As you may know, February is “Women in Horror” month. To celebrate, PromoteHorror.com asked women from different professions if they would like to answer some questions about being a “Woman in Horror.” One of the women, who was kind enough to answer our questions, was the wonderful Azi Goodwin. Lets see what she said about being a “Woman in Horror”…
-PH: When did you first become a horror fan?
-Azi: I think I first became a horror fan about the age of 4! I live on, and am from, Martha’s Vineyard. I got to watch the filming of “Jaws”. I remember them wheeling the shark (“Bruce”) down main st…it was HUGE! but I wasn’t scared…I was more amazed. Also, I think this helped me to be less afraid of horror as I grew older, because I knew it wasn’t real.
-PH: Was there a specific moment when you realized that you wanted to go from being a fan of horror to a woman who contributes to the genre, or did it just kind of happen naturally?
-Azi: Just naturally, and I hope to be a contributor! I write, do collage art, and have a whole table in my bedroom called the “Creepy and Weird” table,that is full of stuff people have just given to me over the years. I actually just moved OFF the Vineyard–YAYYYY!!–near Boston. I’m hoping to do some music and collaborations with other women here. I’ve always gravitated toward male-dominated activities because I have two brothers, so I was always with the boys growing up. I was a skater, a musician, a DJ..I got a science degree and was a hematologist, while being a mother AND father..I still have Fangoria mags all over the place, I just adore watching, writing, and being a part of the genre. The boys don’t scare me. I’ve got a lot of tattoos, and I’m still punk rock at 54! >^..^<
-PH: Since you’ve become a horror fan and woman in horror, have you always had the support of friends and family or did you have some explaining to do?
-Azi: Not really explaining..I’ve always been a tragic misfit with mismatched clothes..I LOVED velour when I was a kid. LOL!! Being like that was difficult sometimes. I never had the “right” shoes, or the 10 Swatches on my wrist, or got really into horses or whatever. I just did my own thing, and I got bullied on occasion, but I didn’t stop doing anything I enjoyed just because some boys at the skate park thought my Boneless sucked. I think, because of the way I look, people are never surprised about anything I do! Like shark conservation. Again, ALL DUDES, ALL THE TIME!! SHARK WEEK YEAH!! Whatevs. I have a website that informs residents and tourists about sharks that specifically hang out around Martha’s Vineyard. https://SheShark.org. I have a lot of info on there about shark sightings, tracking, donating, getting involved. It’s important. I mean, people laugh when I tell them I’m from the Vineyard and I love sharks! If they don’t scare me, neither will Pinhead, Freddie, or Jason. I have done SOOOO much writing since this interview 3 years ago! Different websites, then I had my own site, “Azi’s Attic: Featuring Older, Unappreciated and Forgotten Films.” Fun! I’m getting back into that now. Currently, I am re-editing a review of Bill Paxton’s “Frailty”, because it’s too long and it’s so hard to cut it up! (RIP PAXMAN!) I’m very plot-heavy, because the movies I’m reviewing are ones that are not super popular with fans. However, that said, I’m on a mission to try and guide you through that movie without too many spoilers, and annoying teasers. So, maybe you will suddenly LOVE “Sinister” because I actually did like, a CHART of all the Super 8 films, the families, where they lived, if there was a missing child, etc. (I was also in the hospital, having had back surgery, and was pretty out of it. It gave me something to do for a couple of days. It helps me, just in general, to write things down while I’m watching. Tropes and jump scares are very difficult to achieve, and not to be relied upon, in my opinion, because the audience is expecting them. Unless, of course, they are done well. Scott Derrickson uses them to maximum effect, resulting in that film being scientifically deemed the scariest movie of all time, three times since 2020. Sometimes I think, “Yeah! I am going to write the next best screenplay, direct it, and drive my DP to distraction “. I very much admire David Fincher, because I have ADD and drive myself crazy with all the self-imposed rules I have created regarding my writing. Lately, I’ve been much more critical about originality, blatant rips from other movies (is it a snatch-and-grab, or a nod?). It makes all the difference in the world to an audience. Horror fans KNOW their shit. No mistake. These are things that can be very funny, or very aggravating to your paying public. Originality is key.
-PH: What does having a “Women in Horror” month mean to you?
-Azi: It’s terribly important to foster women in male-dominated fields. From the actors, to directors, to artists, to fans; all who have made the genre what it is. I am definitely still learning, but highlighting the fact that women have made a SIGNIFICANT impact in horror, is important. It’s also bittersweet, because..why? We shouldn’t have to highlight women in any field. Treating them as equal to men might still be a slow process (Trump), but it will progress.
-PH: Is there a woman in horror who you consider a role model? How have they affected your life in and outside of horror?
-Azi: Hmmm…role model. You know, I never realized how big a deal it was for a woman to be in the horror genre. I surely do now! I absolutely ADORE Barbara Crampton!! She is lovely! She’s so good in everything she is in. 100%. And such a nice person! She is so great with her fans, so involved. The perfect Final Girl all the time.
-PH: How do you think the role of women in horror has changed since you got involved in horror? Have you personally noticed a change from when you started?
-Azi: Definitely. Like I said, women are getting stronger and stronger in roles in movies and TV. American Horror Story is one of my favorites, and the women have very strong roles on that show. Also, there are more and more directors in horror than ever before…Mary Lambert, Mary Harron, Kathryn Bigelow, Amy Holden Jones, Karyn Kusama, Lynn Ramsay…all with fantastic reviews to back them. I usually just watch horror movies because I love them, but lately I have been seeking out more women-directed, women-featured films.
-PH: Is there a recent movie, performance, book, work of art, SFX effects, etc by a woman that really stands out to you? Maybe something that’s a good example of how women have changed the genre for the better?
-Azi: “Ready or Not”.
-PH: What do you think the future holds for women in horror?
-Azi: Women are going to continue to get stronger, and take over more and more movies…horror and otherwise. It’s about time.
-PH: And how about the state of horror? Not only have women been changing horror, but so have people from different races, ethnicities, genders, etc… What do you think this means for horror now, and in the future?
-Azi: In particular for horror. No one wants to JUST see slasher flicks, right? Or I don’t anyway. I love it when whole new ideas are birthed. I’m a huge fan of found footage films, and mockumentaries. I saw the Blair Witch Project when I was 5 months pregnant! I knew about it already, but my brothers and the other friends we went with didn’t. They thought it was real, and I envied them because it would have been fun not to know too. Again, American Horror Story from the start had strong women in central roles, they are LGBTQ-friendly in a way I don’t think I’ve ever seen.There is no end to people’s ideas, however strange. Thus, there is no end to what we will see in horror in the years to come.
-PH: If you could serve a role in horror that you’ve never done, what would it be?
-Azi: I’d love to write a screenplay.
-PH: Who is your favorite final girl, and favorite female villain?
-Azi: My favorite final girl was Marilyn Burns in “Texas Chainsaw Massacre”, but just that movie. Overall, as I said, my fawning over Barbara Crampton will never fade! Favorite villain would be Baby from “Devil’s Rejects and House of 1000 Corpses”. That laugh…she’s so evil!!
-PH: Being that this is PromoteHorror.com, please feel free to plug your current/next horror project.
-Azi: I’m so busy right now with LIFE, in general.! However, I am working on re-editing my review of Bill Paxton’s “Frailty”, because it is OVERLY long, and I need to practice not writing novels that I pass off as analysis. It’s the 50th anniversary in July of next year, so I might pop up on a podcast or two. If you want to know all about “Jaws”, or the Chappaquiddick “incident”, I AM your gal! They are really fun for me to do. Just keep an eye out for Azi in the future!
Azi~ IG/Threads/FB: @xazimuthx
We would like to thank Azi for taking the time to answer our questions, but more importantly for her contribution to horror!
