It is the month of the Hallows and so everyone is looking for some seriously spooky entertainment to appropriately scare the socks off their frightened flailing feet.

So why not change up your classic list and watch something directed by a woman this year?

Horror has a habit of victimising women by shooting them with voyeuristic and predatory male gazes; particularly their bodies. Some may say that this is just because the story lends itself to that, but what happens when females direct the horror movies? You still end up with some pretty weird shit. Only now women are not victimised in the same way. Yes, they can still end up dead, hacked and slashed to bits, but now its no longer coming from a angle that is only doing it to further strengthen male privilege.

Women are rising stars within the horror genre and these top 10 films will show you why. I don't normally enjoy horror myself but even I can highly recommend switching out some of your male directed favourites for some new female directed classics.

American Psycho (2000) - Directed by Mary Harron

Directed by Mary Harron and staring Christian Bale this film portrays the life of an 80's businessman serial killer. Whilst the things he does to his victims are horrifying the satirical tone of humour used throughout this film provides some pretty dark laughs...If you're into that kind of thing.

American Mary (2012) - Directed by Jen & Sylvia Soska

So there's DIY surgery, body modification and basically all the things that make me squeamish. Studying at medical school has become expensive so to make some extra cash Mary enters a world where her credentials aren't quite as important. Patients are eager to pay big money to change their appearances, "but no amount of cash in the world can repair the psychological scars inflicted on this amateur surgeon as she begins altering human bodies in ways that nature never intended."

Jenifers Body (2009) - Directed By Karyn Kusama

Mean Girls meets flesh eating zombies? Or zombie...Amanda Seyfried and Megan Fox star in this film where after being bedevilled by an evil rock band Jenifer discovers a taste for human flesh. Its up to Amanda's character to protect her town from her now evil best friend.

Carrie (2013) - Directed by Kimberly Peirce

"Stephen King's Carrie gets a new life in this remake starring Chloë Grace Moretz as a teenager who discovers that she has the extraordinary ability to move objects with the power of her mind, which eventually leads to mayhem and horror at her high-school prom." Whilst the original 1976 film was directed by a man this 2013 version gets helmed by a female director prompting not only a modern retake on the story but also a female one.

Silent House (2011) - co-Directed by laura lau

Shot in one continuous take, a style very uncommon to the horror genre, Silent house tells the story of a family returning to their summer home only to find it trashed. As the put the home back together again however it becomes apparent that they are not alone and the further deeper into the house they go the more secrets begin to reveal themselves.

The Invitation (2011) - Directed by Karyn Kusama

"Will and his girlfriend Kira are invited to a dinner party at his ex-wife's home. Upon arriving, Will becomes sceptical of his hosts' motives, and tensions rise as the true objective of the get-together is unveiled." Critiques have said that the slow pace of the movie makes it just a two hour build of tension. If you're looking for something more fingernail biting than jump scaring this ones for you.

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night (2014) - Directed by Ana Lily Amirpour

"A solitary female vampire stalks the streets of Bad City, a place overrun with crime, drugs and despair. Meanwhile, hardworking Arash cares for his heroin-addicted father while attempting to comply with a local drug dealer and struggling to make ends meet. When the vampire and Arash meet, a bizarre relationship begins." A bit of a different kind of horror film but definitely appropriate for Halloween.

Pet Semetery (1989) - Directed by Mary Lambert

Old Stephan King films can be a bit hit and miss and this one is no different but hey, it was directed by a woman. It has a cemetery and things coming back from the dead so it passes the suitable for Halloween test.

The Babadook (2014) - Directed By Jennifer kent

I think it would be incorrect to make this list without including the Babadook. The horror film that took the world by storm in 2014 directed by Australian female director Jennifer Kent. Heralded as one of the scariest movies of all time the story centres around a widowed mother dealing with the violent death of her husband and her child's fear of a monster under the bed.

Raw (2017) - Directed by julia docournau

A film that came out relatively recently and made its way around the film festival circuit, Raw tells the story of "a vegetarian veterinary student who is forced to eat meat during a hazing ritual, and her subsequent violent allergic reaction that soon turns into animalistic hunger, sheer bloodlust, and an embrace of carnality in all its forms." Not sure if you can get copies of this film yet but when you can sounds almost to disgusting to watch.

Did we miss any? Lets us know your favorite female directed horror in the comments.

Film synopsis' from IMDB.com
All giphs from Giphy.com

Top 10 Horror Films Directed By Women