USA Today Crowns New Generation of Scream Queens

So you'd rather vouch for an unknown with one questionable, at best, horror film under their belt than the hard-working bunch on USA Today's list who have amassed more horror cred? Yeesh.

The entire definition of the term Scream Queen has changed immensely over the last decade - from the "last girl" of the '80s, to the powerful take-no-shit heroine of the "Buffy" and "Scream" era. Starting to see a new trend now, and USA's list sits right with me. But I'd do a bit more research before harping on the girls in the spotlight.

Reply

Sheri Moon Zombie tops USA Today's list and honestly she is absolutely the modern inclination of a scream queen. She's equally beloved by horror fans whether being slain or being the slasher. Her portrayal of Baby Firefly in House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil's Rejects were extremely memorable. In Ho1kC she seemed to be the quintessential murder bait and instead she dances to Brickhouse while someone is chopped to pieces, scalps a guy while wearing a cheerleader outfit and mercilessly stabs a girl and drinks the blood. In The Devil's Rejects she took this character who is psychotic, and made her extremely loveable. It should be impossible to care about a woman that helps skin one person and then wrap the skin on a live person but when she asks her big brother to stop for ice cream you sort of pause and take stock. She's a psychopath but she's a cute giggly extremely loyal family minded psychopath.

I'd like to have seen Angela Bettis on this list May is one of the best horror movies made in the last 10 years and she's also one of the best characters in horror. May a girl who wants a friend and cannot find anyone perfect so she wants to make a perfect friend from the pieces. Angela also starred in The Toolbox Murders remake by Tobe Hooper, plus the Carrie remake (the production was not her fault, she was great).

I think Cerina Vincent fits, with Cabin Fever and Murder Set Pieces. In Cabin Fever she's the girl that shaves her legs while being eaten by the flesh eating disease. Say what you want about Eli Roth and Cabin Fever... that scene is memorable.

I'm personally excited about Teeth and All the Boys Love Mandy Lane as well. These movies though remain to be seen and their stars have yet to actually commit to more than one film in the horror genre. You can talk about Tiffany Shepis if you like (I've met the woman on more than one occasion I'm from Jersey and she's a Troma girl) but lets make our decisions based on stuff that's actually been seen.

Reply

Wolf Creek? Wolf Creek!?


There was screaming in this movie? Not in the first 45 minutes, which was more Dawsons Creek (chosen for distinct similarities, not the unfortunately easy name pun.) The first 45 minutes consisted solely of three boring teenagers talking. About nothing. And not the good Seinfeld nothing.

The movie then degenerated into the same movie we've seen a billion times in our lives and in virtually every non-Japanese-influenced horror movie of the past three years. Idiot teens get in dumb situations with crazy backwoods bad guy. Idiot teens keep making bad decisions of not finishing bad guy off. Idiot teens find all the licenses/passports of former victims collected somewhere.

The biggest difference between Wolf Creek and its dozens of recent peers was the lack of a likeable character, the complete lack of any charisma in the actors, and a lack of anything intentionally cringeworthy.

Reply

Wikipedia defines a scream queen as: "... an actress who has become associated with horror films, either through an appearance in a notable entry in the genre, as a frequent victim, or through constant appearances as the female protagonist."

Given today's definition of a scream queen, I'd say USA Todays list is accurate. Troma has been central in the horror genre since the late 70's whether you like them or not. I'd say they're more than qualified to have input on this subject. Especially since several early scream queens got their start in Troma films.

Wolf Creek was painfully boring and typical (not including the head-on-a-stick scene) and in no way do those girls qualify as scream queens. The whole movie was based on a lie from some dude who killed his friends in the middle of nowhere, in my opinion.

The two actresses from this movie have NOT been in more than two horror films between them and I don't think that qualifies them for this moniker. Neither Wolf Creek nor Darkness Falls qualify as notable as far as I'm concerned.

Reply

"in a horror film that was actually scary."

wait... they still make those?

Reply

Personally, I think Rose McGowan should be at the top of the list, as she’s managed to transition from one horror movement into another, in two landmark films. Scream was a landmark horror film, which got the cycle going again after the genre had fizzled and died. It was also the first major box office success for the genre in years, and is responsible for studios taking interest in horror films. She wasn’t the last girl standing, but she gave one of those supporting performances that stole every scene she was in. Ten years later she’s starring as a machine-gun-for-a-leg stripper in Rodriguez’s half of Grindhouse, which, despite it’s poor box office performance, is a brilliant piece of popcorn cinema. She also has a slew of other horror work on her résumé – the TV series “Charmed,” Phantoms, Devil in the Flesh, The Doom Generation, and The Black Dahlia. That’s a hell of a lot more roles than Sherri Moon Zombie, not to mention, roles in much more significant films than Rob Zombie’s two mediocre Texas Chainsaw Massacre clones (don’t get me wrong, I like Rob Zombie and he’s obviously a hard-working and driven individual, but the end result is that his films are not that impressive). And why not Sarah Michelle Geller? She is the undisputed queen of television horror. Buffy is the most significant female character in horror history, and has the cult following to prove it. And lets not forget her roles in I Know What You Did Last Summer, The Grudge, The Return, and the upcoming Alice. Like McGowan, she has staying power that makes her stand out from all the other horror “it” girls.

Reply

why the f is jordan ladd not on this list?????? she's the best

Reply

that's insane!!!! Teeth is the worst horror film ever!!!! and that chick that acts in it is terrible!!!!! Can't believe people got actually liked it. they got a good idea and screwed it up soooo badly

sheri moon zombie is definitely the scream queen of now!

and tiffany shepis is amazing!

and Troma for all they ever did and are still doing to horror, they got more than the credit of helping on that.

Reply