When it comes to the faces of horror, images like Frankenstein's Monster, Jason Voorhees, and Pennywise the Dancing Clown are just a few that come to mind. For one reason or another, it seems that many of the icons of the genre are all of the masculine persuasion.
Sometimes viewers forget that women can be just as dangerous. From vampires to masked murderers, here are ten such fearsome femme fatales fans often overlook.
Marya Zaleska (Dracula's Daughter)
One of the first sequels in the Universal Monsters legacy, Dracula's Daughter featured the hypnotically beautiful Marya Zaleska as its monster of interest. With those same mesmerizing eyes made famous by the great Bela Lugosi, Marya fabulously fills the shoes left by her famous father. This is a subtler vampire film, but definitely one with an extra helping of eerie ambiance.
Female Cenobite (Hellraiser)
Consider this entry more of an honorable mention, but one look at this high priestess of hell will send chills down anyone's spine. With her open trachea and various bodily augmentations, she oozes both pain and power. What else would be expected from Clive Barker?
Her addition to the franchise could possibly be a nod to Barker's original novel in which the lead Cenobite (Pinhead) was actually a woman.
The Hag (Curtains)
The slasher genre is populated by many masked maniacs, most of them males, but Curtains features a jilted actress who decides to make a few casting cuts in pursuit of a coveted role. Armed with a hag mask and a sharp sickle, Samantha Sherwood will stop at nothing to become a star, as her victims soon discover.
Mary Shaw (Dead Silence)
Beware the curse of Mary Shaw, because this is one evil spirit who comes with more than a few gallons of nightmare fuel. Anyone who uses dolls or puppets as their method of murder definitely earns serious scare points.
With a mass of severed tongues and the ability to possess her legion of creepy puppets, she's a malevolent force that would give even Freddy Krueger nightmares. Unsettling barely scratches the surface when it comes to this lethal leading lady.
The Queen (Aliens)
For those thinking the first one was a trial, the sequel ups the ante with a whole nest of alien monsters. As iconic as Ridley Scott's famous sci-fi series is, some fans often forget that at the center of arguably the best film in the series is the Xenomorph Queen. This massive monster is a royal pain from outer space that dwarfs her gnashing drones. No wonder it takes Sigourney Weaver in a mech suit to take her down a notch or two.
Pamela Voorhees (Friday the 13th)
Jason might be the face of the franchise, but it was mommy dearest who jumpstarted the series in the original Friday the 13th. Enter Pamela Voorhees with an array of slasher utensils to distribute justice to the negligent teens of Camp Crystal Lake.
Pamela might look like the standard-issue '60s sitcom mom, but underneath that cable-knit sweater beats the heart of a stone-cold killer. Although her motives are sympathetic, she's still just as savage as her hockey-masked offspring.
Annie Wilkes (Misery)
There are few performances in horror movies as realistically horrifying as Kathy Bates' Annie Wilkes in Misery. This claustrophobic thriller by horror legend Stephen King is chilling to the core, and it's all thanks to one deranged fan. Wilkes is every creative's worst nightmare: an angry, obsessive fan. She'll break her victim's spirit and body until she's satisfied.
Carrie White (Carrie)
Speaking of violent women created by Stephen King, we can't leave out his first leading lady, Carrie White. This is using the term villain very loosely as most viewers see Carrie as a victim who finally gets her well-deserved revenge with the help of her telekinetic powers.
But once that rage switch is flipped, Carrie becomes a truly terrifying monster out for the blood of her tormentors. The only question is who's laughing now?
Asami Yamazaki (Audition)
Many viewers are quick to dismiss foreign films, but it's this Japanese thriller that earns a spot on the list. Responsible for one of the most grueling torture sequences in the history of the horror genre, Asami Yamazaki is definitely not worth a second date. A beautiful girl with a shadowy past, Asami gives new meaning to the phrase "bagging a husband."
Haley Stark (Hard Candy)
For anyone planning on watching this film in the future, it's not an easy experience. Although Hard Candy isn't your standard horror flick, Haley Stark could definitely give our previous entry more than a little competition. Although her victim of choice is an online predator with a taste for younger targets, Haley subjects him to some seriously stomach-churning torture that will certainly scar some viewers.