true hero of the original film was Nancy Thompson.
The aforementioned character was the lead in the first Nightmare On Elm Street film, and she played a major role in the sequel that was released a year later, in 1985. Nancy was ultimately killed off in the latter film, but the character remains iconic to this day. Nancy was the final girl in the original film, which largely revolved around her story as well as her relationship with her boyfriend, Glen, whom she tried in vain to protect from Freddy Krueger's wrath.
Tiffany Valentine (Bride Of Chucky)
Tiffany Valentine and Charles Lee Ray may be the closest thing to a match made in hell that we'll ever see portrayed on the big screen. The character of Charles Lee Ray, better known as Chucky, lived on through the infamous Good Guy doll for three movies before his "better" half, Tiffany Valentine, was introduced.
When Bride Of Chucky was added to the Child's Play franchise, it was arguably an act of the film crew themselves itting that the series was little more than a farce, but Tiffany gained a cult status among hardcore fans nonetheless.
Alice Hardy (Friday The 13th)
Alice Hardy was Friday The 13th's original hero and final girl. Following the release of the first film, the character would also appear in the sequel, Friday The 13th Part 2, in which she met her ultimate demise at the hands of Jason Voorhees.
In the first Friday The 13th film, Alice dated Steve Christy, the owner of Camp Crystal Lake. This relationship was wrong on many levels, especially considering the age gap between the characters, but in the end, Alice was the innocent victim in this short-lived romantic affair.
Kelly Scott (Lake Placid)
Kelly the paleontologist was the protagonist of the first Lake Placid film, released in 1999. Though often overlooked, Kelly was one of the most pioneering strong female leads of that era of film, despite the fact that the material in which she was created is often regarded as a shamelessly campy creature-feature.
Kelly's story begins after her devotion to her boyfriend/boss, ends. While Kelly tried to make the relationship work, her boyfriend only wanted to pursue a different coworker. Thus, Kelly embarks on the quest of a lifetime.
Jay Height (It Follows)
It Follows is arguably one of the best horror films to come out of the 2010s, with elements that will sustain it as an icon for the genre for years to come. The film's protagonist, Jay, is the one to whom all the horrifying events happen to.
Jay was sadly unlucky in love, as her dream boyfriend - whom she was deeply devoted to - throws her under the bus and es on The Entity to her.
Kim Raphael (Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark)
Kim Raphael was inarguably the true hero of the 2010 horror film, Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark. This film was co-written by Guillermo Del Toro and was inspired by a 1973 TV movie of the same name. Although it was not the most memorable horror film to come out of 2010, Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark still holds a legacy with fans of the genre to this day.
In this movie, Kim and her boyfriend, Alex, are renovating a Victorian house known as Blackwood Manor, when Alex's withdrawn young daughter Sally arrives to stay with them. Kim and Sally have a rocky relationship throughout the film, but Kim heroically sacrifices herself to save the young girl in an unforgettable ending.
Edith Cushing (Crimson Peak)
Crimson Peak is known as one of Guillermo Del Toro's most gothic horror films, but it has a strong thread of romance woven in, in a way that only Del Toro can truly pull off. Edith Cushing was the protagonist of this romance horror film, and it followed her journey as she adjusts to life with her new husband in a grand mansion in the English countryside.
Edith is put through a lot in the duration of Crimson Peak. She sticks by her partner when she probably should have left, but the film ended on the note that Edith had written a novel about her experiences.
Anita Lesnicki (Jennifer's Body)
body horror. Nevertheless, Jennifer's Body has garnered itself a cult status amoung horror fans today.
This black comedy revolves around the friendship between teenagers, Anita and Jennifer. When the latter gets possessed by a demon, it's up to Anita to save her friend. Though Anita was not really Jennifer's girlfriend, it's widely accepted today that there was a spark of a romance between the two main characters.
Jess Bradford (Black Christmas)
Before Halloween took the world by storm and became an icon for the genre, Black Christmas became one of the first of its kind. The Canadian slasher film hit theatres in 1974 and has held its cult status ever since, garnering several sequels and remakes.
Jess was the lead character in the original Black Christmas film. This horror movie was ahead of its time for many reasons, including its portrayal of women. Jess's storyline did not revolve completely around her boyfriend, but rather her own independence.
Dani Ardor (Midsommar)
Midsommar was all about protagonist Dani Ardor's journey to self-love and happiness. For a horror movie, this film knew how to be touching and profoundly meaningful. It was definitely one of the most groundbreaking films to come out of 2019.
Midsommar was referred to as a "break-up" movie by director and writer Ari Aster himself. This is a fitting category, as the film largely revolves around Dani and her boyfriend, Christian's, troubled relationship. Throughout the film, Dani is selfless and tries constantly to Christian, while he never offers the same for her. This is a sad phenomenon, but Midsommar does offer a very happy, satisfying conclusion for Dani.
