24 Horror Moms: Mama Bears and Mamas That Scare

May 11

Need a break from all the nauseatingly saccharine Mother's Day posts? If this day conjures a vibe of Mommster Day rather than Mommy Day for you, then sink your proverbial teeth into a treat with a bit more bite. Celebrate the mothers of horror, those complex beings that range from the maternal to the macabre.

First, the Mama Bears

The mama bears are fiercely protective and have a maternal instinct that kicks into high gear during times of chaos. They are the unsung heroes, perfectly imperfect, sacrificing without resorting to martyrdom. When the going gets tough, the mama bear only gets tougher—even through (or perhaps as a result of) the breakdowns and tears.

**Chris MacNeil: The Exorcist**

And I’m telling you that ‘thing’ upstairs isn’t my daughter. Now, I want you to tell me that you know for a fact that there’s nothing wrong with my daughter, except in her mind. You tell me for a fact that an exorcism wouldn’t do any good.

**Wendy Torrance: The Shining**

Jack, there’s someone else in the hotel with us! There’s a crazy woman in one of the rooms… he went up into one of the bedrooms, the door was open, and he saw this crazy woman in the bathtub! She tried to strangle him!

**Diane Freeling: Poltergeist**

Run to the light, baby. Mommy is in the light. Mommy's waiting for you in the light.

**Donna Trenton: Cujo**

It’s not a monster. It's not a monster. It's just a doggy.
[Meanwhile, Cujo attacks from front, jumps on hood of car, paws ferociously at windshield.]

**Karen Barclay: Child’s Play**

Talk to me. Come on, talk! I said, talk to me, damn it! All right! I’ll make you talk!
I SAID TALK TO ME, DAMN IT, OR ELSE I’M GONNA THROW YOU IN THE FIRE!

**Heather Langenkamp: New Nightmare**

I meant to bring him his dinosaur, Rex. Rex keeps Freddy from… every kid knows about Freddy. He’s like Santa Claus or King Kong.

**Rachel Keller: The Ring**

She wanted that child more than anything in the world. How could she have done that? She just wanted to be heard. Sometimes children yell, or cry, or draw pictures.

**Clara Webb: Byzantium**

My mother did three things for me. One, she spared my life the day that I was born. Two, she paid for my upkeep on her knees and on her back. And three, she gave me the story I can never tell.

**Lacy Barrett: Dark Skies**

We have to do something. You heard what he said. This only goes one way!

**Amelia Vanek: The Babadook**

You are nothing. You’re nothing! This is my house! You are trespassing in my house! If you touch my son again, I’ll fucking kill you!

**Red and Adelaide: Us**

Once upon a time, there was a girl and the girl had a shadow. The two were connected, tethered together.
Then the girl had her first child, a beautiful baby girl. But the shadow, she gave birth to a little monster.

**Tori Breyer: Brightburn**

Listen, baby, I... I know it's been difficult for you lately, that you feel different from other kids. You are different. After your dad and I got married, we prayed for a baby for so long, to God, to the universe, to anyone that would listen.

Next, the Mamas That Scare

Some of us are all too familiar with this category. The 'Mommie Dearests' with a permanent case of the Manic Mondays. The mothers who are both Jekyll and Hyde, as cruel as they are kind. Mothers who are so haunted by their past they project it onto everything and everyone around them, shapeshifting into energetic poltergeists as a result of unhealed rage or trauma wounds. These moms are bad mamma-jammas... just as mean as they can be.