Ms. Horror Blogosphere: Entry #18

Blogger: Tara Judah
Blog: Midnight Movie Reviews

I'm a film librarian at 20th Century Flicks in Bristol, UK and also a columnist (known as Videodrone) for DVD Snapshot, as well as a reviewer for The 405. I holds a BA in English Literature & Language with Film Studies, and a Masters degree in Contemporary Cinema Cultures (both from King's College London). Prior to entering the world of academia, I tried my hand at acting and have appeared in a small number of shorts, features and television.

- Photo (c) Kelly Humphries -

What initially drew you to the horror genre? Though this may sound strange, it probably begins with gangster films. As a child I wasn't allowed to watch horror films and, as a direct result of my parents' paranoia, was too scared to watch them with my friends at sleepover parties. But as my love for film grew, I developed a small passion for American gangster films. After a while I decided that if I could enjoy watching that level of violence in the gangster genre without compromising my ability to disavow, then horror really couldn't be all too different.

Are significant others generally freaked out or psyched by your horror proclivities? No, I don't think so. I'm of the opinion that viewing is an active cognitive process, and as my significant other knows, it doesn't necessarily mean that I'm personally interested in acting out any of the things I take pleasure in watching.

Why is it that there seems to be more female horror fans than ever before? Are more women watching horror, or are more women admitting to watching horror?
I don't actually think that it's specific to women. I think the overarching change is that the horror genre is enjoying a revival right now. Horror has a strange and complex history, and there have certainly been times when horror fit into a cult cinema category. But as the mainstream broadens its conditions and envelops much of what once was cult, people feel more at ease in enjoying, or perhaps just admitting to enjoying, what it has to offer. Similarly, as genres change and adapt to their audiences over time, crossing into genre hybridity, as we see with the emergence of many horror/comedies, horror/thrillers, horror/dramas and so on, it is only natural that horror would enjoy a wider and more popular reception--though I do think this is relevant to both male and female viewers.

What made you decide to blog? I was so enraged when I saw Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire at the cinema earlier this year that I felt the need to write it down. I had a lot of time on my hands, so I thought I might as well start up a blog and see what happened with it.

How does it feel to be a female horror blogger in a world where it seems necessary to have a beard to write about horror movies? Do you find that you’re not taken as seriously? I have no interest in writing for people who are concerned about my gender, or any other personal identity politics, for that matter. Assessment of written material should always be based on that which is written first and foremost, so if people don't take me seriously because of my genitals or lack of facial hair, then I can't say I'd be interested in how they might respond to my work anyway.

Is image more important for female horror bloggers than male? If so, why? I don't think image is at all an important factor in blogging, though I imagine a great deal of other people do. Personally, I think the content is what matters.