I was all set to do some summer horror film recommendations after doing something similar with winter and spring, but I think I’ll punt that to next month. Instead I’m going to recommend some of my favorite horror films with LGBTQ+ characters and themes to watch during Pride Month.
The Haunting (1963) directed by Robert Wise
Raise your hand if you’re shocked to learn that a mainstream horror film from the 1960s featured a lesbian character. The Haunting is arguably the most influential haunted house movie ever made. It’s adapted from the novel The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson which has been adapted multiple times since (the Netflix series from Mike Flanagan being the most recent). The film is about a paranormal researcher and three guests that he invites to stay in a mansion called Hill House that has a tragic history and is believed by many to be haunted. One of the three guests is a woman named Theodora (who goes by Theo) played by Claire Bloom who has some sort of extra sensory perception abilities. She also happens to be a lesbian. It’s a pretty subtle depiction, but it’s pretty groundbreaking to have an LGBTQ+ character on the big screen who isn’t portrayed as some sort of predator or villain at this time. She isn’t some minor character either. She’s practically the co-lead with Eleanor (played by Julie Harris) in terms of screen time. It also helps that this is a really well made and effective horror movie that has stood the test of time. So many of the tricks employed by Wise to create an eerie mood and let the viewers spook themselves with their own imaginations have become commonplace in haunted house movies today.
A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985) directed by Jack Sholder
This is one is all subtext. The first Elm Street sequel follows a character named Jesse (played by Mark Patton) who is terrorized by Freddy Krueger as he grapples with his own place in the world. Patton has since come out as gay, and it’s impossible to not read this film as a gay teenager grappling with his own sexuality. Patton addresses this directly in a documentary he made called Scream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street (2019). It’s definitely worth watching once you’ve seen the actual film. The movie itself is mostly campy fun with some fun kills (the pool party scene in particular is a standout), but knowing the background makes for a much different viewing experience.
Hellraiser (1987) directed by Clive Barker
There was no way I was going to leave this one off the list. This one is also all subtext, but come on. It’s about sadomasochistic demons who promise an eternity of both pleasure and pain to those who can decipher how to summon them. It’s also written and directed by Clive Barker who has previously stated he drew inspiration from his time as a gay sex worker in the 1970s. This is also just flat out one of the best horror films ever made regardless of what meaning you pull out of it. It is truly terrifying with some of the best practical gore effects ever put to film. It’s the kind of movie that will stick with you long after watching it.
Bit (2019) directed by Brad Michael Elmore
Bit (written and directed by Brad Michael Elmore) is one of my favorite vampire films, and it’s mandatory viewing for anyone seeking out LGBTQ+ horror. It’s about a trans girl (played by Nicole Maines) who graduates high school and goes to visit her brother (played by James Paxton) in Los Angeles. While there, she gets inducted into a cabal of feminist vampires. I assume anyone reading this who hasn’t already seen it has already stopped reading this piece and has started watching Bit. Maines is great in the lead, but Diana Hopper steals the show as Duke (the lesbian vampire leader of the group). She exudes a level of cool that is impossible to duplicate.
Fear Street series (2021) directed by Leigh Janiak
This trilogy of films based on the book series from R.L. Stine pay homage to horror films from different time periods while centering around the relationship between the two female leads (played by Kiana Madeira and Olivia Scott Welch) and the adults in their lives who do not approve of their relationship. The three films are Fear Street Part One: 1994 which pays homage to ‘90s slashers like scream, Fear Street Part Two: 1978 that clearly draws inspiration from Friday the 13th, and Fear Street Part Three: 1666 that operates as a period piece. These are fun little films that are aimed at folks like me who grew up on R.L. Stine books as kids in the ‘90s and are now old enough to appreciate gorier versions of those stories.
Faceless After Dark (2024) directed by Raymond Wood
Jenna Kanell cowrites (with Todd Jacobs) and stars in this meta horror film about a queer woman who achieves cult icon status for her starring role in a killer clown movie that attracts the unwanted attention of an obsessed fan. To say anything more about the plot would be a spoiler, but trust me when I say you won’t see where this one is headed. Kanell is pretty clearly pulling from her real life experiences as the star of Terrifier (2016) to comment on toxic fan culture in the horror community, and it really lands. It’s a star making performance with plenty of horror, drama, and comedy to go around. It’s also brand new (getting a wide VOD release this past May), so people should be able to check it out before getting the twists spoiled!