We’ve all seen her unnerving presence before in television and film. She’s an oncoming storm of murder and mayhem. She is the omen and harbinger of evil, often a sinister silhouette shrouded in all black. It is a pleasure to see her weave a web of horror or provide unsettling tension on screen, but we hope we never have to encounter her in real life. She is an icon, a legend, and always the moment, a true staple in pop culture. All hail the haunting woman in black.
A woman wearing all black is certainly not uncommon in TV and film. In fact, in the case of The Matrix’s Trinity and DC Comics’ many iterations of CatwomanOpens in a new tab, it is a symbol of effortless cool and sexiness. But this is not the archetype we are honoring today. No, we want to raise a glass—and maybe a sharp knife or a crucifix—to the woman draped in a black dress with a head covering or veil to complete her look.
Oftentimes, she’s barely visible under her dark layers, but we feel and invite her presence into a fictional universe all the same. Is she in mourning? Is she the representation of death itself? Her secrets will come to the light, even if her face does not.
From The Woman in the Yard’s ominous specter to Doctor Who’s sci-fi take on this figure, these women in black are a few of our faves.
The Woman (The Woman in the Yard)
This queen is the latest in a line of haunting women in black and she embodies this archetype to perfection. She comes to a grieving family like a sudden chill, perching elegantly in a chair in the middle of their yard. She’s draped in black from her crown of her head to her feet, sitting silently before declaring that “Today’s the day.”
It’s the frightening prelude to a symphony of terror as she goes on the attack, bringing darkness to a woman who is wounded in more ways than one. Her presence in the bright sunlight and penchant for playing with shadows makes her a queen worthy of honor.
Dark Lady (Are You Afraid of the Dark?)
While her moniker is humorously on the nose, her presence strange presence in this tale by Gary is no laughing matter. “The Tale of the Super Specs” follows Weeds, a teen who loves to play pranks to the chagrin of his new girlfriend Marybeth. He buys her a pair of incredibly weird glasses for April Fool’s Day, but the gag gift turns into a living nightmare when Marybeth begins to see strange entities.
One of them is the Dark Lady, a woman cloaked in all black from the covering over her face to her black stockings and pumps. Her creepy silence and eerie pointing are befitting for a being from another dimension. Dark Lady is the manifestation of a kid’s nightmare and certainly causes a living one for Marybeth and Weeds.
Miss Evangelista (Doctor Who)
Doctor Who gave “haunting woman in Victorian-era funeral clothes” its own spin in season four’s “Forest of the Dead.” Instead of being the precursor to sinister activity, Miss Evangelista serves as a doomsayer of sorts, warning Donna that her seemingly joyful world is not what it seems. She gives the haunting woman in black aesthetics with a heart of gold.
For Miss Evangelista, her death in the world is the gateway to a more fulfilling life within a simulation. While alive, she was ridiculed for her supposed lack of sense, when in reality her emotional intelligence made her superior. After her heartbreaking death and final words that she didn’t want her comrades to laugh at her, she became a part of simulation, losing her conventional beauty with a skewed face but gaining superior intellect. It was a sign of the twisted reality in which she’d learned to navigate.
She wrapped herself in black, complete with a veil, and guided Donna towards enlightenment. In the end, she makes amends with her traveling companions after the Doctor fixes the data core of the library, but we hope she still has that dress in the closet.
Temptress (Def by Temptation)
An oft-forgotten and frankly underrated early ‘90s Black horror gem, Def by Temptation’s sultry succubus certainly deserves a standing ovation. From the onset of the film, she wraps her gloved fingers around young Joel as he listens to his father preach the word of God, desiring to get her clutches into this lineage of preachers. Her goal is simple: to destroy men by using the sin of sexual temptation.
We see her full beauty as she surveys New York City for her next prey, but she’s at her scariest when she is wearing her midnight ensemble. She’s in the yard, she’s in the street, and she’s in your dreams, guys. Will you give in to her feminine wiles?
Morticia (The Addams Family)
Creepy. Kooky. Mysterious. Spooky. Morticia Addams isn’t a ghastly figure nor a physical representation of despair and looming death. But she is one of the greatest witches of all-time, a literal (and physical) smokeshow with an affinity for thorny stems and curious concoctions in a cauldron. Her signature form-fitting dress, sleek black locks, and beguiling stare certainly set her apart from many other haunting women in black. But we feel those vibes from her just the same.
Morticia is a goth girl icon with an undying love for storm clouds and morbid trinkets who makes others squirm in discomfort with little to no effort. She could completely destroy your life if she wanted to, but she’d rather pull you in to dance the tango. We see why Gomez is completely smitten by her sheer existence.
Jennet Humfrye (The Woman in Black)
Why yes, there is a movie literally called The Woman in Black. And yes, there is a woman in black who is bringing terror to a small town. They are, after all, the scariest places on Earth. What does this spectral sweetie want with the children of Crythin Gifford? Vengeance, naturally.
A curse from a woman scorned is among the worst things that can happen to a community. She demands a high penance that only your offspring can pay.
Margaret Hichcock (The Ghost/Lo Spettro)
This classic Italian Gothic follows Margaret, a woman who is tired of her seance-loving and unorthodox treatment-taking husband. She teams up with her suave side dude, Livingstone, to murder her hubby, but things do not go as planned. While Margaret is not the titular Ghost, she is a murderous maven dripping in her darkest threads and feigning grief at a funeral.
What ensues next between Margaret, her husband, her boyfriend, and their housekeeper is a juicy and strange story for the books. Specters and the undead haunting women are certainly scary. However, there’s something even more frightening about a femme fatale who will kill you with zero remorse.
Countess Marya Zaleska (Dracula’s Daughter)
How do you make a woman in black infinitely more chilling? By making her the daughter of the most infamous vampire, obviously. Meet the Countess Marya Zaleska in Dracula’s Daughter (1936). She wants to break free from her father’s curse and live a normal life. How does she do this? Well, by destroying his body in fire and looking absolutely fabulous while doing so.
Her pale skin and soulless eyes pair well with her black scarf and dress as she speaks over the flames, inviting the exorcism of evil into her space. However, she gives in to the darkness within and pursues bloodlust while donning the flyest of clothing. She may have died (twice) but she lives forever in our hearts.
Margot Fenring (Dune)
A seductive and enchanting lady of the Bene Gesserit, Margot Fenring’s loyalty lies with no man. She is dedicated to her Order and concerned with the agenda of extending the Harkonnen bloodline. But, most importantly, Margot is dedicated to serving like no one else in the Dune universe.
That black dress and gloves with the pleated head covering draped over her hair honors the Bene Gesserit but with a tantalizing twist. Like Morticia, she makes the haunting woman in black very sexy, and that earns her the final spot on our list.
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