Entertainment
Jamie Lee Curtis to Star in ABC Family's 'The Final Girls,' Inspired By These 6 Horror Women
Jaime Lee Curtis is headed to the small screen for a new horror series for ABC Family. Called The Final Girls, the series follows a group of girls who've survived their own horror stories and have been brought together by a "mysterious older woman" (Curtis) to channel their terrifying experiences for some as-yet-unnamed greater good. The series, of course, draws from the horror movie trope of the one girl who survives long enough to defeat the killer, monster, ghost, etc. It's a concept that usually enforces the standard of "good" women as being sexually pure, and it's heavily discussed in feminist academia, so it will be interesting to see how the show approaches the issue (if this were Joss Whedon, I'd be excited, but it's on ABC Family, so I'm hesitant.) Obviously, the show will draw from the famous "final girls" of horror movies past, one of them being...
Jaime Lee Curtis is headed to the small screen for a new horror series for ABC Family. Called The Final Girls, the series follows a group of girls who've survived their own horror stories and have been brought together by a "mysterious older woman" (Curtis) to channel their terrifying experiences for some as-yet-unnamed greater good. The series, of course, draws from the horror movie trope of the one girl who survives long enough to defeat the killer, monster, ghost, etc. It's a concept that usually enforces the standard of "good" women as being sexually pure, and it's heavily discussed in feminist academia, so it will be interesting to see how the show approaches the issue (if this were Joss Whedon, I'd be excited, but it's on ABC Family, so I'm hesitant.) Obviously, the show will draw from the famous "final girls" of horror movies past, one of them being...
Laurie Strode, 'Halloween'
That's right, Jamie Lee Curtis herself. Curtis was one of the original "final girls," so it only makes sense that she appear on The Final Girls. It's still unclear if they'll use Curtis' past work in horror movies in the show — will she be a grown-up Laurie Strode, another version of her, or someone entirely different? Babysitter Laurie technically never really defeated serial killer Michael Myers, but she sure as hell survived.
Sally Hardesty, 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre'
Sally is not a terribly compelling character, but man does that girl have stamina. She runs while pushing her paraplegic brother. She runs into a glass window. She runs and jumps into the back of a moving truck. And if Texas Chainsaw Massacre is one of the most influential horror films, then Sally Hardesty is certainly one of the most important "final girls" (even if she's not the most interesting).
Nancy Thompson, 'A Nightmare on Elm Street'
Nancy Thompson's storyline was the most obvious morality play of all the "final girl" horror movies. Bookish, shy, and chaste Nancy makes it all the way to the end while her sexually active friend Tina gets offed in the first few scenes. But hey, at least it shows that even nerdy girls can survive a horror movie scenario...right? Right, guys?
Ripley, 'Alien'
This one's highly debated, as Alien is both a horror movie and a science fiction film, and well, Ripley doesn't follow the normal conventions of a "final girl." Ripley isn't the movie's lead, but she ends up being the only survivor, not to mention a total badass. Ripley may not be the quintessential "final girl," but she's an important reminder that not all "final girls" have to hide in the closet, timidly jabbing at the enemy with a knife.
Sidney Prescott, 'Scream'
Made in the '90s, Scream was the first film to really recognize the "final girl" trope. Additionally, Sidney is one of the first "final girls" to have sexual agency (as well as one of the only ones who has to kill her own boyfriend). Sidney not only has to survive on a physical level, but on an emotional level too, as everyone around her is suspected of trying to kill her. Seriously, after surviving four sequels, how did this girl maintain any personal relationships?
Dana Polk, 'The Cabin in the Woods'
Okay, so Dana isn't technically the only survivor in The Cabin in the Woods. And, as evidenced in the final scene, she probably doesn't survive either. There's a veritable slew of modern movies with "final girls" now, but The Cabin in the Woods is the most important example (if not the most perfect) because the concept is hardwired into the movie's DNA. Giving too much away would spoil the great twist, but just to say that the movie has an explanation for all the final girls over every horror movie ever made. It doesn't just turn the trope on its head, it blows it up and turns it inside out.
