Being a horror fan can manifest in many ways, including getting tattoos of your horror movie favorites. I can only imagine the thrill of getting Michael Myers tattooed on your leg or Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) on your shoulder. The love some of us possess for this genre is unwavering. And to have reminders on your body of what you love is fucking cool. One of these days I’m even hoping to get a horror movie tattoo (maybe to cover my very cliché first tattoo). There’s plenty of terrific ideas to choose from, and you can find them below.
Marion Crane (Psycho)
Psycho (1960) has so many layers to it, and if you want to listen to a great analysis, then I recommend Queer for Fear on Shudder. The one scene that’s stuck with horror fans for decades is Marion Crane (Janet Leigh)’s shower scene. Getting her screaming face tattooed on you would be the right choice.
Laurie Strode (Halloween franchise)
The most obvious choice would’ve been Michael, you know? But let’s not forget how iconic Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) is in the franchise—not to mention that she’s one of the original final girls. A tattoo of Laurie holding that big-ass knife would be tremendous.
Frank-N-Furter (The Rocky Horror Picture Show)
There are countless quotable moments in this iconic horror musical; you can quite literally choose almost any character and quote them. The most iconic of them all is, of course, Frank (Tim Curry), who has inspired so many queer folks around the world. A tattoo of his face with a song lyric will truly suffice.
Sidney Prescott (Scream franchise)
Sidney Prescott remains one of the best final girls of all time. She experiences a genuine evolution as a character and is just as badass in 2022’s Scream (the fifth film in the franchise). It’s safe to say it wouldn’t be too difficult to come up with a cool tattoo idea for her. Maybe something involving her “Not in my movie” quote and a phone with blood on it?
Tiffany Valentine (Child’s Play franchise)
Jennifer Tilly is iconic, both inside and outside of the Child’s Play franchise. She’s very talented and, let’s face it, hot as hell. Tiffany Valentine (voiced and played by Jennifer Tilly) is also a character the fans still love to this day! Naturally, you must be thinking I’m about to suggest a tattoo of Tiffany the doll. That’s not the case. Instead, I’m inclined to recommend Tiffany’s heart tattoo (it doesn’t have to go on your chest). You can put whatever name you so desire, but please don’t be too hasty about that.
Billy the Puppet (Saw franchise)
Say what you will about the Saw franchise, but Billy the Puppet (voiced by Tobin Bell) is still creepy as hell. He’s such a staple in a franchise that never fails to gross people out. You could get a Billy tattoo or go with a simple red spiral somewhere on your body. Either way, it sounds creepy.
Jennifer Check (Jennifer’s Body)
“I am not a woman, I’m a—” whoops, I almost quoted a Halsey song. I doubt Jennifer (Megan Fox) would give a damn, though! Jennifer’s Body is a queer cult classic that wasn’t appreciated when it came out. Of course, now it’s embraced and discussed all over the place. So why not get a tattoo of Jennifer and her lighter? Believe me, I’d give you a thumbs up.
Sadie and McKayla (Tragedy Girls)
It’s a shame when horror movies remain underrated and under-appreciated. Tragedy Girls (2017) would actually make a great double feature with Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022). What better way to show how much you love this underrated gem than by getting Sadie (Brianna Hildebrand) and McKayla (Alexandra Shipp)’s masks tattooed onto you?
Pennywise (It: Chapter One and Chapter Two)
Being scared of clowns adds another level of fear when watching both It movies. Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård) is especially terrifying in It: Chapter One (2017), which is a stellar adaptation, I might add. I would suggest getting red balloons as a tattoo (with or without Pennywise) and including something spooky like, “Time to float” on them.
Jean Jacket (Nope)
Jordan Peele is a heavy-hitter in the horror world, and I’ve got no issue with saying he’s one of my favorite creatives. It’s important to see Black filmmakers make it big in the genre, and he certainly impressed us yet again with Nope. There are a lot of options to choose from in terms of tattoos inspired by this movie, including those Gumby-looking inflatables, Jean Jacket, or one of the quotes from the film.
(featured image: 20th Century Studios)
