Tag Archives: Nightmare Nostalgia

Godzilla vs Gamera: A Secret War For The Planet!

Image May 18, 2025 Manic Exorcism Leave a comment

When it comes to Kaiju cinema, two names have been battling it out from the very beginning of time. Two massive forces that could essentially end all life on the planet should either of them ever get the gumption to do so. Of course, I’m talking about Godzilla and Gamera, two juggernauts who have fought a silent war across the world for the admiration, awe, and adoration of fans all around.

These two colossus beings have (sadly) never crossed paths to fight it out in a movie. Still, the question fans have always asked is who would win if Godzilla and Gamera ever came face to face in a world-ending battle that would not only determine the future of our pitiful little species but would alter the destiny of the entire cosmos.

If you’ve not seen as many Kaiju films as I have, and unless you’re an ultra-nerd uber-dork like yours truly here, you may not fully realize the god-like powers Godzilla holds within himself. In Shin Godzilla, that terrifying aspect of Godzilla’s might was momentarily explored in how Godzilla evolved from one stage of destruction to the next granting him new powers to crush and disseminate a path across all woefully in his way. He was utterly indestructible, and each level of evolution made him more than a conqueror of worlds.

This unique iteration of the King of the Monsters elevated his destructive powers to degrees never before witnessed. He is a terror born from toxic filth and radiation, a being of agony and in constant pain. A misery he brings to the world as punishment to mankind for how we’ve abused the planet by pouring toxic waste into the waters without a second thought to the consequences.

They could not defeat Shin Godzilla. They could only freeze him which means he’s still out there and should he thaw…well we’re fucked. The director’s opened up about the hidden power of Shin Godzilla, how he would’ve continued evolving into a stronger and better vessel of death and wrath. That evolution would have grown until his indominable might reached out into space, spread across the stars, and in a Lovecraftian display of nightmarish power taken over the galaxy entirely. Now that’s power and slightly terrifying

In Godzilla Minus One we see a youthful Godzilla that’s pure might and fueled by relentless rage. His atomic breath causes a delayed atomic nuclear blast on par equal to the dreaded Bomb itself. Imagine that power given the chance to grow and fully mature. Imagine his reach as he destroys the whole of Japan only to set his sights on other countries.

What’s stopping him from branching out? That’s a fun and scary thought. GMO is a massive achievement for Kaiju cinema being that it’s the first Godzilla movie to win an Oscar and the film took the world by storm largely because it stuck to the original concept – Godzilla is the Monster of the Apocalypse. A man-made monster born of the atomic bomb and fed by nuclear power. The perfect beast to spell our doom.

Gamera would be our only savior. Gamera, the friend of children and the guardian of the galaxy. Gamera who isn’t afraid to sacrifice a limb to protect us from sensational dangers such as Godzilla.

If they ever got the rights worked out these two fighting in a movie would be out of control! Forget Godzilla vs King Kong. Put the monkey to rest and bring in the giant Atlantean Turtle! It would be an onslaught of might and power, an atomic glowing display of brute force as all the dangers of nature slammed fists against cosmic divinity.

We need this movie to happen. We need the two studios to give each other a big hug and work things out so fans can watch this awesome battle of the ages take place. I would hope that by the end of their personal war, the world would stand on the brink of doom. A desolate hellscape of smoldering cities, cratered nations, and seas boiling from the aftershock. If I was a billionaire, this is what I’d be using my money to make happen.

Whereas fans never have seen the battle of these two gods take place (yet) there’s always been a cold war between Godzilla and Gamera. A war between their movie franchises. So impactful has this conflict been that it’s altered both of their destinies and forced the two monsters to undergo unique evolution over the last 70 or so years. In 1954 audiences shrank back in horror as a new breed of monster stormed its way onto the screen.

Gojira! Walking out of the shadows of King Kong, Godzilla soon became a titan in his own right and began a whole new breed of cinematic monsters. These monsters were giants and world killers. King Kong may have inspired the concept but Godzilla is his own beast. A killer born into the atomic age against his will. An unfit child for a world that foolishly ushered him into existence. It was a hit, and soon rival studios saw only potential in the idea.

In 1965 Deisei Film Studios brought the world an answer to Toho’s monstrous success with Gamera, a giant turtle. At first, Gamera is presented as another monster of destruction but Deisei realized they needed a new angle to their beast if they wanted him to survive Godzilla’s fame. So they let their giant monster appeal to a younger audience and so Gamera became the gentle and fun-loving friend to children.

A monster kids (whose families literally survived an atomic blast) could look up to and not be scared of. The idea was a goldmine! Not only could kids at the time dance around the Gamera movies but once they grew up, they introduced their own kids to the loving protective turtle of their childhood.

Gamera was an unexpected success even with all its zany camp and fun. The zany camp and fun are what made Gamera such a treasure. Toho stood back and watched the results and decided their giant monster needed a bit of a redo. Fans of the Showa era Godzilla films are very familiar with a HUGE tonal shift in the movies. We go from Gojira, a beast to be terrified of, to a silly romp of Megalon ass-kicking alongside Jet Jaguar.

You can clearly see which movies Gamera affected in Godzilla’s history. The fun campiness of many of Showa’s movies is what kept Godzilla a cultural mainstay in many people’s minds and it’s all thanks to a fire-breathing turtle. Still the two beasts fought it out over box office results as well as the hearts of fans near and far.

The Heisei Era

This is when the heat ramped up for both monsters. The Showa Era was ended for both. Toho gave fans a huge monster slugfest on Monster Island (and a couple more movies to follow) as a grand send-off for the legendary monster of monsters. Godzilla was done and it didn’t seem like he’d be back…until he did return. In 1984 Toho released The Return of Godzilla and took things back to their horror roots. They said forget all that Jet Jaguar and Son of Godzilla stuff. Godzilla was once scary so let’s make him scary again.

The whole movie is blanketed with a sense of overwhelming dread. It doesn’t hurt that it was released during the heat of the Cold War and people were going to bed scared to death to wake up to the world burning all around them. The possibility of being nuked was at an all-time high and was the perfect setting for Godzilla’s triumphant return. The movie released in the West a year later as Godzilla 1985. I remember being four years old and seeing an ad on TV for this movie and I LOST MY SHIT! A NEW Godzilla movie?!?!? I couldn’t contain myself. Everyone was talking about it.

This movie was a big fucking deal! Godzilla was back with updated effects and a brand-new look. He felt more indestructible than ever, and I couldn’t have been happier. I got the VHS for Christmas one year and it was a prized treasure in my collection. I’ve watched the movie to fucking death too. I mean I’ve had to replace the tape twice now.

Little be known to us Godzilla was raging over in Japan. The Heisei era was only just begun, and Toho was bringing back beloved monsters like Mothra, Rodan, and Ghidorah and fans were loving every minute of it. But, just as had happened with the Showa Era, Deisei Studio was paying attention, and if Godzilla could come back in such a massive way why couldn’t their Gamera?

Their war at the box office was rekindled and holy dog shit on toast it was wild! Let me make something very clear. I love Godzilla. For the longest time, Heisei Godzilla’s design was my favorite look of the monster, it’s since been replaced by Minus One’s. But let it be known I’m going to fanboy for Godzilla no matter what…but those Gamera movies are no joke!

I mean they’re really, really good!

I’d never really watched a Gamera movie before if we’re honest. The first Gamera film I sat down to watch was from the Heisei trilogy, a trilogy I bought for $5 on Blu-ray and didn’t have high expectations for. I pretty much went in blind and came out a true believer! Removed now was all the silliness and Gamera was suddenly a force to be reckoned with and taken seriously.

In Gamera: Guardian of the Universe, Japan is being attacked by these flying monsters called Gyaos, a classic beast Gamera battled way back in 1967. Gyaos are swooping in and eating people. One moment that stands out to me is when our heroes stumble upon a huge white pile of bird shit and it hit me. That’s people! The movie is pretty shocking in its unexpected brutality. It’s not Video Nasties level brutal but for a Kaiju film, it pushes the envelope. The Gyaos are a serious threat and so Gamera rises to answer Earth’s need for a protector.

As with Godzilla the Heisei Gamera films gave the monster suits a much-needed update and fill the movies with spectacular special effects like lots of explosions. Expect some great Kaiju battles and a lot of kaboomy action!

Guardian did so well that it inspired two sequels: Gamera 2: Attack of Legion which just makes it sound somehow biblical and fits into the apocalyptic tone for these movies.

Gamera 2 finds a special place in many fans hearts and for many it’s the best Gamera’s ever looked. The monster battles are that much more impressive as we see Gamera at times covered in swarming hordes of the Legion as he still fights for our survival against astronomical odds. In the first movie the Gamera suit looks…how do I say this respecfully? I guess soft. He looks good but you can tell the studio had a better budget and put it to good use making this sequel an even more exciting experience. But that only leads to my personal favorite of the trilogy!

Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris is not just my favorite of the Heisei trilogy here but it’s actually one of my top five favorite Kaiju movies of all time. The main antagonist, Iris, is just so fucking cool and steals the show right away. He starts off early on looking like a cute alien snail and you can’t help but love the little guy. He’s innocent enough and somewhat sweet. But then he grows into a mother-fucking god of destruction and only Gamera can save us!

If Ghidorah is the main antagonist to Godzilla, then I argue Iris is that to Gamera. Not to mention Iris is just so cool to look at. He also brings a heightened threat to Gamera that’s never been seen before. I suppose their conflict could be on par with the battle-heavy madness of Godzilla vs Destoroyah.

This is also my favorite look for the Gamera costume. Take a look.

I mean just look at this badass! You know I had to get this version of the character in my figure collection. They’ve fully let their monster mature and act like a tank. You can expect some great fights here between the two juggernauts.

These three films took Gamera out of the camp and gave them heart and fangs and made them mother-fucking metal as all Hell! The giant turtle was taken seriously, and the results were in. His movies were actually outselling Godzilla’s at the time. Gamera could bleed and take damage. In one moment of the series, he loses an arm in battle but doesn’t stop fighting. Gamera had a vulnerability to him that audiences found endearing. People cheered for Gamera and hated seeing him take a beating. Not to mention the trilogy had some top-notch Kaiju effects. Godzilla’s superior reign had been challenged and the two monsters fought it out to win the hearts of the fans all over again

Anyone who knows my writing here will know how much I love Godzilla. So it might come as a shock for you to know that when it comes to the Heisei Era of both franchises I actually prefer Gamera’s films over Godzilla’s. I know shocking right? That doesn’t mean the Heisei Godzilla movies are crappy or anything because holy hot damn are there some good ones during that era. Godzilla vs. Destoroyah alone! But by a very small margarin Gamera wins me over for the time period and also depending on my mood. The Gamera trilogy was a massive treat and took my totally by surprise by how great they are.

In both cases, the Heisei Era was good for both franchises, and it’ll always hold a special place in my heart. The films of the era all just have a great look about them. The monster suits were all given a much-improved updated look….all except Mechgodzilla but that’s another issue entirely. But yes, Godzilla and Gamera were back and better than ever.

The Heisei movies were full of explosions, fire, chaos, and loads of face-melting destruction. Cities were smashed to the ground as giant monsters battled it out for supremacy. The era secured their place in pop-culture, reintroducing these monsters to a new generation of kids as well as pulling in fans who grew up watching the Showa films.

As result there was mass pandemonium in the streets and mobs of people ran their little feet off to go see these movies as they hit theaters…. only in fucking Japan! For some reason, we never got to see these movies for the longest time. I never got ahold of them until DVDs became a thing and I think I ended up collecting them all sometime around 2010. For one thing they weren’t easy to find and for another they were damn expensive whenever you could find one on the rare occasion!

Final Thoughts

Back when Shin Godzilla took the world by storm it was rumored Gamera was getting a new movie as well in light of his 50th Anniversary. Well, Deisei failed us and nothing happened. Since then, we’ve had a whole new Godzilla franchise take over with the Legendary films and Toho released yet another Godzilla movie with Minus One.

Now after Godzilla: Minus One, my absolute favorite Godzilla movie btw, there’s still room for Gamera to do what he’s always done and come in after Godzilla’s shadow. I would love to see Gamera have special effects on par with what Minus One showed us. There’s always a need for a giant flying fire-breathing turtle.

There’s also always room for a possible battle between the two monsters. Could we see it happen? I’m still holding out hope. Nevertheless, at the very least, we may still get to see the two fight it out at the box office if someone ever brings Gamera back. Will it be like Shin and Minus One and make its way over to a theater near me? I can only hope it will.

As of writing this Tubi’s uploaded the Heisei Gamera trilogy and the Heisei Godzilla movies. It’s a perfect time to relive the battle of the monsters. Or maybe even watch them for the first time. Lucky you if that’s the case because you’re in for a treat. So, crack open a beer and get yourself a pizza and indulge in the days of mass destruction in an age of giant fire-breathing monsters.

The only question now is who would come out the victor? Godzilla or Gamera? Fans have debated this heatedly. Me personally I think in this battle there would need to be a clear good guy and a definite bad guy. Let’s take Godzilla to his roots and say he’s the villain, a massive force of utter destruction hellbent on destroying us all. To answer the threat would be Gamera, but he’d be in the toughest fight of his entire life as he stood up against Godzilla.

Could Gamera beat Godzilla? It’s definitely possible but I think Gamera would crawl away from the fight in pieces. It would be a bittersweet victory. It’d be very interesting if Gamera had to fight Shin Godzilla. Oh, heck or even Minus One’s Godzilla. Also, would Gamera have our help like would we deploy Mechagodzilla to assist the Guardian of the Universe? That might be the only way Gamera could get a leg up on the fight. However, it happens it’s fun to think about so share your thoughts with us.

Manic out!

Editorials

Cutting Room Gore, Girl Empowerment, and Hodder: ‘Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood’

Image May 13, 2025 Patti PaulterGeist Leave a comment

In 1988, slasher franchises were doing much of the genre’s heavy lifting. Freddy, Michael, Pinhead, and even Tarman all had their hand in the melting pot of the horror genre that year, and it was a goddamn glorious time to be alive and a horror fan. With the exception of 1983 and 1987, the Friday the 13th series had been a consistent force throughout the decade, releasing one film a year solidifying Jason as a top contender for King Slasher in the 80s; and with Jason Lives grossing $19 million off a $3 million budget in 1986, another sequel was bound to happen even with a neat and tidy closure to Voorhees leaving the franchises’ hero Tommy Jarvis victorious. Although the numbers were impressive enough to put them in the green, Crystal Lake still wasn’t doing Elm Street numbers as in 1987, The Dream Warriors raked in 44.8 million on a budget of over $4 million. So an idea was hatched to pin Freddy against our favorite mama’s boy in the spirit of classic monster-mash ups. Studio rights among other bullshit would prevent us from seeing the two square off until 2003 so instead of waiting around, let’s throw Carrie Jr into the ring with Jason and see what results from it!

Filmed under the mystery title Birthday Bash, around Bay Minette, Alabama, Troll director John Carl Buechler took the seat to helm Friday Part 7 which takes a vastly different approach to the franchise than the films before it.

The New Blood follows Tina Shepard (Lar Park Lincoln) who at a tender young age accidentally kills her drunk and abusive father after a nasty fight with her mother using her then uncontrolled telekinetic powers by drowning him in, you guessed it, Crystal Lake. Years later, Tina’s powers which also include Pyrokinesis remain uncontrolled as the trauma over what happened as a child has only fueled, for lack of a better term, fire of her own abilities. Enter ~~Bernie~~, I mean Terry Kiser as a dick psychologist, “bad news Crews”, who on the surface claims to want to help her, but really wants to put her trauma into crisis mode, so he can document her supernatural powers. How does he do that? Well, by taking her back to Crystal Lake, of course… where it all started.

And in doing so, Tina, whose guilt is immense at this point, unknowingly resurrects Jason who is still chained at the bottom of the same lake where her father met his demise.

Bad idea, Bernie.

The New Blood is so unique among its sister films for so many reasons. Friday movies usually follow the same simple formula where sex equals death, and beyond Tommy Jarvis, we never really get much of a backstory with our hero. This installment breaks the mold by not only giving us that narrative with Tina but takes us along for one hell of a chaotic journey navigating through her trauma. Part VII has a pretty deep social commentary running throughout touching on abuse and aforementioned PTSD. Tina is not only fighting Jason but everyone else around her; especially Dr. Crews (Kiser) who is just gaslighting the hell out of this poor girl. Bad News Crews, to me personally, is an even bigger monster than Jason himself. This piece of shit drags Tina and her loving mother out to the lake, forcing the traumatized teen to do things beyond her will to ignite her powers, all the while threatening to commit her. At the heart of it, this actually does Tina some good as she herself, towards the end, has a better grasp on her abilities which definitely come in handy with a foe like Jason. The abuse and unethical behavior from her doctor might have pushed her over into a forced confrontation within herself and her gifts.

Tina, even in her mental state of grief, confusion, and anger, can see right through that fucker. Although Tina wrestles with her emotions quite a bit, which results in a few things flying at people’s faces (rightfully deserved mind you), Tina holds her ground as one of the more level-headed people in this film ironically. In so many of these slasher films of the decade, we the viewers watching the heroine or final girl don’t get the option to navigate these complex emotions and trauma along with her. Tommy Jarvis had three movies in the series dedicated to him and his mental state, whereas before it was just a simple premise of slash, dash, and there’s a random final girl they’ve chosen out of the bunch. Jason Lives character of Megan (played by Jennifer Cooke) helped pave the way for Tina, but Tina delivered on all fronts in a way that hadn’t been seen since Nancy in A Nightmare on Elm Street. We got mad with Tina. We felt happy with Tina. And we goddamn rooted for Tina all the way.

Now that’s some true Final Girl Power. Rest in peace to one of the BEST horror heroines.

Then, there’s Kane Hodder who is among a fan-favorite in the Friday films as Jason Voorhees. With The New Blood being Kane’s first take on Jason in the films, he made a grand enough impression for him to come back for Manhattan, Jason Goes To Hell and Jason X. Although he isn’t my personal favorite, (I know, le gasp) credit where it’s due as he certainly gave Voorhees a more personable approach with those deep, discerning breaths that spoke for him alone. I hadn’t seen that prior in any Friday films and this was a whole new Jason, folks. His walk was stern yet graceful like a demented zombie ballerina as you could actually feel the anger and rage with each step. When Jason is actually unmasked, the expressions Kane lent to the Crystal Lake killer are something we really have never seen before, either. In previous entries like III and IV, we had an almost stiff and expressionless face. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking that makeup, but Jason has way more depth here that would continue to the sewers of Manhattan where you could see the pain and fear in this monster’s face. That I applaud both Hodder and John Carl Buechler for, as it’s true movie monster art at its finest.

Kane also had the pleasure of dishing out some of the franchises’ most fucked up and brutal death scenes. Unfortunately, most of those scenes need up on the cutting room floor because at the time, the MMPA were absolute pricks about blood in films. And with Buechler, oh boy, there was a lot. Remember the amazing sleeping bag scene where Jason repeatedly beats the horny girl against a tree until bursts of blood visibly stains the bag itself? Or, how about when Dr. Crews is disemboweled? No? Well, those moments sadly only remain to be seen as grainy footage that never made it into the theatrical cut thanks to the Karens’ of the movie business who really hate slasher films, apparently. It wasn’t even the first time the censorial body bitches took aim at the Friday films as the first sequel, Part II was cut to shreds as well. Although, duly note that Part VII was more impressively gory. Sadly, while the grainy cut of death scenes exist in some form, as you can see below provided by The Friday the 13th Network, it’s not likely enough for a restoration of an uncut version to ever be released.

The New Blood was released 37 years ago on but of course, Friday the 13th, and falls in the middle of the pack of either loved or hated by franchise fans. Personally, I’m a huge fan of this one. I mean, clearly, I just wrote a goddamn essay about it. But perhaps also for nostalgia purposes. This was the first Friday film I had ever seen all the way through. Being born in 1982, I had snippets of the other films via family members, but when I was deemed old enough to make my own video rental choices and this being the newer one, well, there you have it. So let’s let’s pop in the old VHS, listen to Crazy Ralph narrate the opening, and relive that thrill of Carrie Jr beating the crap out of Jason.

Oh, and grab some Slice Cola while you’re at it. Can we just agree this is the greatest food spread in all the films? Just look at that retro KFC box!

Lists

Don’t Mess With Mama! Celebrating The Most Bad Ass Moms in Horror Films

Image May 9, 2025 Patti PaulterGeist Leave a comment

Being a mother myself of two beautiful, and at times obnoxious children, I can say with certainty that one full day dedicated to the mothers of the world is not nearly enough! The mothers who pull double duty in both Mom AND Dad roles. The mom who works two jobs to give you a better life than perhaps she experienced growing up. The one woman in your life whom you should be able to trust and to will always be there. Sadly, and myself included, there are some of us out there who do not have this luxury. Someone whom THEY can trust and go to for motherly advice.

In light of this fact, and while the country is celebrating mothers all over this weekend for this year’s now Hallmark cash grab this is Mother’s Day, I wanted to take a moment to tip my hat and bring appreciation to the great mothers in horror films. Sure, we all know about the psycho moms in horror movies, such as Margaret White or Mama Firefly, but what about the women who set the maternal bar high for the rest of us? In no particular order, let’s take a moment to appreciate the wonderful mothers of horror films, shall we?

Heather Langenkamp

Wes Craven’s New Nightmare

Throughout the Nightmare franchise, we saw Nancy at different stages in her life from her haunted teens, to college student, and at last, a mother. Even if in this case, she technically wasn’t playing the Nancy character, but rather herself, you get the idea. Heather right from the start of the film, is a great fucking mom. As her life is flipped upside down and is one “nightmare’ after another, her son, Dylan, was always her number one concern. Putting her son’s life before her own is something any good mom would do, but she also taught us an important lesson when raising kids. Listen to them. Even if what they have to say is fantastical, give them the benefit of the doubt. Kudos to you Heather for being that paranoid, helicopter mom. Her protectiveness definitely aided in saving her son from the claws of Freddy.

Karen Barclay

Child’s Play

Karen Barclay is a great example of the type of mother I mentioned at the beginning of this little ramble. Karen is just trying to do her best as a single mother while raising her child, Andy. All this lady wanted was for her kid to have a nice birthday and to be able to give him the gift he wanted. Well, fuck me if she didn’t screw that up royally, but her intentions were at its best. After learning the truth about Chucky, Karen goes to the ends of the Earth to prove to the authorities that she, nor her son, are batshit crazy. As stated in the sequels, Karen ended up under “special care” for backing up Andy’s “killer doll” story, while the police denied all. Even though she got burned in the end, let’s give a hand to the mom who wouldn’t back down in cowardice and supported her son no matter the consequences.

Rosemary Woodhouse

Rosemary’s Baby

Rosemary Woodhouse. A tough contender for mother of the year right here. A good majority of the film focuses on her concern and well-being for the little bundle of hell baking inside her. While she did everything in her power to protect herself and her unborn child from the evil that had been looming over her the entire time, fate and the powers behind the madness intervened, and this birth was going to happen THEIR way. When Rosemary comes to her senses in the aftermath of the birth of her child, she discovers the true wickedness that had befallen her and her firstborn. That she had indeed given birth to the Antichrist. The tyrant of a man who would bring humanity to its knees. While Rosemary in the first moments hesitates to even consider thinking that she could be a part of any of these shenanigans, however in the end she looks upon her son with such adoration and love in her eyes. This child is hers. And she will do her part as his mother. She accepts this fairly quickly, and her role as the mother of the child of Satan. Good for you! Accept your child for whom he/she truly are on the inside. Even if it’s the kid who will bring about the end of the world. Way to push that maternal bar high lady.

Donna Trenton

Cujo

Dee’s character of Donna Trenton in Stephen King’s Cujo, is one kick ass mama. Donna and her fragile son Tad experience a terrifying three lovely days of claustrophobia in her car, thanks to an aggressive rabid dog named Cujo ready to pounce on them the moment they exit. Although frightened, and hell, you would be too, Donna manages to pull out her huge set of balls once it’s apparent her sickly son may be meeting his end inside the confined space. She exits the car and starts a raging war against the rabid animal, eventually overpowering him and killing him in the end. Now we all know what a certified badass screen legend Dee Wallace is, but here’s another reason to love the woman: According to Gabrielle Stone, Wallace’s real life daughter, her mother’s role of Donna helped her feel safe in her own home growing up because of how tough her mom was in the film. Now, if that isn’t a parenting win, I don’t know what is.

Diane Freeling

Poltergeist

Diane Freeling is not only a smoking hot mama who occasionally lights up to relax, but one seriously loving mother. When CarolAnne went missing and quickly realized the strange and horrifying truth of her young daughter trapped inside their family TV set, Diane put aside all logic and previous beliefs to try to understand what was exactly happening inside her home, and where exactly her little girl was. This lady, with balls of steel, ventured through a seemingly horrific dimension in hopes of bringing her child back home from the other side. JoBeth Williams’ acting chops in Poltergeist, is brilliant. She makes me believe that she IS Diane Freeling and this is her family. Her struggle. The pain in her voice at losing a child is so chilling and heartbreaking. We salute you, mama. Her heart for her family is one of the strongest on this list.

Pamela Voorhees

Friday the 13th

Ok, so maybe Pamela Voorhees overreacted a tad and I could be possibly be pushing the “good” boundary here, but I really don’t care. Mrs. Voorhees is one damn fine mother, and you really can’t deny the love she has for her Jason. Look at it this way, this lady was a single mom raising a disabled child. One fine summer day, she’s slaving away cooking for a bunch of brats at camp, while some fucking irresponsible teenage horn-dogs rage war with each other’s bodies. All while they’re supposed to be keeping a close eye on these kids. All the while, her son Jason, the apple of her eye, drowns in the lake. Bunch of dickwads if you ask me. She had every right to be pissed. I can’t say I would go on a murderous rampage on a bunch of counselors years later that had nothing to do with it. However, I’m not going to judge the woman. Maybe it was her way of coping. Don’t be so damn judgmental.

Lucy Emerson

The Lost Boys

Lucy was that Tupperware loving, “milk and cookies will make it all better” type of mom that we crave every so often; because let’s face the truth here- if you were dying from a flu, or eh, a hangover, she’d bring you some soup and give you a little Carol Brady heart-to-heart. Though she may need a little convincing when it comes to believing in vampires, she’s still pretty cool when it comes to parenting. Stern when needed, and listens with love. Happy Mother’s Day, Lucy, and watch out for those mullet-chops hanging around the boardwalk!

Mortica Addams

The Addams Family

Oh Morticia. Mrs. Addams may be slightly unconventional in her parenting skills in the average Joe’s eyes, but obviously it works in her family and works well. Her children are confident and secure in themselves and would never dare conform to what society deems “normal“. As Morticia always says, “What is normal to the spider, is chaos to the fly,” and this saying rings true to that sentiment. As mothers, we strive to instill this type of self-confidence in our own children, and the beautiful Morticia wins this round.

Chris MacNeil

The Exorcist

Mrs. MacNeil had it all. A successful career as an actress, a variety of hats and scarves that she could accessorize the shit out of, and of course, the lovely Regan. Before the ugly events that turned this once loving home into the eighth level of Hell, it seemed that Chris and Regan had a pretty tight bond and it was clear the eleven-year-old was the apple of her eye. When the poo hit the fan, Chris did everything in her power to not only protect her daughter, but to also free of her of whatever demonic grip held on so tightly to the poor child. She suffered tremendously in such horrific ways I could never even fathom in reality, but never gave up hope.

Queen Alien

Aliens

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it a hundred times. Queen Alien is a damn good mother and I feel her frustrations. Look at it from her point of view: This is a race different from ours, obviously. Here we have a bunch of humans, and honestly, they’re looking at us like we’re the aliens, coming into their personal space. Killing her unborn children, with fire no less. If you were her, wouldn’t you be pissed too? She is just doing what any good mother would do. Protecting her babies, and hey, if someone is trying to hurt them, you put them down. I get it Your Majesty. I would have gone on that level of crazy right there with you.

Drop a comment below on your favorite maternal force in horror films. Happy Mother’s Day to all my fellow moms, and also to the dads who are wearing the mom hat. This goes to furbaby moms as well! Break out all the wines. You deserve it. And remember…

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