Do you love horror movies, but wish they were gayer? Never fear (or do!). We've compiled a list of horror films with queer content or characters. These films are guaranteed to thrill, chill and titillate you. Happy Halloween!
"A Nightmare on Elm Street, part 2: Freddy's Revenge" (1985)
This first sequel to the popular long-running series stars Mark Patton as Jesse, a teen who moves with his family to the home where the first film was set. Jesse immediately begins having nightmares about Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), the dead serial killer who comes to people in their dreams and kills them, causing them to die in real life.
The film was derided by fans at the time of its initial release, with many complaining that the film was "too gay." Patton, who was deep in the closet at the time, found himself labeled a "male scream queen." The subsequent negative publicity proved to be too much for Patton, who left show business and moved to Mexico, where he lived incognito for three decades.
"Nightmare 2" is indeed a gay film. Shortly after moving into the house, Jessie begins having dreams about Freddy that come true. One of these nightmarish dreams finds Jesse in a gay bar, where he runs into his gym teacher. The teacher punishes Jesse by making him run laps around the school gym. While Jesse is in the shower, the teacher is attacked by an unseen force, stripped nude and killed.
Jesse soon realizes, to his abject horror, that he has been possessed by Freddy. Freddy's spirit has taken hold of Jesse, and in a horrific sequence, bursts out of Jesse's chest.
Is Jesse a gay character? Could be. When he realizes what is happening to him, he runs to Grady (Robert Rusler), a cute male friend, and begs for help.
Thirty years after the film's release, Patton, now a happily married out gay man, came out of hiding and embraced the film. He made a few more films and began appearing at horror conventions, where the fan base now accepts and loves the film for what it is.
In 2015 Patton was the subject of "Scream, Queen: My Nightmare on Elm Street," a feature-length documentary in which he comes to terms with the legacy of "Nightmare part 2." He spoke openly about his life as a closeted actor in Hollywood, his battle with HIV, and his journey out of the closet. That film is streaming at Tubi.
"A Nightmare on Elm Street part 2: Freddy's Revenge" is available on Blu Ray as part of The Nightmare on Elm Street Collection," a box set which features all seven films in the series. It's also streaming at Amazon Prime.
"Bride of Frankenstein" (1935)
Director James Whale, Boris Karloff and Ernest Thesiger all returned for this sequel to the 1931 classic. It's Thesiger who makes this film gay. His character, Dr. Praetorius, works with Dr. Frankenstein (Colin Clive) in creating a female monster to be a companion for Frankenstein's lonely creation. Dr. Praetorius is a screaming queen who expresses disdain for women and, according to legend, was meant by auteur Whale to be in love with Dr. Frankenstein. Thesiger gave an Oscar-worthy performance as the prissy Praetorius, easily stealing the movie from his higher billed co-stars.
The Bride was played by Elsa Lanchester. She's quite a sight to behold, with her streaked hair and her flowing white gown. Lanchester, who was in a marriage of convenience to gay actor Charles Laughton, chewed the scenery in a limited scene as few actors could. She plays the Bride with all the grand gestures of a silent movie star, or a drag queen; on Blu Ray and Amazon Prime.
"The Vampire Lovers" (1970)
Polish-born Holocaust survivor Ingrid Pitt had a brief brush with movie stardom when this film was released. It was a huge hit in its day. Pitt played Countess Carmilla Karnstein, a centuries-old vampire with a yen for young ladies. Carmilla is definitely after the girls and only attacks men when they are a threat to her. Her attacks are very sexual in this R-rated film, with the telltale vampire bites appearing on her victim's breasts.
The film was made by Hammer Films, England's legendary horror studio, and featured Hammer stalwart Peter Cushing in a supporting role as a vampire hunter. The film was made at a time when nudity and sexuality had become quite commonplace in movies, and titillated many young men, and no doubt a few young women as well; on Blu Ray and Tubi.
"The Old Dark House" (1932)
Gay director James Whale made this darkly comic chiller as a follow-up to his mega-hit "Frankenstein" (1931). Horror icon Boris Karloff, who played the monster in the earlier film, is on hand again as a mute, creepy butler in this tale of a group of travelers who find themselves stranded in a spooky old house on a dark and stormy night. One of the travelers was played by 22-year-old Gloria Stuart, 65 years before she received an Oscar nomination for playing Old Rose in James Cameron's "Titanic." Another of the travelers was played by gay actor Charles Laughton, who performed his allegedly straight character with an over-the-top flamboyance.
But Laughton, as entertaining as he was, cannot hold a candle to bisexual actor Ernest Thesiger, who co-stars as one of the residents of the titular house. Thesiger swishes down the stairs and grandly introduces himself to the travelers. "My name is Femm, Horace Femm," he says with a delightful aplomb of a queen. Horace is a queer-coded character if ever we've seen one.
There's also a bit of gender-bending in the film, when the audience is introduced to the bedridden 102-year-old family patriarch Sir Roderick Femm. The actor playing this role as billed as John Dudgeon, whom was actually a woman named Elspeth Dudgeon. Ms. Dudgeon made no attempt at deepening her voice for her male role, but rather spoke her lines in her normal female voice.
"The Old Dark House" is a fun film, filled with dark humor and gay innuendos; on Blu Ray and Tubi.
"Voodoo Island" (1957)
Karloff stars in this low-budget chiller as the leader of a party of six who are investigating voodoo rituals on a remote tropical island. They find all kinds of scary things on the island, such as zombies and man-eating plants.
What makes this film of interest to queers is the character of Claire, played by little-known actress Jean Engstrom, whose career consisted primarily of guest shots on TV shows during the 1950s and '60s. Although the L word is never uttered, Claire's lesbianism is front and center, a daring thing for filmmakers to do during the ultra-conservative '50s. Claire is dismissive of men and flirts openly with an obviously uncomfortable Sarah (Beverly Tyler), who was Karloff's assistant.
Engstrom retired in the mid-60s and is pretty much forgotten today. Take a moment to remember this brave actress who wasn't afraid to play queer more than sixty years ago; on DVD and YouTube.
"Lust For a Vampire" (1971)
Carmilla the vampire returns in this sequel, only now she's bisexual. It's 1830, forty years since Carmilla's last reign of terror. She becomes a student at a finishing school for young ladies on the European continent, and promptly begins feasting upon the blood of her classmates. This time she's a more traditional vampire and bites them on the neck.
When one of her male teachers falls in love with her Carmilla returns his affections. The two make love in a mist-shrouded graveyard to the tune of "Strange Love," perhaps the worst pop song ever recorded. But never fear, Carmilla quickly returns to the young ladies.
While not as good as the first film, "Lust For a Vampire" is still a fun time-waster, worthy of at least one viewing; on Blu Ray and Tubi.
"Daughters of Darkness" (1971)
Perhaps the kinkiest vampire film ever made, and set at an isolated hotel in Belgium, "Daughters of Darkness" follows the adventures of a swinging bisexual couple who are engaged in a bizarre game of cat and mouse with a lesbian couple, both of whom are vampires. The film was elegantly shot and features fine, restrained performances from its international cast, which includes John Karlen, best known for "Dark Shadows." The film has developed quite a cult following over the years, no doubt due to its unbridled eroticism. If you're in the mood for something different, check this film out; on Blu Ray and Tubi.
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