Alexandra Heller-Nicholas

Your very own horror nonna is here to help

Contributor at FANGORIA, since 2022

Alexandra Heller-Nicholas is a film critic, filmmaker, recovering academic and the author of ten books on cult, horror and exploitation cinema. In 2024, she was the recipient of the 2024 Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Writer of the Year Award. Her 2020 book 1000 Women in Horror was adapted in 2025 into a feature documentary from Shudder of the same name (directed by Donna Davies), and Heller-Nicholas also appears in Alexandre O. Philippe's documentary Chain Reactions alongside Stephen King, Karyn Kusama, Takashi Miike and Patton Oswalt, which marked the 50th anniversary of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and won the Best Documentary on Cinema Award at the 2024 Venice Film Festival.

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Also at: Alliance of Women Film Journalists Senses of Cinema

Wild Women With Steak Knives: FRIENDLY BEAST (Gabriela Amaral, 2017)
ByAlexandra Heller-Nicholas

Eat the Rich.
Wild Women With Steak Knives: SPELLBINDER
ByAlexandra Heller-Nicholas

(Janet Greek, 1988) Girl trouble
WILD WOMEN WITH STEAK KNIVES: HOTEL (Jessica Hausner, 2004)
ByAlexandra Heller-Nicholas

The Lady of the Woods
Wild Women With Steak Knives: HEARTLESS (Judith Vogelsang, 1997)
ByAlexandra Heller-Nicholas

The heart is deceitful above all things.
Wild Women With Steak Knives: DEAD INNOCENT (Sara Botsford, 1997)
ByAlexandra Heller-Nicholas

Backlash Meets Technophobia, '90s Style
Wild Women with Steak Knives: MR. WRONG
ByAlexandra Heller-Nicholas

Tamed by the Purr of the Jaguar
Wild Women with Steak Knives: THE BOY FROM HELL
ByAlexandra Heller-Nicholas

Don’t Lose Your Head
Wild Women With Steak Knives: BLOOD TEA AND RED STRING
ByAlexandra Heller-Nicholas

Death Daisies.
Wild Women With Steak Knives: THE GODSEND
ByAlexandra Heller-Nicholas

For God’s sake, take it back.
Wild Women With Steak Knives: KITCHEN SINK
ByAlexandra Heller-Nicholas

Nothing’s fine, I’m torn.

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