25 Incredibly Well-Made Horror Films Directed By Women

7. Sylvia & Jen Soska - American Mary (2012)

American Mary isn't just the most startling and original horror film of recent times, it's also a feature that announced the arrival of two very exciting talents to the genre in the shape of sisters Jen and Sylvia Soska. The 'Twisted Twins' (as they like to be known) achieved notoriety with their Grindhouse homage Dead Hooker In The Trunk, but their follow-up feature was an improvement in nearly every way imaginable. American Mary deserves its status as the genuine article, making full use of the appeal of its star, scream queen veteran Katharine Isabelle. Here she€™s Mary, a buxom, desperate medical student failing to pay her bills on time and at the mercy of her overly grabby professor. Surfing the internet lands her in a gentleman€™s club, where the revelation that she€™s a med student gets her into the business of performing plastic surgery and body modification on those desperate to change their appearance but unable to do so through more traditional channels. This includes assisting one woman in her mission to look like Betty Boop and another in her efforts to become a human Barbie Doll. Deciding to put her surgical skills to a very different use, Mary later embarks on a violent campaign of revenge to set right the many wrongs that have been done to her. Despite its flaws, this is a film that offers hope that there is still originality to be found in a genre that desperately needs it.