February is Women in Horror month, and to celebrate the eighth annual incarnation of this bloodcurdling event, horror-only streaming service Shudder has put together several collections—including one called “A Woman’s Touch” that features films from female directors—highlighting women’s contributions to the genre. Today, The A.V. Club has an exclusive video premiering another of those collections, guest curated by actress, producer, and fierce champion of horror movies Barbara Crampton.
In the video, Crampton talks about her earliest brush with movie terror at a screening of The Exorcist, as well as explaining the logic behind her five picks for recommended viewing on Shudder. Crampton’s picks are thoughtfully considered, reflecting her appreciation for her fellow actors (she specifically praises Pollyanna McIntosh’s performance in The Woman) as well as her longtime collaborator Stuart Gordon. Here are her five picks, for the curious:
Re-Animator (Stuart Gordon, 1985)
Castle Freak (Stuart Gordon, 1995)
The Woman (Lucky McKee, 2011)
Cold Fish (Sion Sono, 2010)
The Perfect Host (Nick Tomnay, 2010)
You can read more about Re-Animator and many other memorable roles from her four decades in the film business in our Random Roles interview with Barbara Crampton.