1000 Women In Horror – Review | Shudder

1000 WOMEN IN HORROR on Shudder is a documentary focusing on (and honoring) some of the most iconic women involved with horror productions.  From those portraying final girls, to the women writing them, and the directors of cult horror movies. Read our full 1000 Women in Horror Shudder documentary review!

1000 WOMEN IN HORROR is a Shudder documentary that delivers what the title promises. Okay, we’re not going through 1,000 women in this one 96-minute documentary. It’s being released during Women’s History Month. A great way to celebrate the women who revolutionized horror filmmaking.

I loved how we got to hear from both those portraying the final girls (or villains) and the women who wrote and directed the movies. Not to mention the producers, who are often key to helping any movie move forward. You do not want to miss out on this. Personally, I found myself reminded of many movies I need to rewatch ASAP.

Continue reading our 1000 Women in Horror documentary review below. Find it on Shudder on March 20, 2026.

(Horror) Women’s History Month on Shudder

Shudder, as a streaming platform, has always been pretty darn good at honoring women. This is not least via their documentaries, which I have found to always include a very diverse group of people. Oh yes, DEI is alive and well within our beloved horror niche, as it always has been. As horror fans, we are used to being outsiders (even if our movies are suddenly represented at the Oscars).

To quote an iconic horror movie featuring four teenage girls: “We are the weirdos, Mister!”

Anyway, with 1000 Women in Horror, Shudder has essentially adapted the book of this same title. As such, we get to hear from many of the women themselves. We hear from actors, directors, writers, and producers. Quite a few of them have more than one of these titles.

1000 Women in Horror is a relevant and important look at how many of the pioneers who revolutionized horror cinema were women. They did this through groundbreaking work in all kinds of filmmaking roles since 1895. Of course, it was also the case with novels, as made obvious by the several movies based on Mary Shelley‘s Frankenstein.

You do not want to miss out on Kate Siegel’s story

Actually, that headline is a little misleading. If you’re pregnant (especially if it’s for the first time), then you’ll probably want to skip her in-depth story about giving birth and having a C-section. I adored how she decided to dive into it with the flourish of someone who is both a writer and an actor.

From talking about being pregnant as quite the Alien experience (pun very much intended) to giving birth and then being a mom.

It focuses on what many women have always said: We are used to blood (not least our own), and we are responsible for creating life with our actual bodies. As a result, it often takes a lot to scare us, as we are ready for most things. Also, you do not want to cross us.

As many of the women comment: They may be very sweet and gentle in their everyday life, but if you cross them or someone they love (especially their child), then they are ready to kill with their bare hands.

I have to recognize that, as much as I liked seeing the actors (again, Kate Siegel always makes a solid impression), something else stood out for me. What made this Shudder documentary even more intriguing was seeing many of the women who create horror. As in the writers, directors, and producers.

All of them are key to the horror movies being made, so we can enjoy them. They all deserve recognition, and this Shudder documentary delivers on that. 

Watch 1000 Women in Horror on Shudder

The director of this Shudder documentary is Donna Davies, who also directed the 2015 Fanarchy about the subculture of very umm intense fans. The screenwriter is Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, who also wrote the book this is based on, so it all ties together nicely in that regard. Alexandra Heller-Nicholas is a film critic and author from Melbourne, Australia, so she knows her horror!

The 1000 Women in Horror Shudder documentary features interviews with some of my personal favorite women in horror, such as Toby Poser (Mother of Flies), Brea Grant (Lucky), Lin Shaye (Insidious), and Kate Siegel (Hush).

Also, I admit to being impressed by the work of Akela Cooper (M3GAN), Mary Harron (American Psycho), Gigi Saul Guerrero (Bingo Hell), Jenn Wexler (The Sacrifice Game), and many more. Really, so many amazingly talented women are interviewed, and many of them speak about the impact of even more remarkable women in horror.

If there’s one thing I liked having highlighted in 1000 Women in Horror, it was how these women create what they feel is missing. That’s a big reason why the actors are often also writers or producers. If it doesn’t exist, then you have to make it for yourself. And thank the Goddess these women did!

1000 Women in Horror is available on Shudder from March 20, 2026.

Details

Director: Donna Davies
Screenwriter: Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
Cast: Roxanne Benjamin, Akela Cooper, Mattie Do, Brea Grant, Gigi Saul Guerrero, Mary Harron, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Cerise Howard, Kier-La Janisse, Natasha Kermani, Roseanne Liang, Annalise Lockhart, Toby Poser, Sara Risher, Lin Shaye, Kate Siegel, Chelsea Stardust, and April Wolfe