10 best queer horror movies to watch this Halloween

The water is damp and the horror is queer. Horror his genre has always found ways to speak to queer experiences and struggles. Over time, the genre has evolved from rigorously demonstrating queerness at a subtextual level to bringing queerness to the surface.

as a way to highlight its long history and provide viewing options for those looking for something to watch outside of the usual staples during spooky season., Below is a list of 10 great horror movies with queer themes.

Seeds of Chucky (2004)

with the arrival of bride of chucky And with the introduction of Chucky’s doll companion Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly), the Child’s Play franchise has moved even further into horror-comedy fare than before. Seeds of Chuckybeing the fifth installment in the series, went even further in another way.

In addition to being active as a novel movie and a satirical movie of Hollywood, Seeds of Chucky It’s a poignant depiction of family acceptance and gender identity. When Chucky and Tiffany are reunited with her offspring Glenn (Da) (voiced by Billy Boyd), the two grapple with the question of how they want Glenn (Da) to identify. Chucky wants his child to be a boy, but Tiffany wants her daughter. Ultimately, it’s up to Glen(da) to muster up the courage to tell them their choice. Glen(da) remains an icon in its own right, given how little non-binary visibility he has in the genre.

Seeds of Chucky can be streamed at peacockSyfy, USA Network, and fuboTV, or for digital rentals or purchases via Amazon, apple tvVudu, and Google Play.

Hellbent (2004)

A shirtless young man watches in horror as someone breaks through Hellbent's door.

a rare slasher film with a group of openly gay characters, hellbent was an outlier of its time and a fine example of a queer protagonist story that transcends the traditional “coming out” narrative. Levitas), Toby’s (Matt Phillips) main group of friends are already out of the closet and adults instead of the usual doomed teenagers.

As they go out on Halloween night, a mysterious demon-masked assailant tracks them down and drives them off one by one. Eddie pursues his handsome crush Jake (Brian Kirkwood). Given how Eddie is the main character, his actions based on his romantic affection disproves the idea that the typical last survivor must be purely chaste to win. . subversive and attractive, hellbent A worthy watch for those who seek the thrill of a simple slasher movie.

hellbent Stream on Here TV or digitally rent or buy Amazon.

Stranger by the Lake (2013)

In Stranger by the Lake, two shirtless men are hugging by a lake.

nevertheless stranger by the lake belongs more in the realm of Hitchcock thrillers than traditional horror films, but it still has a chilling atmosphere. This is in particular due to Gaye’s bleak setting of his cruising beach and cinematographer master Claire Mutton’s use of shadows. As Franck (Pierre Doradochamp) becomes sensually obsessed, even after witnessing Michelle (Christophe Pau) drowning another man at sea, Franck, whether it’s the night scene, Whether you’re wrapped up in your own silhouette during the day, you’re always obsessed with shadows. Always shrouded in darkness, Frank harbors temptations that lead him into danger. Frank’s mixture of compulsion and anxiety is well shown in Doradonchamp’s expressive eyes. Patrick Dasmussao, on the other hand, makes an equal impression with Henri, Frank’s good-natured beach companion.

stranger by the lake Stream for free with your Kanopy library card or digital rental or Amazon and voodoo.

Titane (2021)

Young woman astride the neon-painted hood of the Titan

Julia Ducournau’s Palme d’Or-winning masterpiece is more than just a film. It’s an experience. titane What starts out as a twisted slasher movie morphs into a heavy body horror piece. Seeds of Chucky, which focuses on gender identity and family drama. Serial killer Alexia (Agathe Roussel) disappears, pretending to be “Adrian”, the eldest son of firefighter Vincent (Vincent Lyndon). Car sex and extreme violence leave an imprint on one’s mind, but emotional scenes like Vincent’s acceptance of Alexia/Adrien, thanks to Lyndon and Russel’s performances, are the most touching. Both actors say more in simple body language than many do on the dialogue page.

titane Stream on Hulu or rent or buy digitally. apple tvVudu, and Google Play.

Scream (2022)

One of the highlights of the original new sequel scream It is a portrayal of Mindy Meeks Martin (Jasmine Savoy Brown). Thanks to her brilliant horror knowledge and rugged wit, Mindy serves as a strong entrant into the pantheon of slasher-her-heroines. Mindy’s being openly queer is a less obvious character trait and one to admire. scream An antidote to using homosexuality as a punch line in the previous film, which alludes to the character Robbie Mercer being gay, just to avoid Ghostface’s wrath. Scream 4 Remaining a solid franchise entry, the visible factual way Mindy is portrayed shows how the franchise can evolve in terms of representation.

scream Stream on Showtime and fuboTV, or rent or buy digitally. Amazon, apple tvVudu, and Google Play.

Invisible Man (1933)

The Invisible Man is visibly wearing bandages and large goggles.

Kicking off the “classics with subtext” portion of this list is one of the classic universal monsters. Based on the novel of the same name by HG Wells. Invisible Man Dr. Jack Griffin (Claude Rains) initially seeks a way to reverse his invisibility before the thrill of being in his state becomes intoxicating with power. When Griffin, with the help of his fellow scientist Dr. Kemp (William Harrigan), wreaks havoc on the village where he’s been hiding, his own fiancée Flora (Gloria Stuart) unleashes his It will be added later. More fixated on dating his male partner and unsettling society by his mere existence, Griffin is a monster-like figure of his own bizarre undercurrent. frankenstein, another horror masterpiece by the openly gay director James Whale. If you like it, you might be hooked on this one.

Invisible Man Criterion Channel, IndieFlix, and peacockor digital rental or purchase via apple tvVudu, and Google Play.

Cat People (1942)

simone simon answering the phone in cat people

As someone fascinated by work creatures, they always strike me as a strange metaphor. The notion of having to hide who you are, or of being afraid of who you are for fear of being perceived as a monster, is an expression of the queer community’s fear of revealing themselves out of fear. Slightly analogous to the anxiety people feel: being a stranger. These concerns form the basis of Jacques Tourneur’s his 1942 classic. cat peopleIrena (Simone Simon) initially expresses fear when she discovers that she can transform into a werewolf when sexually aroused. But when fiancée Oliver (Kent Smith) approaches his assistant Alice (Jane Randolph), Irena tries to antagonize them in this effective horror picture, so she begins to embrace her inner monster. increase. Perfect use of sound and shadow.

cat people can be streamed at HBO Maxor for digital rentals or purchases through Amazon, apple tvVudu, and Google Play.

Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964)

Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte A woman in a nightgown with a rifle on the railing

rear What Happened to Baby Jane? A blockbuster, director Robert Aldrich and star Bette Davis reunite after two years Quietly…quietly, sweet Charlotte. In Hollywood, we always stick to what works, so they once again collaborated on a horror film that continues the ‘psychobiody’ subgenre. baby jane issued.It also amplified the gay-friendly camp element, with more theatrical actresses as well as some queer tones. Hush… Hush, Sweet CharlotteVelma is devoted to serving Charlotte and becomes particularly wary when Charlotte’s shady cousin Miriam (Olivia de Havilland) suddenly arrives. Still, Velma’s affection for her feels deeper than it allows.

Agnes Moorhead, as the loyal and subtly sympathetic Velma, shines free, earning her fourth and final Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Upon its release, the film set a record for having the most Oscar nominations for a horror film. So for Oscar completists and horror fans, this is a must-see.

Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte Stream on Criterion Channel or rent digitally or Amazon, apple tvVudu, and Google Play.

Carey (1976)

Carrie Sissy Spacek looks down in a wedding dress coated in pig's blood.

All three film adaptations of the famous Stephen King novel are amazing in their own right, but the original carry Brian De Palma’s work is arguably still the best. Thanks to a melancholic score by Pino Donaggio and his famous prom scenes, the 1976 version is the best of the dark allegories of his teenage king, exiled with his telekinetic powers, enacting revenge on his tormentors. is a depiction of Carrie White (the seductive Sissy Spacek) is outcast for simply not conforming, so her struggles speak to what real-life queer youth are forced to endure. ‘s mother, Margaret (Piper Laurie), is the epitome of nightmarish religious puritanism, literally pushing Carrie into a dark closet only to further the reflection of such a struggle narrative. That’s why people like Margaret and Carrie’s classmates fear queer youth coming out and becoming their best selves.

carry Stream or digitally rent or buy on fuboTV and AMC Plus. Amazon, apple tvand Vudu.

Lost Boys (1987)

Kiefer Sutherland in Lost Boys has platinum blonde hair and is surrounded by belongings.

Vampires are not immortal creatures and always live on screen forever. After the vampire trend spurred by the success of twilightthe famous night creature is experiencing another resurgence thanks to projects like day shift, Invitationand a new TV series adaptation interview with the vampireBut the 1987 Joel Schumacher classic lost boys An early reminder of their enduring charm.

When Michael (Jason Patric) bonds with the mysterious David (Kiefer Sutherland) and his biker gang, their daredevil lifestyle attracts him. However, when it is revealed that they are vampires, Michael slowly turns himself into a vampire. Inside, you must wrestle with whether or not to live a marginal life with your newfound brother in skin.

lost boys Stream for free with ads on The Roku Channel or digitally rent or buy. Amazon, apple tvVudu, and Google Play.