Fancy a queer, spooktacular film to watch this Halloween?
In the mood for a gay romance with two hunky protagonists stalked by a deranged madman? Or do you fancy a brutal lesbian French horror? Maybe an iconic cult classic with a self-proclaimed “sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania”?
If you’re not planning on dressing up as a mouse (duh) or Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter Ally Campana-Maine from A Star Is Born this Halloween, then you need to check out our collection of queer LGBTQ horrors and thrillers. See below…
B&B (2017)
Cast: Tom Bateman, Sean Beale, Paul McGann, Calum Woodhouse, James Tratas
Gay couple Marc and Fred (Bateman and Teale) embark on a weekend getaway to a bed and breakfast. They were turned away by the religious owner a year prior, sued for discrimination and won their case, so they’ve returned (for some weird reason) to embark on the romantic retreat they never had. However, their break is interrupted when a sinister stranger shows up…
The Craft (1996)
Cast: Robin Tunney, Neve Campbell, Fairuza Balk, Rachel True, Skeet Ulrich
The Craft follows a group of four outcasts teenage girls with supernatural abilities. They pursue witchcraft for their own personal gain and face massive consequences, leading to a terrifying finale between the two main characters, Rachel (Tunney) and Nancy (Balk). Even though the film isn’t explicitly queer, it has undertones. Their coven feels like a group of LGBTQ youth who are coming to terms with their identity. Nancy, is your typical unapologetic “out” character, Bonnie doesn’t want to cause trouble and wants to be left alone, Rochelle is bullied by the other kids for her skin colour, and Rachel doesn’t fully understand her identity yet. In the film, they even go to a witchy part of town which they deem their “safe space”, which we can all relate to.
Hellbent (2004)
Cast: Dylan Fergus, Bryan Kirkwood, Hank Harris, Andrew Levitas
This underrated slasher flick follows a serial killer on a mission to butcher the entire gay community. Bit dramatic, but his main targets are gay men, so… It first premiered during gay and lesbian film festivals in 2004 and 2005 and has been credited with sparking a wave of “gay slasher” films. For those who love a good slasher movie with a “whodunnit” storyline, you’ll love Hellbent. The characters are fleshed out, the killer is terrifying, and the suspense… THE SUSPENSE! Ooh lord.
High Tension (2003)
Cast: Cécile de France, Maïwenn, Philippe Nahon, Andrei Finti, Oana Pellea
This may be one of the most terrifying and clever horror films we’ve ever seen. High Tension follows a young woman who travels to her best friend’s home – which is in the middle of nowhere (classic) – for a weekend getaway. Soon after, a serial killer wakes them up in the night, butchers the family and kidnaps her best friend. Because she’s completely in love with her, she tries to track them down. There are some scenes which are, to be honest, hard to watch. However, all is not how it seems… We highly recommend.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
Cast: Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, Richard O’Brien, Patricia Quinn, Nell Campbell
Does this even need a bio? For those who haven’t seen, The Rocky Horror Picture Show tells the story of a young couple whose car breaks down near a castle, which is habited by group of strangers in faaaabulous costumes who are celebrating an annual convention. Their leader, Dr. Frank N. Furter (Curry) – a self-proclaimed “sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania” – has created a muscle man called Rocky in his laboratory. The film has a massive worldwide following, with fans often dressing up as the characters and recreating the musical numbers. It boasts the honour of being the longest-running theatrical release in film history, spanning four decades, and is often regarded as one of the best films of all time.
Jennifer’s Body (2009)
Cast: Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Simmons, Amy Sedaris, Adam Brody
Despite being a box office disappointment, Jennifer’s Body has become somewhat of a cult classic. The film stars Megan Fox as a popular girl at high school who becomes possessed by a succubus – a demon who seduces men, kills them and devours their flesh etc. There’s a same-sex moment in the film when Jennifer and Needy (Seyfried), her bff, share a kiss, and their sexual tension is pretty much alluded to all throughout the film. Megan Fox (sorta) confirmed her character’s sexuality in a 2009 interview with The New York Times, describing Jennifer as a “cannibalistic lesbian cheerleader”.
Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985)
Cast: Robert Englund, Mark Patton, Kim Myers, Robert Rusler, Clu Gulager, Hope Lange
Again, this one doesn’t have any outright queer characters, but according to director David Chaskin, the script was intentionally queer. The lead character – played by openly gay actor Mark Patton – has some obvious sexual tension with Ron Grady (Rusler), who refers to him as a “pretty boy”. Jesse even stops making out with his girlfriend (who he has zero sexual chemistry with) and jumps into bed with Grady, and later visits a leather bar… See? Queer. At one point, and we’re not making this up, Jesse says of Freddy: “Something is trying to get inside my body.”
Stranger By The Lake (2013)
Cast: Pierre Deladonchamps, Christophe Paou, Patrick d’Assumçao
This French thriller follows an older man, Franck (Deladonchamps) who develops an attraction to a man called Michel (Paou). He discovers Michel drowning another man in a lake, but doesn’t report it, doesn’t do anything, simply because he fancies the pants off him. We won’t spoil too much, but this is a dark, erotic thriller that is a must watch this Halloween.
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