Icon : Jamie Lee Curtis & Laurie Strode

Jamie Lee Curtis is a legend in the showbiz world. Progeny of famous Hollywood actors Tony Curtis and original scream queen Janet Leigh, JLC has used her incomparable, quirky talents to carve out a strong career of her own that has inadvertently reshaped the horror genre, and made it relevant for modern generations.

Curtis made her television debut on Quincy M.E in 1977, and starred in several television roles before landing her debut in the role that has made her a household name, Laurie Strode in John Carpenters 1978 independant classic horror film Halloween. She has since starred in several of the franchises sequel films, and has featured in many other notable horror films, such as; The Fog, Prom Night and Terror Train.

Horror Re-Defined

It is JLC's role as Laurie Strode that cemented her status as a horror movie icon. Halloween was instrumental in redefining the portrayal of female characters in the genre, proving that they are not just victims, but are brave, resourceful and resilient. Horror movies in prior to Halloween had a tendancy to paint female characters as harlots, thieves or liars, victims of their own sin and unable to face the consequences of their actions. Strode on the other hand, was a more complex and capable female character.

Proving popular with audiences and other horror creatives, this strong female character resonated with audiences, and cemented the concept of The Final Girl in horror, a character archetype that survives against seemingly insurmountable odds, paving the way for other similar characters in future films, such as Sidney Prescott in Scream and Nancy Thompson in A Nightmare on Elm Street.

The cultural impact of this phenomenon had also helped to launch the popular slasher genre in the late 1970’s and 1980’s (Prom Night, Terror Train, The Fog) making JLC synonymous with the genre, and has set the tone for future horror films that centre around survival as a central theme of horror. 

Cultural Impact

The character has proved so papular in fact that JLC has reprised her role as Strode multiple times across different time periods, giving the character multi generational appeal to much wider audiences. Her repeated appearances highlight to modern audiences how clever and adaptable the genre can be. Rather than do Strode a disservice by portraying her as a constant victim, she is a survivor dealing with the ever present effect of the trauma's that she's endured, as well as the cyclical fight against evil.

This character development reflects the genre's shift from old school slasher towards a more modern psychological horror, which has allowed the character to maintain relevant while exploring the popular and relevant complex themes of trauma and survival. This respect for the character and the original movie has allowed the character and the franchise to grow while maintaining a connection to it's original theme and purpose.

Stode or JLC?

The enduring nature of this character could not have been successful without JLC on screen reading out those lines with such believable emotion. Her ability to portray a character who is both vulnerable, courageous and tenacious has given depth to an character that could have been reduced to a typical slasher cliche, and has made her an icon of strength in a genre that has so often objectified and marginalised women.

She is synonymous with playing a character who inadvertently empowers women, symbolising the enduring human will to survive in the face of evil, avoiding the traditional victimhood seen in earlier horror movies. Her presence has remained a reassuring constant in horror, and her influence has seen mainstream recognition of an otherwise overlooked genre.

In recent years JLC has stepped away from the horror and thriller films that gave her career such strength in the 80's and 90's, and has focussed on other, quirkier projects such as; Scream Queens, Knives Out, The Bear, Haunted Mansion, and the upcoming sequel to Freak Friday.