Three years ago, I write about 5 Queer Horror Films that were spooky and perfect for the Halloween season. However since then, I’ve uncovered a few more queer horror films that are worth mentioning. Some are horror classics, while a few are more recent additions. And in one film’s instance: I had to choose between both the original classic and it’s modern remake!
However, while times have changed and cinematography has improved, the queer horror sub-niche is still rather isolated. Queer characters are better represented in the genre, but they still are used as part of the ensemble rather than the a character of the film. But that’s why one of the films on this year’s list was a pleasant surprise – because it puts our queer characters (yes, plural!) front and center!
But before we break down which five queer horror films made the cut this year, let’s quickly define what makes a film a horror film.
Definition of Horror Films:
- Films that contain numerous consecutive scenes of characters effecting a terrifying and/or repugnant narrative throughout the title. Not to be confused with Thriller, which is not usually based in fear or abhorrence. Subjective.
As you can see, IMDb’s definition of “Horror” is rather broad. And while they note that it is separate from the Thriller genre, let’s be real – they often go hand in hand together! After all, the slasher sub-genre is a perfect blend of thriller and horror. Interestingly enough, this year’s five queer horror films could even be called “5 queer slasher films”!
Each of the five queer films below were picked for certain reasons. Obviously, they are all horror films. Three are traditional slasher films, while a fourth utilizes a slightly different twist and takes a “bite” on the typical knife-wielding killer. And there’s no way that I could leave out the fifth queer horror film – it’s a classic! (Even though it’s more recent remake is even MORE queer.)
So don’t answer the phone, don’t go outside, and find out why these 5 MORE Queer Horror Films will scare you!
5 More Queer Horror Films
1
After a booking mistake, four drag queens find themselves performing for a mostly unwelcoming crowd, but when vampires attack, the crowd looks to the queens to save the day.
Slay is in that genre of queer campy films that you will either love – or hate. And I LOVED it! Not only does it mix that style of camp that works so well with drag queen, but we also get some horror thrown in with vampires. You’d think that it couldn’t work – but it does. That is partly because of some witty dialogue, some decent vampire effects, and some amazing drag queens. But surprisingly, its’s the cinematographic elements that is final piece that pulls it all together! If you love qeer campy horror films, Slay is a MUST-SEE.
Watch Slay on Tubi.
A mother and her two sons move to a small coast town in California. The town is plagued by bikers and some mysterious deaths. The younger boy makes friends with two other boys who claim to be vampire hunters while the older boy is drawn into the gang of bikers by a beautiful girl. The older boy starts sleeping days and staying out all night while the younger boy starts getting into trouble because of his friends’ obsession.
It’s been a while since I’ve watched The Lost Boys – but it’s a horror film that absolutely has queer undertones, even if it doesn’t seem explicitly queer at first. But after rewatching it, boy did they jump out at me! You have a teenage boy yearning who inadvertently becomes a vampire. Suddenly he has a secret, one he tries to hide from everyone. And one that in order to fully embrace, he must “suck” the life out of someone. In a bonfire on the beach scene where the other sexy vampires taunt and entice him in a scene that’s utterly homoerotic. Then his younger brother finds out about him, and tries to “out him” to their mother. And that’s only touching the surface! A lot of these elements are thanks to the openly gay director and screenwriter, Joel Schumacher who created a cult horror film with strong queer undertones. One thing is for sure, The Lost Boys is absolutely a queer horror film that is worth watching.
Watch The Lost Boys on Amazon, Prime Video, Apple TV+, and Tubi.
When Kirsty’s father, Larry, and stepmother, Julia, move into Larry’s childhood home, Kirsty and her boyfriend take a room nearby. Unfortunately for all involved, Larry’s house is already occupied: before the family’s arrival, Larry’s disreputable brother, Frank, used a supernatural puzzle box to summon a gang of other-dimensional demon sadists. Now, Frank requires a series of blood sacrifices to escape the clutches of Pinhead and the cenobites.
At first glance, Hellraiser may not seem to be a queer film – but its queerness lies in the subtext. And the fact that the writer and director, Clive Barker, is a queer man. As a horror film, it does a great job and while it may have been overshadowed by other horror icons of the time, this first film spawned an entire saga of films where the underlying queerness was further exposed. However it doesn’t take much to see the queerness in this film. At heart is a repression of sinful pleasures: sexual and painful. The Cenobites are the essence of that repression, which is taken to an entirely deeper queer level with the strong BDSM and kink influences of their looks. If you haven’t had the pleasure to watch this queer horror film – then you must add it to your watch list!
Watch Hellraiser on Amazon, Prime Video, Apple TV+, Shudder, Tubi, and YouTube.
Whistler, a gay conversion camp, has been in operation by the same family going back generations. Currently the camp is operated by Owen Whistler and his wife, Dr. Cora Whistler. The Whistlers have a small staff of four: activities director Amy, her gay-conversion-camp-alumni-turned-athletics-director boyfriend Zane, groundskeeper Balthazar, and Molly–the camp counselor who uncovers the horrors of Whistler Camp at the bequest of camper Jordan. A fifth employee emerges as a decoy within the campers. Suddenly, employees are picked off in a murder streak by an unknown assailant.
This was a different kind of queer horror film. We start off with a classic slasher kill, but then our killer disappears until much later. But to give credit to the writers – the killer ended up not being whom I suspected! And I absolutely LOVED the queer characterization, even the “converted” counselors. But throughout the film, something felt a bit “off”. Jordan points out that the camp is very supportive of the kids being true to themselves, quite the opposite from a typical gay conversion camp. Even though I was captivated, They/Them didn’t quite resonate with classic slasher horror films. But it’s certainly worth watching if you haven’t seen it yet!
Watch They/Them on Peacock TV.
Danny is your average Brooklyn party boy. But at last year’s”Brooklyn Annual Enema Party;” quickly took a turn for the worse when Danny is attacked by a stranger before being rescued by his friends. A year later, Danny is still going throughout the aftermath of that horrible incident and refuses to go to this year’s upcoming party, despite the pressure of his close friends. They want Danny to face his fears and go back out into the world. Danny refuses. But when a new boy, PuppyPup, enters his life, Danny decides to give his social life and the Brooklyn nightlife scene a second chance. It isn’t until his friends start to disappear and get killed by a man wearing a unicorn mask that Danny realizes that his life, and the lives of everyone who helped him that night, are in danger.
Killer Unicorn was a queer horror film recommended for me to review. And while I can see how it has the potential for a good queer slasher film, it has some major issues. Personally, I was ready to kill off most of the queens myself – they were annoying, not campy. In general, I think the film should’ve leaned more into the camp and low-budget horror because what we felt like a cheap imitation. But the worst offense was a storyline that was out-of-order. The synopsis starts off with an unsuccessful attack on Danny, and then skips ahead to the following year. But in the actual film, we don’t get the backstory of the initial attack until halfway through. It doesn’t make sense. Not to mention a few plot holes. Danny, PuppyPup, and MDME Mortimer are some of the better actors, and there are some neat kills. But those aren’t enough to salvage this into an enjoyable queer horror film. Especially when there are other queer horror films that pull it off better.
Watch Killer Unicorn on Amazon, Prime Video, Apple TV+, OutTV, and YouTube.
