FearNet's Top 10 Kick-Ass Horror Chicks

[JamesG]

The Top 10 Kick-Ass Horror Chicks
by Eric Stanze
June 9, 2010


Horror and kick-ass chicks go together like pizza and beer.


From Michelle Rodriguez of Resident Evil, to Sarah Polley of Dawn Of The Dead, to Jessica Biel of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre - women who make a strong impression in the genre are not just valued, they're adored by horror fans.

To pass the time until you feast your eyes again on super-sexy Ms. Biel in the upcoming The A-Team, let's take a moment to consider which lovely ladies are tops in their field.


Here are, in no particular order, our picks for cinema's Top 10 Kick-Ass Horror Chicks...






Linnea Quigley




She's not just one of horror cinema's greats when it comes to T&A&B (tits 'n' ass 'n' blood) but she's got enough on-screen charisma for ten scream queens.


Her hundred-film resume is impressive, and she's certainly captivating in Night Of The Demons, Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers, and Silent Night, Deadly Night - but it's her sexy, dark, and rebellious character of "Trash" in Return Of The Living Dead that lands her on this list.

Linnea Quigley dancing naked in a cemetery + Linnea Quigley getting eaten by zombies = cinematic awesomeness.









Dee Wallace




Since her career began in the mid-70s, Dee Wallace has split her time between television ("CHiPs", "Felicity", "My Name Is Earl") and feature films, maintaining an enthusiastic horror-fan following with performances in The Howling, Critters, Rob Zombie's Halloween, and House Of The Devil.


More than any other movie, Cujo earns her a spot on this Top 10.

In Cujo, one of the most underrated of the King adaptations, Dee Wallace is outstanding as the grimy, starved, dehydrated, and terrified mother who endures a nightmare to protect her son.

Easily one of the most kick-ass moms in horror film history.









Laura Gemser




Dark, sleek, and seductive Laura Gemser was the queen of European exploitation cinema in the 70s and 80s.


Known best as the "Black Emanuelle", Gemser raised horror fan pulse rates (among other things) in films such as Emanuelle and The Last Cannibals, Emanuelle in America, Erotic Nights of the Living Dead, and Violence in a Women's Prison.

The plots of her films were shocking, sleazy, and bizarre, but Gemser's presence onscreen, especially during her frequent nude / sex scenes, was always powerful and confident.

Her sexual allure was almost never seen in the context of being a victim - instead her characters used their sexual allure to get exactly what they wanted.


An excellent actress, with a hot body, a pretty face, a gorgeous smile, and a definite lack of inhibitions... just try to knock her off this list. Can't be done.









Shawnee Smith




Breaking into the industry as a dancer, then television actress, Shawnee Smith first showed up on the collective horror fan radar as "Meg" in Chuck Russell's remake of The Blob in 1988.


However, it was the SAW films that firmly cemented this actress's place in horror film history. Not a bad trap to find yourself in.









Sigourney Weaver




What am I gonna do, write up a Top 10 Kick-Ass Horror Chicks list and NOT include Sigourney Weaver?


Her tenacious and tough-as-nails "Ripley" in Alien made Sigourney Weaver a star. She became known for playing women who are resilient, unyielding, confrontational, and aggressive - but still engaging, intelligent, and - underneath the harsh exteriors - rather sweet.

In the sequel Aliens, Weaver expertly finds that balance - she's imposing yet soft. You don't know whether to give her a hug or get the f*ck outta her way!


That's a gifted actress - one definitely deserving of inclusion on this list.









Jamie Lee Curtis




She's the daughter of acting legends Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis, and she's considered by many to be the first "scream queen".


Few actresses are more firmly shackled to their horror-film characters as Jamie Lee Curtis is to her "Laurie Strode" of the Halloween films.

Despite reinventing herself throughout her career with A Fish Called Wanda, True Lies, and lots of yogurt (to help all you women with your digestive problems) she is still, and always will be, the sensitive yet fierce babysitter, Laurie Strode.









Sheri Moon Zombie




In House of 1000 Corpses, "Baby" played by Sheri Moon Zombie, was certainly entertaining. But with the sequel, The Devil's Rejects, the storytelling and the characters were superior, giving viewers more opportunity to get to know the young vixen behind that distinctive laugh.


Baby was a maniacal bad-ass who loved her ice cream and her family.

SMZ scores big points, and a spot on this list, for balancing extreme sadism with the rather tender family devotion her character exhibits in The Devil's Rejects.


Just don't get between Baby and her Red Hot Pu*sy Liquor.









Rose McGowan




Rose knows scary.

Former girlfriend to Marilyn Manson and a standout cast member in Scream, Rose McGowan was already well on her way to horror fame.


Then, just when one might be on the fence about including her on a list such as this, she gets her leg amputated in Planet Terror, has it replaced with a machine gun, and proceeds to blast her way to glory, leaving a wake of smoldering destruction and blood-soaked carnage.

'Nuff said.









Milla Jovovich




After growing her fan base with memorable parts in Chaplin, Dazed And Confused, and The Fifth Element, Milla Jovovich landed in the role she was born to play - "Alice" in the Resident Evil films.


Milla's blending of sex appeal and danger was an intoxicating mix for horror / sci-fi fans. Her status as one of the most prominent female figures in horror today is copywritten, trademarked, owned and administered by the Umbrella Corporation.









Asia Argento




Italian filmmaker / actress Asia Argento is a force to be reckoned with. Daughter of director Dario Argento and actress Daria Nicolodi, Asia started her acting career at the age of nine.

As a child, she hit the horror film scene by appearing in the rather awful Demons 2 and the rather impressive The Church.



In the mid-90s, while continuing to act, Asia also began directing, eventually earning much acclaim for her films Scarlet Diva and The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things.

Her most recent directing project was the controversial music video for Marilyn Manson's '(s)AINT' ...which the record label refused to release due to its extreme content.


Asia Argento is an accomplished actress, a talented director, and a true trailblazer in the Italian film industry. But the real reason she's on this list is George Romero's Land Of The Dead. In that film she plays the intriguing and bad-ass "Slack" who looks just about as hot as a woman can when fighting off zombies.


Asia represents maximum sexiness that packs a powerful punch.

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[catlover79]

Why am I not surprised that you would be the one to start this thread?

[Retro4Life]

Some good choices. I'm always glad to see a reviewer who has actually seen films that were made before 1980.

Some glaring omissions, as usual, like Adrienne Barbeau (The Fog, Swamp Thing, Open House, Someone is Watching Me), Ingrid Pitt ('nuff said), Sybil Danning (The Howling 2, Rob Zombie's Halloween, V (the series), Cat in the Cage), but overall not bad.

[Torgo]

WIN, for having Laura Gemser and Asia Argento on the list...

FAIL, for having Sheri Moon Zombie- seriously, she's only getting parts because of her hubby.


Nice to see Dee Wallace get some respect, I rarely see her make any of these lists.

Other greats:

Carroll Baker(Paranoia, Kiss Me Kill Me, Cyclone....)


Edwige Fenech(Strip Nude For Your Killer, Blade Of The Ripper....)


And of course Barbara Steele- who has worked with Roger Corman, David Cronenberg, and Mario Bava. She started in the 50's, and is still working. Sorry, but for me that is far more kick-ass than Shawnee Smith starring in a bunch of Saw sequels.

[Torgo]

Originally Posted by Retro4Life

Some good choices. I'm always glad to see a reviewer who has actually seen films that were made before 1980.

Before 1980? It's nice to see a reviewer who has seen films before 1990.

[Retro4Life]

Originally Posted by Torgo

Before 1980? It's nice to see a reviewer who has seen films before 1990.

Agreed.

Great call on Steele, btw. I knew I'd forget some!

[JamesG]

Originally Posted by Torgo

WIN, for having Laura Gemser and Asia Argento on the list...

FAIL, for having Sheri Moon Zombie- seriously, she's only getting parts because of her hubby.

Little known fact, you probably know, that Gemser was wardrobe designer of the classic Troll 2.

I love how the cast remembers that she was one of the only people who worked on the movie that spoke English so they talked to her the most. They said that at the time they were completely unaware of her "adult / erotic film history".



Yeah, Sherri Moon gets parts from Rob but she is a WIN for me just for that above pic alone.

[Torgo]

Originally Posted by JamesG

Little known fact, you probably know, that Gemser was wardrobe designer of the classic Troll 2.

I love how the cast remembers that she was one of the only people who worked on the movie that spoke English so they talked to her the most. They said that at the time they were completely unaware of her "adult / erotic film history".



Yeah, Sherri Moon gets parts from Rob but she is a WIN for me just for that above pic alone.

I love how you work Troll 2 into every other conversation


Sherri Moon I guess just isn't my type. I never saw the appeal of her, none of her performances have left any kind of impression on me.

[Torgo]

So is there a "kick ass guy" of horror list? I'd be curious to see what actors would rank on that.

[JamesG]

Originally Posted by Torgo

I love how you work Troll 2 into every other conversation

cause Troll 2 is that good.

[Torgo]

Caroline Munro Dracula AD 1972, The Abominable Dr. Phibes, Dr Phibes Rises Again, Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter, I Don't Want To Be Born, Slaughter High....

[Retro4Life]

Originally Posted by Torgo

Caroline Munro Dracula AD 1972, The Abominable Dr. Phibes, Dr Phibes Rises Again, Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter, I Don't Want To Be Born, Slaughter High....

Indeed.

[Retro4Life]

I don't know if she's "kick ass" but she is a major female figure in horror for the past few decades, an icon in many ways and she's easy on the eyes, as well.

Linda Blair (The Exorcist, Exorcist II: The Heretic, Repossessed, Hell Night, Stranger in the House, Grotesque).

[Torgo]

Originally Posted by Retro4Life

I don't know if she's "kick ass" but she is a major female figure in horror for the past few decades, an icon in many ways and she's easy on the eyes, as well.

Linda Blair (The Exorcist, Exorcist II: The Heretic, Repossessed, Hell Night, Stranger in the House, Grotesque).

I think she totally kicked ass in Hell Night- unlike most final girls in slasher films, when her car wouldn't start, Linda didn't get out and run, she got out and fixed the car

She also kicked ass in Savage Streets....

[JamesG]

One of my favorite "kick-ass" horror chicks is Debbie Rochon.
Met her at a con in 2005.