Misc
THE FINALE OF THE FINAL GIRL FACEOFF: Who Is the Toughest Woman In Horror According To The Fans (And Why)?
After a grueling month of votes from the fans, we’ve finally got the results! So, strap in to see who made it to the top five spots for March’s survey.
#5. NANCY THOMPSON (NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET SERIES), 26.3% OF VOTES
While she may not be the physically toughest of our contestants, she owns the most enjoyable instances of putting everyone’s favorite dream demon to sleep. And that’s because of Nancy’s mind for investigation; she’s oriented from the very start to research her enemy. And her sheer force of will is what takes out Krueger in the end, denying him the energy and fear he so desperately craves without having to lift a hand to the finger knife-wielding sleaze.
CROWNING BADASS MOMENT: …Although, it is sick that she uses her dying breath to sneak attack him and make him stab himself to death with his own glove in The Dream Warriors. So, we’re putting that physical feat and incredible “f**k you” here for posterity’s sake.
#4. BUFFY SUMMERS (BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER), 30% OF VOTES
In every generation, there is a slayer, but there is none quite like Buffy, is there? I mean, there’s a reason even 25 years later, she’s got a vice grip on fans across the world. Contending with the likes of the Master, Glorificus, Dracula, and even other Slayers like Faith, the struggles of Buffy have always been a hell of a lot of fun to watch because of the sheer heat brought by Gellar portraying one of the most proficient monster hunters in fiction.
C.B.M.: There are so many moments where Buffy whooped someone’s ass up and down an episode’s runtime that it’s hard to choose; it’s like picking your favorite kid. So instead, let’s go with her spreading that ass whooping ability to all the potential slayers on Earth in the series finale, “Chosen.” Women uplifting women, what’s more badass than that?
#3. LAURIE STRODE (HALLOWEEN SERIES) 43.8% OF VOTES
She’s definitely the longest-lasting contestant on our list; she’s survived more films and timeline changes than anyone else. Laurie has an endurance that rivals the killer sibling (continuity pending) that she finds herself facing off against time and again. Of course, a lot of this is a credit to Jamie Lee Curtis, whose input on the character has been invaluable, performance and lore-wise. So, we’ve got to put some respect on her name there.
C.B.M.: There were few moments I think horror fans enjoyed more in Halloween (2018) than the very cathartic catch and burn of Michael Myers. Laurie’s ingenuity, the cooperation of three generations of Strode women, and a very clever trap made from her WHOLE HOUSE gave us an unforgettable game, set, match between one of the G.O.A.T. final girls and her nemesis.
#2. SIDNEY PRESCOTT (SCREAM SERIES) 47.5% OF VOTES
Fewer series have had as much of an impact on the genre as Scream has, and few final girls have skyrocketed to being as beloved as Sidney Prescott is. Starting off as green as any other final girl when it comes to shutting down killers, Sidney’s steamrolled every sequel’s killer since and seemingly become stronger with each installment. Whether she’s sleuthing around to find the truth or just protecting her friends and stomping Ghostface’s out, she is an instant classic character that you can’t help but root for.
C.B.M.: It’s not going to be popular, but it’s simply the best part of 3, and that is the drag-out, knockdown fight between Sidney and Roman. It goes to show even the worst of the Ghostface’s get a satisfying, grueling smackdown. And in the face of each of these brawls, Sidney came out on top as Woodsboro’s apex predator.
And at our number one spot…
#1. ELLEN RIPLEY (ALIEN SERIES) 50% OF VOTES
Realistically, could it have been anyone else? Half of all voters picked everyone’s favorite Nostromo crew member turned xeno-hunter with good reason. Ripley has gone toe to toe with some of the most effective killing machines in horror movie history, and even when she wasn’t packing heat like she is in Aliens, she’s holding it down. Between four films, she’s almost entirely got the highest body count with the amount of sheer damage she does to several xenomorph colonies, and the most iconic moments with her genre-crossing, bug-crushing style.
C.B.M.: While the obvious pick is to go with the mech-loader duel she has with the Xenomorph Queen, it’s really the way she picks that fight that I don’t think I’ll ever forget. Only Ripley could have the guts to start bold-facedly torching eggs and sniping drones inside of the nest when she had an easy out to escape with Newt. She’s a woman of principle, and that principle is “scorched earth.” We can respect that.
So, from all of us here at Horror Press to our readers out there, we hope you had a very happy Women in Horror Month, and we’re looking forward to the next contest in April!
Ah, Urban Legend…the plucky younger sibling franchise to Scream. If this is the first time you realize that it’s a franchise at all, that is totally fair. The cult classic slasher’s only theatrical sequel was a critical and box office flop. The third film, Bloody Mary, was direct-to-video. The film has an interesting comparative pitch to Scream. While Scream is a meta-slasher toying with the rules of horror, Urban Legend has its killer basing its slice-and-dicin’ off of famous urban legends…and then they just basically did a version of Scream 3 for its sequel. It’s a fascinating trilogy, particularly in how the movies connect. In Final Cut, the first film exists as an urban legend itself. Bloody Mary, however, is a complete standalone that could be read as an urban legend within the universe of the first entry.
The Urban Legend Franchise Ranked From Worst to Best
So…how do these three films rank against each other? Are the sequels worth checking out at all? Pull up a chair, relax, and start mixing your Pop-Rocks and soda; this is the worst-to-best ranking of the Urban Legend trilogy.
Urban Legends: Bloody Mary (2005)
Unsurprisingly, the straight-to-video, nearly completely forgotten supernatural entry is last. Directed by Mary Lambert of Pet Sematary acclaim, the movie is a straightforward supernatural horror. Three teen girls say “Bloody Mary” three times into a mirror, and it resurrects a vengeful spirit.
The movie is not terrible by any means. It is just pretty standard, with some good moments of schlocky, 2000s fun. For those that grew up in this era, it can be a goofy little nostalgia trip! The cheesy SFX, hilariously awkward teen acting, and cinematography of a Coke commercial make it a really easy watch. It’s almost like a much bloodier Goosebumps episode! However, for those not fans of this divisive era of TV-horror, it can be a bit of a slog.
The idea of making a movie that feels in-Universe to the first film is clever. However, it is unclear whether that was the exact intention. Despite this critic’s personal, nostalgic love of this film, it is not connected to the franchise at all. Even if this was a masterpiece, this detail makes it hard to put it anything above last place. Sorry Bloody Mary, I still love you.
Urban Legend (1998)
Ready the guillotine. Light up the torches. Find the IP address this article was written on-but let me explain. Yes, it is controversial not to put this one in first place. Still, it is really more of a tie than second placement. This and Final Cut are vastly different, which makes the franchise interesting, nearly incomparable. They each succeed in their own sub-genres…but this one misses the mark.
Urban Legend is a cult classic for a reason. It is completely itself as a late-90s, teen campus-slasher. The movie takes a simple premise, combining it with a likeable cast and a gothic, dark-academia setting. It feels like it was made for slumber parties and sleepovers. A combination of 80s slashers and campfire tales? Amazing. Plus, the soundtrack is killer.
That being said, the mystery, story, and characters are all just okay. The answers to the mystery (spoilers…?) fall in line with I Know What You Did Last Summer, and many films from the 80s. Prom Night, April Fool’s Day, and The Burning all come to mind. If this came out before Scream, this would be number one, for sure. It is probably, technically, the best film of the franchise, if I had to be objective. However, it just doesn’t reach the levels of originality the final film on this list does.
Urban Legends: Final Cut (2000)
Urban Legends: Final Cut is fantastic. No, really. It’s great, and one of the most underrated slashers of its time. While Scream picked apart the slasher genre in a meta-horror classic, this movie picks apart the horror film industry. The film has a lot of commentary on toxicity in the industry, and it is matched by an on-brand mystery.
A big issue with movies is finding a decent throughline. Look at the first Urban Legend, for example. The reason the killer kills has nothing to do with urban legends themselves-it is just a creepy MO. However, the killer in Final Cut has a motive rooted in filmmaking itself. The movie stays on brand, delivering on its promise. It is distinctly different from Scream, while still being perfect for fans of that franchise.
Without spoiling, the mystery is great. While the final reveal is somewhat predictable, the twists and turns of the story itself are great. For fans of lost media horror like Red Rooms or Cigarette Burns, the mystery veers into that. One part of the film involves a student film with a mystery splice in the film spool. While the movie is funnier than it is scary, and somewhat outdated at points, it still feels the most rewatchable of all three movies.
The Fly Movies Ranked
#5 The Fly II (1989)
#4 Curse of the Fly (1965)
#3 Return of the Fly (1959)
#2 The Fly (1958)
#1 The Fly (1986)
