Horror films that challenge the female stereotype

It could be said that Halloween challenges the female stereotype in a horror movie to an extent, because at the end of the film, only a female character, Laurie Strode, is left alive and being chased by the psycopath, Michael Myers. However, it is important to note that she would have been killed by the psychopath if it weren't for the intervention of a male presence in the form of Dr Sam Loomis. It is also important to note that all the other main female characters are killed off by Michael Myers, so there some lenience towards the male superiority in these senses.



The Texas Chainsaw Massacre could also arguably be described as a horror film that challenges the generic female stereotype in horror films, as again,the only person to survive the massacre is a female. However, is should again also be noted that she is technically 'rescued' by a man in a pickup truck, otherwise she may have been killed by Leatherface. this could again show lenience towards the male side of the saviour.



One horror film that can definitely claim to challenge the female stereotype is Alien, as the only person to be left alive indefinitely is Ellen Ripley, a female. There is further impact in the fact that as the crew are stranded onboard a ship ship in the middle of space, without any chance of evac for their vessel, it makes the even more vulnerable to the Alien, as they have a limited supply of food, ammunition etc. This could be do to the fact that she is the only one who is smart enough, brave enough or just lucky enough to survive through to the end, whereas most of the characters just get killed of.