Before they became two of cinema’s greatest horror heroines, Laurie Strode and Sidney Prescott were just simple, down-to-earth teenagers, unprepared for how their lives would be turned upside down by psychotic masked villains in the form of Michael Myers and Ghostface. They represent the very best of the “final girl” archetype: wholesome, chaste, attractive — but, when the going gets tough — they become strong, proactive, and courageous. However, it’s never an easy journey from wallflower to certified badass, and both of these characters had to go through hell before transforming into the icons they are now. So for this very challenging Face-Off, we’re going to throw Laurie and Sidney into the ring together — settle down, now — and see who comes out the victor.
With the recent resurgence of both characters in David Gordon Green’s Halloween trilogy and 2022’s Scream, it seemed like prime time to examine these two formidable final girls. That being said, we’re not doing their entire filmography, as that would require figuring out which Laurie Strode timeline we’re dealing with, for starters. No, we’re just focusing on Laurie and Sidney in their debut films: 1978’s Halloween and 1996’s Scream, respectively. The origin stories, if you will, of two of our favorite leading ladies. We know that, however this pans out, it’s going to be controversial for you horror hounds, but that’s why we take such burdens upon ourselves. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it. Besides, it’s only a movie! So let’s get to it… FACE OFF!
This episode of Face Off is written by Eric Walkuski, narrated by Shawn Knippelberg, and edited by Matthew Hacunda. But don’t let us have the final word — tell us in the comments which Scream Queen reigns supreme — Halloween’s Laurie Strode or Scream’s Sidney Prescott?