While LGBTQ+ representation in Hollywood has progressed by leaps and bounds in recent years, the horror genre remains fairly heteronormative. While a few films have gained notoriety for subtle queer-coding, explicitly gay horror movies can be few and far between. So, if you’re jonesing for some LGBTQ+ friendly scare fests to enjoy this Halloween, look no further: here are eight LGBTQ horror movies and how to watch them on streaming.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Initially dismissed by critics when it first premiered in 1975, The Rocky Horror Picture Show has gone on to become one of the most famous cult classic films of all time. When Janet Weiss (Susan Sarandon) and Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick) are stranded by a flat tire, they seek help at a suitably eerie castle. It’s there that the newly engaged couple meets the “sweet transvestite” Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry) and his band of kooky / creepy associates. While a few of the terms may feel a bit dated to 21st century viewers, none can deny the cultural impact of this rock musical adaptation, with its many songs, that is simultaneously a parody of and a love letter to schlocky horror films. Bonus points if you see the movie at one of its many shadow productions, complete with audience participation.
Stream The Rocky Horror Picture Show on Hulu.
Rent The Rocky Horror Picture Show on Amazon Prime Video.
The Perfection
For viewers who prefer to keep their horror psychological, The Perfection may be the perfect fit. Logan Browning of Dear White People stars as Lizzie Wells, a cello prodigy seeking to re-enter the music world after her mother’s death. After traveling to China to meet up with her former professor (Steven Weber), Lizzie begins a relationship with his star pupil (Allison Williams). The pair embark on a road trip that quickly dissolves into drug-fueled horror. Viewers with sensitive stomachs should be prepared: this one gets gory.
Stream The Perfection on Netflix.
Bit
LGBTQ+ activist and actress Nicole Maines (Supergirl) stars as Laurel, a trans teenager who moves to Los Angeles after graduating from high school. She crosses paths with Izzy (Zolee Griggs) at a club, who invites her to an exclusive afterparty. The only problem? Izzy is a vampire, and her friends are part of a so-called feminist vampire gang that targets male predators. While Laurel adapts to her newfound vampirism, she begins to butt heads with coven leader Duke (Diana Hopper), whose intentions aren’t quite as pure as she makes them out to be. Bit stands out as a rare film with a queer trans main character who isn’t defined by her gender or sexuality.
Stream or rent Bit on Amazon Prime Video.
What Keeps You Alive
What Keeps You Alive is a tense horror thriller that brilliantly explores the toxic relationship between its queer protagonists. When Jules (Brittany Allen) agrees to accompany her new wife Jackie (Hannah Emily Anderson) to a remote cabin in the woods, she never expects the trip to turn into a fight for her life. Unfortunately for Jules, her wife has a hidden (and bloody) agenda. What was supposed to be an anniversary celebration quickly turns into a psychological nightmare, as Jackie’s loving veneer begins to crack, revealing her true, sinister, intentions.
Stream What Keeps You Alive on Netflix.
Rent What Keeps You Alive on Amazon.
Jennifer's Body
Similarly to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Diablo Cody’s Jennifer’s Body was critically panned upon release. However, the film found a second life as a queer cult classic. Megan Fox stars as Jennifer Check, a pretty high school cheerleader who shares an unlikely friendship with social outcast Anita “Needy” Lesnicki (Amanda Seyfried). When Jennifer gets possessed by a succubus with a penchant for eating human flesh, Needy must go head to head with her former BFF. Although Needy has a boyfriend, her frequently ambiguous relationship with Jennifer is the focal point of the film and provides most of the emotional heft.
Stream Jennifer’s Body on Amazon Prime Video.
The Fear Street Trilogy
The Fear Street trilogy, based on the RL Stine book series of the same name, centers around former girlfriends Deena (Kiana Madeira) and Sam (Olivia Scott Welch). When their hometown of Shadyside becomes the setting for a series of gruesome murders, the duo must team up to stop a malicious force during the Fear Street: Part 3 - 1666 ending, so it won't destroy their lives, and those of their friends. Director and co-writer Leigh Janiak masterfully weaves multiple timelines into a tapestry of nostalgia-fueled horror with classic horror movie references. The ensemble cast includes Stranger Things vets Maya Hawk and Sadie Sink, alongside Ashley Zuckerman (Succession) and Gillian Jacobs (Community).
Stream the Fear Street trilogy on Netflix.
Hellbent
The quote-unquote gay slasher subgenre may owe some of its origins to the homoerotic classic, A Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge, but Hellbent is credited as the first out and proud entry to the canon. This bloody slasher film follows a group of gay men in West Hollywood who are pursued by a mysterious masked killer. Critics noted director Paul Etheridge’s adherence to slasher film tropes, but Hellbent remains an explicitly gay film in a genre that tends to ignore the LGBTQ+ community.
Stream or rent Hellbent on Amazon Prime Video.
Lyle
Lyle was billed as “a lesbian Rosemary’s Baby,” a surprisingly apt epithet. When a pregnant Leah (Gaby Hoffmann of Transparent) and her wife June (Ingrid Jungermann) lose their first child in an accident, Leah descends into grief-induced paranoia spurred by her neighbors’ strange interest in her unborn baby. Although Lyle clocks in at only a short 65 minutes, director Stewart Thorndike still manages to create a compelling and unsettling story full of uncertainty. Are Leah’s neighbors really part of a satanic cult that’s plotting to steal her child? You’ll have to watch Lyle to find out.
Stream or rent Lyle on Amazon Prime Video.
Whether you’re a fan of psychological horror, tense thrills, or B-movie gore, these queer horror films are sure to satisfy this Halloween. You can check out these upcoming horror movies, and more to enjoy this October with our list of 80s slasher movies. More of a TV person? Check out our recs for what to watch if you loved American Horror Stories.
