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lazypadawanHorror movies don't produce very many heroes. You have the villain, the victims, and the survivors, many of which were lucky enough to be the only one left though no other virtues than being a virginal female who can run real fast.
That's why when a horror movie has an actual person to root for, you remember him or her. Not all of the heroes survive but they all kick bad guy butt.
Honorable mention:
Sydney: Scream
One thing that I did like about the Scream movies, other than the jokes, is that the killer didn't necessarily have an easy time of dispatching of the victim. The victims often fought back hard and Neve Campbell's protagonist fought that just harder, which is how she survived for more than one film.
Now for the rest...
Laurie Strode: Halloween
19-year-old Hollywood princess Jamie Lee Curtis became a star in her own right with this film, where she plays a babysitter forced to go toe-to-toe with crazed killer Michael Myers. Oh, did I mention that she's Michael's sister? Wuh oh! In a lot of ways, Laurie is the typical nice girl who survives, but she's a tough cookie. Helping her is...
Dr. Loomis: Halloween
If only more shrinks for the criminally insane were like Dr. Loomis! He knew Michael was pure evil and it was up to him to stop the psycho killer. Loomis even blows himself up to save the world from Michael.
Ellen Ripley: Alien...even though the above pic is from 'Aliens'
Who can't love Ripley? Not only is she a survivor, she's a warrior. One of the most inspirational female characters in cinematic history.
Dr. Von Helsing: Various Dracula Flicks
Superman has his Lex Luthor and Sherlock Holmes his Moriarty; in Dracula's lore, the nemesis is actually the GOOD guy. Von Helsing is the king of vampire slayers, delivering more stakes than an Outback restaurant. Personally, I've always liked Peter Cushing's incarnation the best.
The Ghostbusters: Ghostbusters
Who you gonna call? Okay, so "Ghostbusters" is a comedy but few have cleaned up against scary ghosts like they have. Admit it...when you're watching a movie like "Paranormal Activity," you desperately wish these guys would show up. Not only will they get those nasty ghosts, they'll leave you laughing.
Ben: Night Of The Living Dead
Ben bravely and resourcefully fights to save himself and his fellow occupants trapped in a house from marauding zombies. Too bad a posse mistakenly shoots him at the end.
Buffy Summers: Buffy The Vampire Slayer (movie & t.v. show)
Beware any vampires or other creatures lurking about Sunnydale...teenage Buffy Summers has got your number. Unless of course, you're really hot like Angel or Spike.
The Tag Team Of Father Merrin and Father Karras: The Exorcist
Look out, Satan! Here are two priests who mean business, willing to do whatever it takes to save Linda Blair, even if it means sacrificing one's own life.
Ash: Evil Dead
Okay, I admit it..Ash is MY favorite horror hero. Why? He's played by the irresistible Bruce Campbell. He's awesome with all kinds of weapons. He's willing to cut off his demonically-possessed hand and replace it with a chainsaw. Most of all, he's funny, spouting some of the most memorable lines in horror history. Hail to the king, baby.
That's why when a horror movie has an actual person to root for, you remember him or her. Not all of the heroes survive but they all kick bad guy butt.
Honorable mention:
Sydney: Scream
One thing that I did like about the Scream movies, other than the jokes, is that the killer didn't necessarily have an easy time of dispatching of the victim. The victims often fought back hard and Neve Campbell's protagonist fought that just harder, which is how she survived for more than one film.
Now for the rest...
Laurie Strode: Halloween
19-year-old Hollywood princess Jamie Lee Curtis became a star in her own right with this film, where she plays a babysitter forced to go toe-to-toe with crazed killer Michael Myers. Oh, did I mention that she's Michael's sister? Wuh oh! In a lot of ways, Laurie is the typical nice girl who survives, but she's a tough cookie. Helping her is...
Dr. Loomis: Halloween
If only more shrinks for the criminally insane were like Dr. Loomis! He knew Michael was pure evil and it was up to him to stop the psycho killer. Loomis even blows himself up to save the world from Michael.
Ellen Ripley: Alien...even though the above pic is from 'Aliens'
Who can't love Ripley? Not only is she a survivor, she's a warrior. One of the most inspirational female characters in cinematic history.
Dr. Von Helsing: Various Dracula Flicks
Superman has his Lex Luthor and Sherlock Holmes his Moriarty; in Dracula's lore, the nemesis is actually the GOOD guy. Von Helsing is the king of vampire slayers, delivering more stakes than an Outback restaurant. Personally, I've always liked Peter Cushing's incarnation the best.
The Ghostbusters: Ghostbusters
Who you gonna call? Okay, so "Ghostbusters" is a comedy but few have cleaned up against scary ghosts like they have. Admit it...when you're watching a movie like "Paranormal Activity," you desperately wish these guys would show up. Not only will they get those nasty ghosts, they'll leave you laughing.
Ben: Night Of The Living Dead
Ben bravely and resourcefully fights to save himself and his fellow occupants trapped in a house from marauding zombies. Too bad a posse mistakenly shoots him at the end.
Buffy Summers: Buffy The Vampire Slayer (movie & t.v. show)
Beware any vampires or other creatures lurking about Sunnydale...teenage Buffy Summers has got your number. Unless of course, you're really hot like Angel or Spike.
The Tag Team Of Father Merrin and Father Karras: The Exorcist
Look out, Satan! Here are two priests who mean business, willing to do whatever it takes to save Linda Blair, even if it means sacrificing one's own life.
Ash: Evil Dead
Okay, I admit it..Ash is MY favorite horror hero. Why? He's played by the irresistible Bruce Campbell. He's awesome with all kinds of weapons. He's willing to cut off his demonically-possessed hand and replace it with a chainsaw. Most of all, he's funny, spouting some of the most memorable lines in horror history. Hail to the king, baby.
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Date: 2010-10-26 04:13 am (UTC)IMO Jamie Lee Curtis's Laurie Strode deserves special mention for one of the most unexpectedly, weirdly touching moments in horror movie history...and it took place in one of the "Halloween" sequels, no less: "Halloween: H20."
(For some reason I will never understand, the filmmakers chose to reject the promotional tag line "Blood is thicker than water." And for the record, I consider "Halloween," "Halloween II," and "Halloween: H20" to be a pretty good horror movie trilogy, while choosing to disregard all the terrible quasi-sequels.)
The moment comes at the very end of the movie, when Laurie has managed to render her brother Michael helpless and approaches him carrying the fireman's axe she intends to kill him with. She says his name several times to make him to look at her. He wordlessly reaches out to her with one beseeching hand. Her face twists in a mixture of horror and pity, and she reaches out to him as well, actually letting their fingers touch...right before rearing back and delivering the decapitating blow.
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Date: 2010-10-27 01:01 am (UTC)