| Tara Heyes | |
|---|---|
| Terrifier character | |
| First appearance | Terrifier (2016) |
| Created by | Damien Leone |
| Portrayed by | Jenna Kanell |
Tara Heyes is a fictional character in the Terrifier franchise. Tara first appears in Terrifier (2016) as a cautious and responsible partygoer who becomes the obsession of Art the Clown on Halloween night. She is portrayed by Jenna Kanell—who makes a small cameo appearance in the sequel Terrifier 2 (2022). Tara's creator, Damien Leone, scripted her as an archtypical "final girl" character, only to be killed off in a subversion of the trope.
Kanell became an acquaintance of Leone after auditioning for his directorial debut short film, The 9th Circle (2008), although she did not get cast. The two remained in contact throughout the early 2010s as he wanted to work with her on a project, and he ultimately sent her the script of Terrifier in 2015, casting her as Tara. Tara's characterization was left underdeveloped by Leone, as the film serves as an introduction to the Art character.
Appearances
editFilms
editThe character made her cinematic debut in Terrifier (2016). In this film, Tara is a young partygoer who drunkenly stumbles across Art the Clown alongside her best friend, Dawn Emerson, on Halloween night. Tara becomes uncomfortable after he fixates on her in a nearby pizzeria. After discovering Dawn's tires have been slashed, Tara uses the restroom in a nearby warehouse and becomes locked in the building while Art pursues her. After becoming sedated, Tara is bound to a chair and awakens to Art sawing Dawn in half. Tara escapes, stabs Art, and gains the upper hand when she beats him with a 2×4 lumber board. However, Art pulls out a handgun and Tara is killed off. She is later discovered by her sister Victoria Heyes, propped up in a chair while decorated with string lights and holding a circus sign.
In Terrifier 2 (2022), Tara makes a cameo appearance through pictures shown in various online articles and newspapers covering the Miles County Massacre.
Literature
editTara makes her literary debut in the novelization Terrifier 2 (2024), written by Tim Waggoner. The character's death is first mentioned on news sites that the character Jonathon is reading, discussing the Miles County Massacre. She later appears in spirit form, alongside other victims of Art, guiding the heroine Sienna Shaw in the Hell she becomes trapped in. She is described as the most normal-looking of the mutilated spirits, dressed in her black skeleton dress and having brown eyes and black hair, but with a bullet wound in her forehead. The character is mentioned again when it is stated that Victoria feels their parents blame her for Tara's death and that her sister was hospitalized during her funeral.
Development
editKanell originally auditioned for short horror film The 9th Circle (2008), the directorial debut of Damien Leone.[1] While she did not get cast in the part, she kept in touch with Leone with plans of collaborating on a future project.[1] Leone sent her the script for Terrifier (2016) in 2015 and cast her as Tara based on her previous audition.[1] Kanell describes Tara as being very "scrappy."
In addition to acting, Kanell is a stunt performer, and she performed all of her stunt work for Tara.[2] During the hacksaw scene, Kanell requested to remain tied up between takes to guide her in her performance and understand how the character would have felt.[2]
Reception
editTara has been well-received as a protagonist, and critics have noted her initial buildup as a final girl. Collider's Raquel Hollman writes that Tara "basically oozes final girl energy" for being "responsible, observant, and cautious."[3] Hollman states that Tara is a subversion of the trope when she is unexpectedly killed off halfway through the film.[3] Similarily, Jon Mendelsohn of CBR writes that Tara is narratively built up as the "final girl" and that she successfully fended Art off and "proved herself as a heroine" until her death.[4] Writing for /Film, Chad Collins states, "Tara makes for a pretty efficient final girl. She's quick to act, strategic, and pretty handy with a 2x4. Damien Leone, however, takes a different tack. As Tara looks to successfully take Art the Clown down, the killer comedically pulls out a gun and shoots her."[5] Jeffrey Anderson of Common Sense Media describes Tara as being a likable character and that she's "a traditional horror heroine." Anderson also notes Tara as baring resemblance to Neve Campbell's Sidney Prescott in the horror film Scream (1996). In a review for Starburst, writer John Higgins highlighted Kanell's portrayal.[6] Jonathan Barkan of Bloody Disgusting praises the performance of Kanell.[7] However, he criticizes Tara's characterization as being "frustrating."[7] Barkan states, "She alternates between intelligent and thoughtful to an outright idiot."[7] While praising Tara for looking after her friend and reacting quickly to her circumstances, he criticizes the character for making poor decisions.[7]
References
edit- ^ a b c Long II, Robert. "actress jenna kanell (terrifier)". Smash or Trash Indie Filmmaking. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
- ^ a b McAndrews, Mary Beth (July 18, 2023). "'Terrifier' Interview: Jenna Kanell and Catherine Corcoran Take On The Killer Clown [Exclusive]". Dread Central. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
- ^ a b Hollman, Raquel (October 30, 2022). "'Terrifier 2's Sienna Is Our New Favorite Final Girl". Collider. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
- ^ Mendelsohn, Jon (July 8, 2020). "How Terrifier Destroyed Slasher Movie Rules". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ Collins, Chad (October 17, 2024). "Terrifier Ending Explained: The Bloody Birth Of A Franchise". /Film. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
- ^ Higgins, John. "Terrifier (2018)". Starburst. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Barkan, Jonathan (October 31, 2016). "[Telluride Horror Show '16] 'Terrifier', 'Spring Break Zombie Massacre', 'The Windmill' Reviews". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved September 6, 2023.