Winona Ryder is by far one of the most iconic horror actresses in Hollywood, with devoted cult followings emerging out of almost any film in the genre she finds herself in. From the 1980s to now, with her most recent roles being Joyce Byers in Stranger Things and Lydia Deetz in the upcoming sequel to Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Winona Ryder never fails to command the screen.
Ryder has been in many thriller and fantasy films that toe the line with the horror genre, but she also stars in a sizable number of true horror films, where she also quickly surpasses standards. Here is every true horror film starring Winona Ryder, ranked from worst to best.
6 Gone in the Night (2022)
Directed by Eli Horowitz, Gone in the Night is an abrasive cabin thriller and horror film. Kath, played by Winona Ryder, has rented a cabin with her boyfriend, Max. When they arrive, they discover the cabin has already been rented by another couple, but they decide to share the cabin for the night. However, things go awry when Max is gone the next morning, and he had apparently cheated on Kath the previous night with the wife of the couple they stayed with. As the film progresses, Kath realizes the couple they stayed with are not what they seem to be, and their motives in kidnapping Max were sinister.
Winona Ryder Increases the Stakes of a Plain Film
Though the film was critically berated for not fully exploring its twist, as well as the horror elements, Winona Ryder still gives a stellar performance as the betrayed yet resilient Kath who works towards finding her missing boyfriend. Like always, Winona Ryder does an amazing job of immersing the audience through her believable and empathetic performance in the unforgiving role.
5 Alien: Resurrection (1997)
Alien: Resurrection is the fourth film in the Alien franchise. Directed by Jean-Pierre-Jeunet, the film expands onto Ridley Scott’s universe and original story, taking place 200 years after the third installment of the franchise. The film stars Sigourney Weaver as the clone of the original Ripley. However, this process of cloning quickly escalates as the human and xenomorph hybrids have caused mutated abilities, and they become parasitic.
Annalee Call Is a Thrilling Addition to the Alien Franchise
Winona Ryder plays Annalee Call, an Auton mercenary who survived the Xenomorphs’s attempt to overtake the crew on board the USM Auriga. By herself, Annalee Call’s role as an undercover synthetic is very intriguing, but Winona Ryder excels in her chemistry with Sigourney Weaver’s character Ellen, as well as actors like John Pearlman, Michael Wincott, and Gary Dourdan, Dominique Pinon, and Raymond Cruz.
Ryder plays the pivotal role in attempting to kill Ripley 8 before the Queen emerges, making her crucial to the story beyond just being an interesting character. Though poorly rated in comparison to other films in the series, including the most-recent release, Alien: Romulus by Fede Álvarez, the film still makes a clear effort to create a strong story like the original, and Winona Ryder is frankly one of the best parts of Alien: Resurrection.
4 Frankenweenie (2012)
An homage to Frankenstein, Frankenweenie is another sentimental addition to Tim Burton’s repertoire. The thoughtful story about a boy and his resurrected dog is a black and white, stop-motion retelling of Tim Burton’s 1984 comedic short film of the same name. In this film, however, it takes a more horror-adjacent tone. Once the town discovers that Victor resurrected his dog, Sparky, his classmates try to replicate his experiment for the science fair. This results in monstrous hybrids that terrorize the town.
Winona Ryder Plays an Endearing Role in the Film
Winona Ryder helps delve into the film’s themes of loss and grief through the role of Elsa Van Helsing. She is the mirror of Victor’s character, and she is one of the few characters to initially trust and care about Victor and his resurrected dog after the experiment. Victor’s sentiments are the same, as he risks his life to save Elsa from the mutated Vampire-Cat later in the film.
Many have pointed out Elsa’s similar appearance to Lydia Deetz in Beetlejuice and Mina in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Not only does the film pay homage to Frankenstein as previously mentioned, but it acts as a homage to Winona Ryder as an actor and the level of empathy she adds to each character she plays.
3 Beetlejuice (1988)
Directed by Tim Burton, Beetlejuice is one of Tim Burton’s most influential releases, and its sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, finally releases soon. Its eclectic style, a famous trademark of the director, once again succeeds in creating an eerie yet fun take on the paranormal. The film’s story and aesthetic even inspired a musical and cartoon of the same name, growing the franchise’s fanbase exponentially.
Winona Ryder Helped Define the Cult Classic
Winona Ryder played the iconic Lydia Deetz, who is the young daughter of Charles Deetz, and the stepdaughter of a mocking and indifferent Delia Deetz. Ryder’s character is central to the film’s theme of familial relationships, as she plays the isolated, goth, and macabre teenage daughter. Though she is at odds with her real family, she finds comfort in the supernatural, particularly the Maitlands, who love her for who she is already. Though the film is technically about Beetlejuice as well, Winona Ryder adds sentimentality to the film, solidifying the film as a classic.
2 Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
Bram Stoker’s Dracula is one of Francis Ford Coppola’s most unique films, taking on both fantasy and horror at a production level pretty much unseen before the film’s release in 1992. With costumes by the brilliant Eiko Ishioka, the film allows audiences to fall effortlessly into the mystique and sensuality of the film’s design. Outside of production, the film is an interesting take on the classic novel, and it dutifully explores the array of undertones found in the original story by Bram Stoker.
Winona Ryder Is a Haunting Mina
Winona Ryder expertly juggles the innocence and darkness of Mina, as she flits between remembering her past and simply being the to-be Mina “Harker.” Ryder also does an incredible job of suspending all belief in her acting, and she lets the most surreal moments feel very natural.
Her performance is also enhanced by Gary Oldman’s haunting portrayal of Dracula, and their palpable chemistry is evident across the duration of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Ryder easily switches between affairs and personalities, revealing the intricacies in her character. In turn, this makes the film an intensely passionate exploration of the beloved story.
1 Black Swan (2010)
Directed by the masterful Darren Aronofsky, who also directed films like Requiem for A Dream and The Whale, Black Swan is a similarly traumatic story of obsession and perfection. From its release, Black Swan was critically acclaimed by critics, Academy Award-nominated, and Natalie Portman received the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the film in the 2011 ceremony.
Eerily similar to Perfect Blue, by Satoshi Kon, Black Swan explores the pervasive power of insecurity, purity, and the role of being in the spotlight.
Winona Ryder Perfectly Counters Natalie Portman’s Character
Winona Ryder plays an upstaged, and “forcibly” retired ballerina, Beth. The former prima ballerina is livid with Nina, who receives the role of the Black and White Swan instead of Beth, who has always received the role in seasons prior. Ryder’s portrayal of the bitter ballerina adds to the thrilling spiral of the film, as Beth brings out the worst of Nina’s insecurities, her jealousy, and, of course, her obsession with perfection and innocence.
Portman and Ryder also star alongside Mila Kunis, who plays another rival of Nina, Lily. Beth and Lily both play the crucial role in emphasizing Nina’s delusions and, ultimately, selfish obsessions. Beth even rightfully suspects that Nina only got the role because she has seduced the director, which only adds to her deteriorating mental state in an already savage environment.
You can catch Winona Ryder next in
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
. The long-awaited sequel hits theaters on September 6, 2024.
