Can’t leave out the girls!
A good western horror should have it’s fair share of female characters. Western women could be as strong as the men – and sometimes stronger. They had to do a lot of hard work to raise their families and maintain the homestead. It wasn’t all they did though, there was also: riding, shooting, fighting, cattle rustling, branding, singing – hell you get the picture right? Everything the men could do the women did too, and quite often better, and sometimes whilst pregnant or holding onto their kids.
Lets take a look at actresses who’ve starred in horrors and westerns – and assess their suitability as ass kickers for a western horror.
Sharon Stone
Despite some health complications Sharon Stone has had a long and varied acting career. And whilst I can’t say I’ve seen everything she’s been in there’s definitely been some good, some bad, and some not so pretty ones.
Kick-ass ability: She was pretty kick-ass in The Quick and the Dead, as well as giving the impression she can take care of herself in things like Basic Instinct. I think she has the range to play either a kick-ass or something softer when she needs to.
Horrors: Scissors, Diabolique, Cold Creek Manor,
Westerns: The Quick and the Dead, Running Wild
Western Horror: 0
Eva Green
She might have to work on her accent to work on a western, unless you remember the pioneers were mostly from Europe (she doesn’t say a word in The Salvation). Her list of movies is still relatively short but she’s done westerns and horrors, along with the more fantastical characters she’s portrayed.
Kick-ass ability: She’s pretty kick-ass, especially when she gets to use magic, and she’s pretty good at the piercing dark looks.
Horrors: Dark Shadows
Westerns: The Salvation
Western Horror: 0
Renée Zellweger
Not the first actress that springs to mind when you think western or horror, but I’ve seen her in a number of roles that weren’t happy and bubbly and eager to please the male characters. And it’s this that makes me include her, whilst the majority of the roles associated with her are of a bright, happy character (if sometimes somewhat accident prone), she can show a good amount of practicability and determination.
Kick-ass ability: She has her moments.
Horrors: Case 39, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation
Westerns: Cold Mountain, Appaloosa
Western Horror: 0
Hillary Swank
She definitely has the kick-ass ability, and I think a lot of her roles reflect this – from The Next Karate Kid to Million Dollar Baby she can probably handle herself. But I think her roles in westerns and horrors are limited, she’s more of a detective FBI agent type. Still, worth considering.
Kick-ass ability: She did play Buffy that one time. The Next Karate Kid, Billion Dollar Baby,
Horrors: The Reaping,
Westerns: The Homesman,
Western Horror: 0
Salma Hayek
This woman just screams ‘Mess with me and see what happens!’ I like movies with Salma in, recently I saw Everly and after seeing that I’m pretty sure she could handle any weapons required or even fight off the bad things with her bare hands.
Kick-ass ability: There are many films she’s starred in where she’s kicked ass, including a few of the ones mentioned below. I don’t think anyone would doubt her ability to make it in the west or survive a horror movie.
Horrors: From Dusk Till Dawn, The Hunchback, Cirque de Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant
Westerns: Desperado, Wild Wild West, Once Upon a Time in Mexico,
Western Horror: 0
Western Horror for the Girls
There are loads of westerns with female leads, and a female lead in a horror is almost a given. We girls don’t need rescuing all the time. So good strong female roles in a place where women already took the worst nature had to offer and won, coupled with a genre where females have been the key to beating the bad things, can only be a great thing. Plus there’s horses, and cowboy boots, and a kind of freedom we don’t experience too often in this day and age. Just please, whoever is going to make these films, please put some money behind it and make it well. It doesn’t have to be Disney, but it should at least have a believable story arc.
Kate xxx
Horror and Fantasy Author – Also writing as K.T. McQueen. Love Western Horror, cowboy boots, my cactus Collin, & my Demon Cat.
Moths – I hate moths, the way they flutter at your face!
