tenaflyviper
LGBT Horror Films

I’ve been wanting to compile a list like this for a while now, and what better time to finally do it than Pride Month!

I have sifted through many, many films in compiling this list, including reading through many synopses, and watching many trailers.  I have made a strong effort to avoid films with unforgivably ignorant or maliciously negative portrayals of LGBT people (there are films here with LGBT villains/killers, but real life has shown us that we, too, can become corrupted by trauma and suffering).  Of the films portraying LGBT characters as victims, they either triumph in the end, or are otherwise portrayed with proper humanity (i.e., their sexuality or identity is not blamed by the filmmaker as the cause for any problems they may have, except when facing villains motivated by bigotry).  I felt it equally important that these films are listed based on canon, and not speculation or memery (sorry, Babadook!).  Films with undertones have their own sub-lists. 

Many, MANY more films came up while compiling this list that I felt didn’t quite meet the standards to be included, such as those whose LGBT content were relegated to minor background characters.  If you’re still interested in finding these other films, you might want to check here, here, and here.  If you’re interested in finding more LGBT directors, check here.

SUPER IMPORTANT: While I will try to add warnings when applicable, I’m afraid I have not seen every single film on this list, so there may be upsetting content that I’m not aware of. If you are unsure about a film’s content, and whether or not it will be right for you, please consider looking up the IMDB or Wikipedia listings beforehand.  It is unlikely that most of these movies will have pages on places like “commonsensemedia.gov”.

Lastly, permanent link availability is NOT GUARANTEED.  I wish I could have had more links to offer, but I’ve tried to rely only on free streaming sites and Youtube, so as to avoid sending anyone to any sites that might be untrustworthy.  Tubi TV requires signing up, but it is still 100% free (and it’s also available as an app on Xbox Live, as are Frightpix and Popcornflix).  I will do my best to update links when there are changes.

There are a few films here that veer more toward being thrillers, sci-fi, or dark fantasy, but I still felt they deserved to be included.

Lesbian Vampire Films (So prevalent, I felt it warranted a separate category.  Warning: Some of these are considered “exploitation” films, and thus may come off as sleazy.  Viewer discretion is advised):

Horror Films with Trans Characters, Actors, or Themes:

  • Homicidal (1961) - William Castle ⚧
  • Sleepaway Camp (1983) - Robert Hiltzik ⚧ (on Tubi TV)
  • Sleepaway Camp 2: Unhappy Campers (1988) - Michael A. Simpson ⚧
  • Sleepaway Camp 3: Teenage Wasteland (1989) - Michael A. Simpson ⚧
  • The Attack of the Giant Moussaka (1999) -  Panos H. Koutras ⚢ ⚣ ⚧
  • Wild Zero (1999) - Tetsuro Takeuchi  ⚧
  • Haunting Me (2007) - Poj Arnon ⚧ (on Tubi TV)
  • Sick Nurses (2007) - Piraphan Laoyont and Thodsapol Siriwiwat ⚧
  • Let the Right One In (2008)  - Tomas Alfredson ⚧
  • Return to Sleepaway Camp (2008) - Robert Hiltzik ⚧
  • Denizen (2010) - J.A. Steel ⚧ 
  • Ticked-Off ████████ with Knives (2010) - Israel Luna ⚧ (PLEASE NOTE: In spite of a title (censored above) that many may rightfully deem offensive, this film was made not only as an homage to 70′s revenge/exploitation pictures, but also to shed light upon violence against transgender women.  In the director’s own words, “Whose story do you never see on the news these days?’.  Luna wanted to create a film in which trans women become empowered, and fight back against their attackers. While it was heavily criticized by GLAAD (despite the organization having given media advice to the producer, director, and cast), lead actress Krystal Summers was quoted as saying, “Our film does not promote hate or violence against transgender women. It is not a documentary, but a work of fiction and a revenge fantasy.” Israel Luna is a gay man, and the cast features two trans women (Krystal Summers, and the late Erica Andrews), and drag performers Kelexis Davenport and Willam Belli) (RAPE WARNING)
  • Kalpana (2012) - Ram Narayan ⚧

LGBT Horror Films with Pornographic Content (While containing explicit content, these films also contain legitimate horror elements and actual plots, making them worth noting):

  • Evil Come, Evil Go (1971) - Walt Davis ⚢ XXX
  • Thundercrack! (1975) - Curt McDowell ⚣ ⚤ XXX
  • Crash (1996) - David Cronenberg ⚢ ⚣ ⚤ (While most may not consider it hardcore pornography, there does exist an NC-17 cut of this film)
  • Moan (1999) - David Thompson ⚣ XXX 
  • Bonesaw (2006) - Jett Blakk ⚣ XXX 
  • L.A. Zombie (2010) - Bruce LaBruce ⚣ XXX 

LGBT Horror Short Films:

Horror Films Spotlighting Drag Performers (while some may disagree with this category, drag culture is still an undeniable part of LGBT history):

  • Multiple Maniacs (1970) - John Waters
  • Baby Jane? (2010) - Billy Clift
  • Psycho Beach Party (2000) - Robert Lee King

Horror Films with LGBT Undertones:

  • The Seventh Victim (1943) - Mark Robson ⚢   
  • Lemora (1975) - Richard Blackburn ⚢  
  • The Sacrifice (2005) - James Fessenden ⚣     
  • The Moth Diaries (2011) - Mary Harron ⚢  

David DeCoteau Horror Films (while many are not explicitly LGBT, DeCoteau is well-known for imbuing his films with extremely strong homoerotic undertones).  DeCoteau is one of the most prolific directors working in the low-budget horror genre, and this is only a sampling of his work.  I’m sure his filmography contains more films that could qualify:

  • The Brotherhood (2001) ⚣
  • The Brotherhood II: Young Warlocks (2001) ⚣
  • Wolves of Wall Street (2002) ⚣
  • The Brotherhood III: Young Demons (2003) ⚣
  • The Sisterhood (2004)
  • The Brotherhood IV: The Complex (2005) ⚣
  • Beastly Boyz (2006) ⚣
  • The Brotherhood V: Alumni (2009) ⚣
  • The Brotherhood VI: Initiation (2009) ⚣

Happy Pride Month!

Source: tenaflyviper