Hello, and welcome to the final full week of Horrorfest 2020! It’s insane to me that we are already at the end of the month of October, but all good horror must come to an end. This week, I am focusing on some of the most influential actors and actresses in horror and their terrific performances that have made our favorite scary stories that much scarier. Please enjoy our final full week of Fandom Horrorfest!
Radha Mitchell
Here towards the end of Horrorfest, our favorite land downunder is finally getting some love and representation. Australian actress Radha Mitchell may not be the first name you think of when you think of horror actresses and scream queens, but she should honestly be a lot higher in people’s minds due to the movies she’s been in. A lot of horror actors have a tendency to stay in one branch of the genre–you often have slasher actresses and supernatural actresses and sci-fi actresses. However, Mitchell is an artist who has touched an impressive collection of horror movies and given memorable performances in a lot of films that otherwise weren’t so memorable. I know a lot of people who know me may be thinking this just gives me another chance to talk about Silent Hill, and it totally does since Mitchell played in both movies (God I love me some Silent Hill). However, the quality of Mitchell’s performance regardless of the overall quality of the movie itself is something to seriously consider when thinking about the different artists who have embodied horror over the years.
Radha Mitchell’s range within the horror industry is inarguably impressive. You have her carrying the entirety of the first Silent Hill film on her back despite starring alongside Sean Bean, bringing life to a character that could have conceivably been rather forgettable otherwise in comparison to the over-the-top performance of Vin Diesel in Pitch Black, and–perhaps her most impressive feat–making Rogue, a rare natural horror film, actually watchable through sheer will and acting prowess alone. And those are just her more popular roles. Mitchell also delivers stellar performances in such lesser-known horror movies as 2016’s Sacrifice and The Darkness that same year, once again displaying her ability to portray horror in many different forms (namely pagan and supernatural horror here). While other actresses and actors come to mind faster for horror fans because their movies are more relevant or significant to the industry, there’s something to be said for an actress who consistently delivers performance after performance across so many horror genres despite limited-quality or budget scripts. I for one would love to see a timeline where Mitchell was picked up for something with a little bit more marketing behind it, like Sinister or the Insidious franchise, and therefore got the attention and respect among horror fans that she deserves. However, to her credit, she continues to pump out great performances. Mitchell brings a fierceness and intensity to the screen that capture audience’s attention and makes her an easy protagonist to root for. Mitchell has given a lot to the horror industry in the last 20 years, and her movies are worth the watch if for nothing more than her devotion to the craft and her flexibility with genres.
The first Silent Hill movie gets unfairly crapped on for not being a direct adaptation of the game, but let’s be honest: nobody wants to watch a 12-hour adaptation of the first SH game. It’s a fun, creepy ride that shows off Radha Mitchell’s acting prowess. Also, since my lists the last couple of years have been pretty short on natural horror, I suggest Rogue. It’s a wild, fun movie about a giant murderous crocodile, and it’s set in Australia so you get to hear Mitchell’s criminally underused natural accent. I for one would welcome a Silent Hill adaptation with every character sounding like they’re about to throw some shrimps on the barby as they run from eldritch mind-goblins.
