Ghouls Rule: A Celebration of Female Movie Monsters

From vampires and werethings to zombettes and killer puppets, some of the scariest monsters of the cinema have been females. Author and horror critic Emma Alice Johnson analyzes the most well-known and shines a light on ones that have been hiding in the shadows. From The Bride of Frankenstein in 1935 and The She-Creature of 1956 to Demi Moore's portrayal of Monstro Elisasue in 2024's allegory The Substance, every page contains a fascinating story, including giant killer animals, nazis, espionage, medical experimentation on black-market corpses, and murder. Some of the most monstrous tales happen off-screen, with life imitating art in disturbing ways.

Along the way, Johnson explores how cultural standards of “pretty” and “ugly” fuel the concept of the monster in differing ways depending on gender, and how some horror films adhere to these standards while others twist them around. She confronts the feminine beauty ideal and the burden on women to be conventionally pretty, even when playing the monster, and how the simple act of a woman playing a gross, slimy ghoul is an attack on the patriarchy.

Kick back, get some popcorn, and enjoy these new perspectives on your favorite horror films and add to your to-watch list.