When it comes to female characters, slasher films have traditionally fallen short. Tragically and horrifically short. From over-sexed scream queens to unsympathetic (and typically unattractive) gals who serve no purpose other than as prey for the psycho, animal or alien creature stalking them, horror films throughout the history of the genre commonly have a reoccurring theme: if there is a leading lady, she's either rescued by a brave, handsome fellow or succumbs to her victimizer. Either way, the message is simple - women are the weaker sex and need to be saved or put in their place. However, with the creation of empowering horror flicks like Alien and Halloween, the way in which female are portrayed has slowly shifted over time, and, with characters like Jennifer from Jennifer's Body and The Ring's Samara, girls are no longer just on the receiving end of the blade. In honor of the arrival on TV of Scream Queens - bringing Jamie Lee Curtis back to the genre she belongs in - here are 10 of the horror genre's most essential female characters.
