LGBTQ+ representation in film and television has been on the rise in the past few years, thanks to a much-needed reckoning in Hollywood. When it comes to horror - a genre historically dominated by straight, white voices - this amplification of queer stories is all the more vital.
While queer horror continues to gain more and distribution in mainstream channels, there's a long and overlooked history of LGBTQ+ narratives and directors in the genre that spans back to the earliest days of moviemaking. Thanks to the plethora of streaming services on the market these days, both classic and recent queer scary flicks are now available with just a few clicks.
Classic: Dracula's Daughter (1936) - Peacock
Dracula's Daughter is a film that revels in repressed desire and homoerotic ion. In this slow, atmospheric, and melodramatic sequel to 1931's Dracula, Gloria Holden plays the titular character, also known as Countess Marya Zaleska.
The Countess destroying her dead father's body will cure her vampirism, freeing her from the urge to feast on humans. The Countess's thirst for blood serves as a metaphor for her lesbianism in this harrowing Universal Classic Monsters feature.
Recent: Thelma (2017) - Hulu
Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Trier is behind Thelma, a visually stunning psychological thriller about a college student whose same-sex yearnings correspond with powerful psychokinetic abilities. Eili Harboe plays the title character, a young woman whose strict Christian upbringing causes problems for her as she attempts to accept her homosexuality.
In addition to her religious woes, the more Thelma's desire for other women grows, the more her uncontrollable extrasensory powers lead to terrible accidents. This muted, experimental romance is rooted in the supernatural horror tradition.
Classic: Sleepaway Camp (1983) - Shudder
This low-budget Canadian summer camp slasher is perhaps the most controversial scary flick to carry an LGBTQ+ label. While some critics consider its handling of queer themes much more complex than its superficial trappings, others consider Sleepaway Camp transphobic and one-dimensional.
Either way, Sleepaway Camp remains a cult classic whose twist ending sets it aside from other '80s slashers. It's also one of the earliest horror films to present openly gay characters.
Recent: Velvet Buzzsaw (2019) - Netflix
Velvet Buzzsaw is a dark satire that literally hacks away at the pretentious art world. In the film, Jake Gyllenhaal plays a sexually fluid art critic who gets wrapped up in a gallery manager's scheme to profit off the "outsider" paintings of an unknown artist.
It turns out the paintings were stolen from the dead artist's apartment, and they just so happen to be possessed by his vengeful spirit. Splatter gore meets sardonic humor in the movie, which also stars Rene Russo, Toni Collette, and Zawe Ashton.
Classic: The Slumber Party Massacre (1982) - Amazon Prime
What's so special about Slumber Party Massacre is its screenplay, written by openly gay mystery novelist Rita Mae Brown. Even though it's looped in with all the vapid '80s slashers that involve male villains terrorizing scantily-clad women, Slumber Party Massacre is actually a brilliant spoof on the genre full of LGBTQ+ overtones.
The low-budget venture directed by Amy Holden Jones follows a group of high school girls after their slumber party is crashed by a mass murderer who loves power tools. What sounds like the premise to any generic genre film transforms into a feminist rallying cry by the end of the movie.
Recent: The Perfection (2018) - Netflix
A queer thriller about obsession, jealousy, and wrath, The Perfection sees Allison Williams playing an unhinged former star cellist who targets her old academy's current star pupil. Williams' character Charlotte was forced to quit the prestigious Bachoff to care for her sick mother, and she's enraged by the success of Bachoff's top student Lizzie (Logan Browning).
Charlotte is so enraged, in fact, she follows Lizzie to Shanghai, where she seduces and then wraps the poor girl up in an increasingly violent scheme. Ultimately, there is nothing predictable about The Perfection.
Classic: The Vampire Lovers (1970) - Criterion Channel
Vampire films are inherently erotic, but few match the tone of The Vampire Lovers. A British Gothic flick directed by Roy Ward Baker, The Vampire Lovers follows a gorgeous, ancient vampire in 18th century Austria who sets her sights on young women scattered along the countryside.
Instead of the male-centric Dracula, this Hammer Productions film follows in Dracula's Daughter wake, engaging audiences around explicitly lesbian themes. Hammer fixture Peter Cushing has a ing role in this enduring LGBTQ+ horror movie.
Recent: Spiral (2019) - Shudder
Domestic bliss isn't quite what it seems in Spiral, an indie film on Shudder about a same-sex couple who move to a small town with their daughter Kayla. Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman gives an enthralling performance as Malik, who suspects from the start that something is amiss with their new neighbors.
As the film progresses, Mailk's unprovable suspicions build, bringing audiences to a startling conclusion. A prime example of slow-burning, psychological terror, Spiral exceeds its budgetary limitations.
Classic: Hellraiser (1987) - Amazon Prime
Clive Barker's Hellraiser combines campy thrills, expressionistic body horror, and sadomasochistic beliefs. The film sets its focus on an alternate world where demonic creatures called Cenobites challenge the dichotomy between good and evil, as well as the distinction between pain and pleasure.
Barker, who is gay, makes profound statements about heteronormative culture with Hellraiser, which launched a franchise. Over the years, it has been labeled a classic of LGBTQ+ horror by multiple critics and fans.
Recent: What Keeps You Alive (2018) - Netflix
Marital delight turns deadly real quick in What Keeps You Alive. Jackie and Jules plan to celebrate their one year wedding anniversary at a remote cabin.
Jackie, though, has a lot more in store for Jules than a quiet, nature-filled celebration. In fact, Jackie hopes to share her murderous inclination with her love.
