There’s something strangely alluring about psychotic women in film. They’re profoundly magnetic specimens. Every now and then they’re oddly attractive. Sometimes they’re even a little sympathetic. But they’re always, always terrifying. And don’t confuse a crazed broad with a calculated villainess. There’s a major difference between an Amanda Young (from the Saw series) and a “La femme” (of Inside fame).
Go ahead and read on for a clearer picture and a lax distinction of the Psycho Bitch versus the computed killer!
The Ring – Samara (Daveigh Chase): I guess at the end of the day, at least Samara was courteous enough to extend her victims one final week among the living. Once the call comes in, however, this scary little bitch is climbing from the tube intent on turning your visage into a contorted, discolored and bloated mess. It’s true that Samara has a motive for her actions, but it doesn’t change the insanity level of her murderous actions. Did we mention she dwells in a creepy ass (and no doubt filthy) well? Shivers.
Inside – La femme (Beatrice Dalle): How badly could one woman want a baby? Bad enough to carve it right out of the belly of another woman. Really… that’s about all that need be said of this ultra-psycho bitch, who, for the record, would easily slide into the number one slot were this piece numerically organized!
The Christmas Tale – Rebeca Expósito (Maru Valdivielso): What’s great about Rebeca Expósito is that she may not have always been crazy. She’s clearly always had an issue with thievery, but red-rage rampaging may not have always been an existing internal potential. Now, having said that, put yourself in her shoes and sit back while a bunch of smart-mouth kids keep you captive, malnourished, freezing and injured; and you just might see the opportunity to lose some sense of humanity. It clearly happens to Rebeca, who emerges from her confines with a mission to bury a large ax in the heads of the children who’ve been busy tormenting her.
Friday the 13th – Pamela Voorhees (Betsy Palmer): Talk about unhinged. Pamela Voorhees held up a pretty fancy veneer for a short period of time. When we first see this crazed broad in Friday the 13th, we’re not inclined to believe she’s completely out of her mind, overwhelmed by a murderous rage. But she is. And she talks to herself in multiple different voices. And she’s furious with kids who had absolutely nothing to do with her son’s death. And… well, you get the point.
Dark Circles – The Woman (Lucresha Wells): A genuinely underrated After Dark film with a severely underrated villain, Dark Circles rocks (despite the cliches), and The Woman will draw immediate memories of La femme from Inside. This young creeper isn’t quite as aggressive as La femme, but holy shit is she terrifying… and clearly crazy. When they come for your kids, there’s something very, very wrong.
Misery – Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates): Annie Wilkes is the one fan a celebrity doesn’t want. This bitch is totally and completely off her rocker. Her obsession with author Paul Sheldon reaches astounding degrees, and murder is not only a sin she’s willing to commit, it seems to be a joy she revels in. That is, after she embarks on a jaw-dropping quest of torture. Apparently being a kick-ass writer has its downsides.
Haute Tension – Marie (Cécile De France): Marie is so damned psycho she doesn’t even realize she’s psycho. That’s got to be some sort of a record for the crazy books. Marie has us all fooled as Haute Tension moves forward through a series of surprisingly brutal murders. We’re led to believe a homicidal serial killer in a wicked rig is responsible. I suppose part of that is true. In the end, this maniac’s true colors come through. You want aggressive, bloody creativity? Give Marie a call; she’s good for it!
Audition – Asami Yamazaki (Eihi Shiina): Why is it bad to hold auditions for your “new wife”? Because you just might find someone like Asami Yamazaki. Asami has a long, mysterious history of brutal violence – though no one seems to know it – and if you make the mistake of getting close to this freak, chances are really good you’re going to lose a finger, a tongue, or maybe even a foot. Good luck outrunning this fatal bitch.
Orphan – Esther (Isabelle Fuhrman): Of all the “crazy kid” movies out there, few boast a character as impacting as the micro-lunatic Esther in Orphan. At first she seems to just be another cute little munchkin dealing with being thrust into the system. Then her secret starts to make its way to the surface when she’s totally incapable of refraining from engaging in murderous and sexual behavior. This little kiddie should convince anyone contemplating adoption that it’s not always the safest adventure.
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle – Peyton Flanders (Rebecca De Mornay): Peyton Flanders is the closest thing to a true thinker on this list. She’s got herself a plan to take over another individual’s life. Unfortunately (or is it fortunately?), once the ball really gets moving and her plot gets under way, her loose grasp on reality is entirely lost and she goes batshit crazy. The damn broad even attempts to kill the mentally handicapped Solomon. Now that’s psycho.