It's not as a rule, but it IS very often the case, particularly in mainstream/major studio slasher-movies (which are more specifically 'slasher films', rather than just exploitation films). Halloween. Most Friday the 13th films. The first Terminator movie. ALL the Nightmare on Elm Street films. Even the non-legendary ones like Candyman and Dr. Giggles.
I've always attributed it to a subconscious and somewhat disingenuous desire by the creators to level the playing field in a genre where women are generally portrayed as powerless.
I'm sure some of it can be chalked up to a form of pathos related to the urge to create slasher films in the first place, but that's a different can of worms. |
