Book Review: 1000 Women in Horror 1895-2018

Alexandra Heller-Nicholas is one of the most astute and knowledgeable film critics currently active, with a strong frame of historical reference and a deep understanding of cinema's aesthetics. With her latest book, Heller-Nicholas offers a remarkably comprehensive reference on women actors and filmmakers in the horror genre.

An alphabetical list with biographies of differing lengths, Heller-Nicholas explores the entire history of cinema, realizing that the horror genre is central to its development and that women have always been among its foremost contributors.

The book's historical significance is borne out with entries for such filmmaking pioneers as Alice Guy, Lois Weber and Germaine Dulac; leading up to the more contemporary ones like Devi Snively, Anna Biller, and Isabel Peppard. And the actress entries run the gamut of including everyone from Gloria Swanson and Elizabeth Taylor to Ramsay Ames and Evelyn Ankers. Each of the entries, even on the lesser known subjects, offers interesting information, often inspiring the viewer to seek out the actor's or filmmaker's work.

There are a few particular highlights worth discussing at some length. For some of the more recently active entries, Heller-Nicholas has conducted interviews that give the reader unique insights into the genre from a diverse group of artists. This includes Debbie Rochon, noted "scream queen" who is also a writer, director, and columnist; and veteran actress Brinke Stevens who has also done directing. Several others are similarly profiled.

One can only imagine the daunting task of gathering 1000 names, alphabetizing them, and doing the necessary research to offer engrossing information for each. Among of the more compelling is how many A-list actresses investigated the horror genre. Tallulah Bankhead in "Die Die My Darling," Glynis Johns in "The Vault of Horror," Liv Ullman in "Hour of the Wolf," Joan Bennett on TV's "Dark Shadows' and in its subsequent films, Shelley Winters in many, including "Who Slew Auntie Roo" and "The Devils Daughter." It is also impressive how the author's alphabetical list of women so cohesively blends icons and extras, vintage stars and contemporary directors, the serious and the comical, thus backing up her introductory claim that horror crosses over many sub-genres.

And speaking of the Introduction, along with this book's value as a reference source, it is significant for its lengthy introductory essay in which the author discusses her own connection to the horror genre as a fan, a student, and a writer. Deep, lengthy, and introspective, the Introduction also discusses how the horror genre expanded over three different centuries, extending to everything from lighthearted family fare to more violent, graphic, even sexual imagery. This is followed by an even meatier essay, The Rules of Engagement, that delves more deeply into historical influences like early novelists and the development of feminism in the arts. She also acknowledges other horror books that explore the genre and the contribution of women, indicating their influence on her reference study.

Finally, Heller-Nicholas concludes the book with a list of horror films by women filmmakers, dating as far back as the silent era and journeying all the way to titles available thru streaming services in the current era.

"1000 Women in Horror 1895-2018" is a quintessential reference that belongs in libraries, research centers, and the personal collections of all film buffs. It is packed with valuable data, engaging insights, and good writing. The book is from Bear Manor Media and is available at this link: 1000 Women Horror