WIH Recognition Month - My top 10 memorable performances - Part 2

Howdy horrorphiles! Ratty here to deliver the fantastic (well, it's not really dramatic) conclusion to my top 10 list. This is a list of memorable performances by women in horror films, in every case I feel these actresses were pivotal in the transcendence these movies make from the status quo into the mighty realm of the classic. With these next 5 titles, I am venturing into the world of foreign films, by this I mean anywhere but Hollywood. 


Once again these come in no "order" of merit, for they are all essential viewing, and to me they highlight the importance of a convincing performance when dealing in the currency of terror. Here we go!




Cécile De France in Haute Tension


Haute Tension is probably still my favorite horror film made this century. Alexandre Aja's debut film was a flagship in the new trend of "high impact violence" in horror films, and was poorly emulated time and time again by Hollywood in the following years. It was spared a remake, but re-released in the USA under the awful title Switchblade Romance. Cécile De France's flawless performance in a truly multi-dimensional role as both victim and perpetrator shows us vulnerability, fear, strength and pure insanity. 

Elizabeth Moody in Braindead (Dead Alive)


Peter Jackson's all time splatter comedy opus will never be topped, the gore sequences are the most inventive and brilliant use of traditional makeup and special effects on a limited budget. But if not for the fantastic performances, this is all we would ever remember. No one who has seen this film could ever deny that Vera is the embodiment of the mother from hell, and that's BEFORE she is infected with the rabid monkey-virus and transforms from the undead into a 20 foot tall monstrosity. Poor Lionel! Jackson also featured Elizabeth Moody in Heavenly Creatures and the first Lord of the Rings film.

Manuela Velasco in REC


First of all, I must say I am not a fan of the hand-held camera style shooting appearing more often in films, it is a fantastic concept but requires extreme skill to be pulled off successfully by both the cameraman and the actors, and of course in most cases (Blair Witch, Cloverfield, The Last Exorcism) it comes off hokey and noticeably takes away from the enjoyment of the film. To me REC is an exception to the rule, thanks in no small part to the lead role of Angela Vidal, the news reporter who is trapped in a building where an unknown contagion is sending the residents bonkers. Velasco's beautifully understated performance allowed me the very rare suspension of disbelief I don't usually experience these days. 

Nanako Matsushima in Ringu and Ringu 2

The film that started the explosion of Asian horror films that would grab the Western film-goer by the throat; and provide Hollywood with endless poor remake fodder. It also set the iconic "evil little girl with long hair over eyes" as a standard for many other Asian films to emulate, in most cases poorly. It is a truly eerie, harrowing and inventive film, and the fate of the main character Reiko is what leaves the viewer in suspense with every scene, as she tries to uncover the mystery of Sadako's deadly video tape. I include both the original and the sequel, as in my mind they are equally good and should be watched as one story. Matsushima's terror, especially in the well sequences, is convincing enough to chill the blood of any viewer.

Morjana Alaoui, Mylène Jampanoï and Isabelle Chasse in Martyrs

I only watched this film recently, and was blown away. I had heard about how 

incredibly graphic and disturbing it was, and like many films I waited for all the

hype to die down a bit, and expertly avoided spoilers so I could watch the film 

without someone else's opinion in mind. I did the same thing with A Serbian

Film, which also blew away my high expectations, but to me this is the winner

when it comes to recent shockers. These young women give ridiculously

well crafted performances, I had to end with this example as protest to the 

cheesy "Scream Queen" article that started me writing this to begin with. There

is so much screaming in this film, terrifying, awesome, realistic, cringe inducing

screaming. 

The film has the unique storyline which makes both female leads main 

characters, of course I have included Isabelle Chasse who plays the "creature", 

possibly the finest full body makeup job I have seen in any film. This is not 

to be missed, brutal, upsetting and perplexing from the first minute to the 

explosive conclusion. This is probably the ultimate example of a film which

required extraordinary acting for it to work at all. A triumph.

So there you have it folks, I hope that this reminds you of the tireless efforts 

of all the women of horror, and indeed of film.

Till next time

Ratty