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It Came from the Closet: Queer Reflections on Horror
Through the lens of horror—from "Halloween" to "Hereditary"—queer and trans writers consider the films that deepened, amplified, and illuminated their own experiences.
Horror movies hold a complicated space in the hearts of the queer community: historically misogynist, and often homo- and transphobic, the genre has also been inadvertently feminist and open to subversive readings. Common tropes—such as the circumspect and resilient “final girl,” body possession, costumed villains, secret identities, and things that lurk in the closet—spark moments of eerie familiarity and affective connection. Still, viewers often remain tasked with reading themselves into beloved films, seeking out characters and set pieces that speak to, mirror, and parallel the unique ways queerness encounters the world.
"It Came from the Closet" features twenty-five original essays by writers speaking to this relationship, through connections both empowering and oppressive. From Carmen Maria Machado on "Jennifer’s Body", Jude Ellison S. Doyle on "In My Skin", Addie Tsai on "Dead Ringers", and many more, these conversations convey the rich reciprocity between queerness and horror.
Horror movies hold a complicated space in the hearts of the queer community: historically misogynist, and often homo- and transphobic, the genre has also been inadvertently feminist and open to subversive readings. Common tropes—such as the circumspect and resilient “final girl,” body possession, costumed villains, secret identities, and things that lurk in the closet—spark moments of eerie familiarity and affective connection. Still, viewers often remain tasked with reading themselves into beloved films, seeking out characters and set pieces that speak to, mirror, and parallel the unique ways queerness encounters the world.
"It Came from the Closet" features twenty-five original essays by writers speaking to this relationship, through connections both empowering and oppressive. From Carmen Maria Machado on "Jennifer’s Body", Jude Ellison S. Doyle on "In My Skin", Addie Tsai on "Dead Ringers", and many more, these conversations convey the rich reciprocity between queerness and horror.
298 pages, Paperback
First published October 4, 2022
926 people are currently reading
19746 people want to read
About the author
Joe Vallese
2 books50 followersJoe Vallese is editor of It Came From The Closet: Queer Reflections on Horror and co-editor of the anthology What’s Your Exit? A Literary Detour Through New Jersey. His creative and pop culture writing appears in BOMB, VICE, Backstage, PopMatters, Southeast Review, North American Review, Narrative Northeast, VIA: Voices in Italian-Americana, among others. He has been a Pushcart Prize nominee and a notable in Best American Essays for his essay “Blood, Brothers.” He is currently clinical associate professor in the Expository Writing Program at New York University, and previously served as site director and faculty for the Bard Prison Initiative. Joe holds an MFA New York University, and MAT and BA degrees from Bard College.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,090 reviews
July 14, 2022
slayed (in the murder and gay way)
April 4, 2022
A fascinating, often compulsively readable anthology centring on the interconnections between horror films – from vintage monster movies to Get Out - and queer existence, that brings in aspects of memoir, academic theory and literary frameworks from Barbara Creed to Julia Kristeva to Anne Carson but remains accessible throughout. Like any collection it’s not without weaker entries but I thought an overwhelming majority were well worth my time - although that may be linked to far too many years spent devouring examples of every conceivable subgenre of horror cinema. I particularly enjoyed Trimble’s piece on The Exorcist, and growing up as a lesbian in 90s America surrounded by representatives of the Christian right. Other standouts included: Carmen Maria Machado’s convincing reclamation of Jennifer’s Body for queer audiences; an essay on The Blob that morphed into a striking meditation on gendered bodies; an exploration of the remake of Candyman that probed connections between being gay, Blackness and San Francisco’s racist housing policies; a look at the unexpectedly queer erotics underpinning Spielberg’s Jaws; a lovingly nostalgic examination of the lesbian subtext of Hitchcock’s The Birds; slasher movies, the Aids crisis and the demonization of gay men; and an unusual take on Eyes without a Face and being trans.
Thanks to Edelweiss and publisher The Feminist Press at CUNY for an ARC
Thanks to Edelweiss and publisher The Feminist Press at CUNY for an ARC
February 16, 2023
A truly excellent anthology. Of course, this will appeal to people who love and/or are interested in horror movies, but if you're worried you're not well versed enough in the genre to appreciate this book, fear not (or embrace your fear, it's what the book is all about). Each piece is a beautiful blend of film criticism and personal essay. They always include enough information about the movie to orient yourself if you haven't seen it. There is some really stellar, intellectually challenging writing in here.
For such a lengthy anthology (25 entries), I was surprised to find that there weren't any essays I actively disliked (although I felt a bit iffy about the way Will Stockton writes about his adopted son and his trauma and I would have loved a trans woman's perspective on Sleepaway Camp, which is discussed by two cis men in separate pieces).
Standouts for me were:
“A Demon-Girl’s Guide to Life” by S. Trimble (on The Exorcist)
“Both Ways” by Carmen Maria Machado (on Jennifer’s Body)
“The Girl, The Well, The Ring” by Zefyr Lisowski (on The Ring and Pet Sematary)
“Imprint” by Joe Vallese (on Grace)
“Loving Annie Hayworth” by Laura Maw (on The Birds)
“Bad Hombre” by Sarah Fonseca (on Eres tú, papa?)
“Black Body Snatchers” by Samuel Autman (on Get Out)
“On Beauty and Necrosis” by Sachiko Ragosta (on Eyes Without a Face)
“The Healed Body” by Jude Ellison S. Doyle (on In My Skin)
As you can see, it was hard for me to pick favourites! Themes in the ones I mentioned include transness and disability; bisexuality and "experimentation"; surrogacy and pregancy; puberty and gender/sexual expectations; historical sapphic relationships; Cuban masculinity and daughters; Blackness and whiteness in Utah; beauty standards, healing, and queer/trans identity; and self-harm and transness. Seriously, all of the ones I highlighted here are incredible, so smart and so fascinating.
Audiobook performances were very well done, with many different actors taking on essays.
For such a lengthy anthology (25 entries), I was surprised to find that there weren't any essays I actively disliked (although I felt a bit iffy about the way Will Stockton writes about his adopted son and his trauma and I would have loved a trans woman's perspective on Sleepaway Camp, which is discussed by two cis men in separate pieces).
Standouts for me were:
“A Demon-Girl’s Guide to Life” by S. Trimble (on The Exorcist)
“Both Ways” by Carmen Maria Machado (on Jennifer’s Body)
“The Girl, The Well, The Ring” by Zefyr Lisowski (on The Ring and Pet Sematary)
“Imprint” by Joe Vallese (on Grace)
“Loving Annie Hayworth” by Laura Maw (on The Birds)
“Bad Hombre” by Sarah Fonseca (on Eres tú, papa?)
“Black Body Snatchers” by Samuel Autman (on Get Out)
“On Beauty and Necrosis” by Sachiko Ragosta (on Eyes Without a Face)
“The Healed Body” by Jude Ellison S. Doyle (on In My Skin)
As you can see, it was hard for me to pick favourites! Themes in the ones I mentioned include transness and disability; bisexuality and "experimentation"; surrogacy and pregancy; puberty and gender/sexual expectations; historical sapphic relationships; Cuban masculinity and daughters; Blackness and whiteness in Utah; beauty standards, healing, and queer/trans identity; and self-harm and transness. Seriously, all of the ones I highlighted here are incredible, so smart and so fascinating.
Audiobook performances were very well done, with many different actors taking on essays.
July 27, 2023
This collection was very hit or miss. Some essays were great, some were just fun and a couple were just ok. That being said, there's one essay in particular I was more than just a little uncomfortable with and its presence in the collection makes it hard for me to recommend it. It felt extremely intrusive to be given details about an adoptive child that apparently the child himself hasn't been made privy to and therefore cannot possibly have given consent for it to be shared with the world at large.
June 17, 2024
A very good anthology with 7 essays receiving 5 stars from me and being some of the most interesting and well crafted work I have read in a long time. But I do feel some essays were just *essay for prompt sake*; they had no real attachment or interesting things to say about themselves in relation to the horror movie they were discussing (the Jennifers Body essay felt like twitter thread?) Two essays I LOVED were about Hereditary and a movie I have never heard of Eres tú, papa?. Both brilliant. The movie Sleepaway Camp seems over represented in this anthology and not single trans person speaks on it (a choice). There is a story about the movie Child's Play written by gay man with an adopted son that seems *fake* the way the author discuss his son and their life seems like it's made up. I'm sure it's not but the author doesn't talk about his son like they're human (and this is not some clever narrative choice showing the relation between child and doll that's not the angle the author dissects the movie in.). It's compelling but in a morally corrupt way. The Nightmare on Elms Street is great film breakdown essay.
October 21, 2023
Anyone who looks dissimilar from the norm ultimately becomes a threat.
When you look up the definition of horror films, what appears is something along the lines of: It explores dark subject matter and deals with transgressive topics and themes… normality is threatened by a monster…repulsive…all boundaries are dissolved. Though there is not a unique definition universally agreed upon, because what might be horrific to some people, might not be to others, it seems that the themes explored in this genre are widely appealing to the queer community.
It Came from the Closet is a heterogeneous anthology and even though the essays are short, the authors dig deep into their personal life experiences while using horror to reflect on their queer identity, and vice versa.
The insight from these memoirs is wide; in addition to tackling on queer subjects as: being gay or lesbian in a religious household, growing up trans and dealing with gender issues, how bisexual visibility and queerbaiting seem to go hand in hand; there is also discussions about class, race, disability, abuse, fertility treatments, proving once more that we can’t analyze these matters in an isolated environment, everything is connected, and the only way to deal with it is voicing our experiences.
Language might be the best thing that we have to bridge the void between ourselves
Not all essays hit the same, but I blame it on not having seen some of the movies being referenced, but overall it was really interesting the interpretation from a queer lens. My favorite had to be Bad Hombre: ¿Eres tú, papá? by Sarah Fonseca. I was greatly surprised to see that her essay was based on a Cuban horror film, those, as she mentions are non-existing here, and even this movie is not widely known. I know she has Cuban heritage but it makes me sad that sometimes foreigners are able to appreciate Cuban culture more than us because they’re not under the weight of our government. (the reality experienced by those confined to this island trapped between the past and the future) I am unapologetically biased, but with this article I connected in a way that I didn’t with the others. I couldn’t relate to the abuse story she was telling, but it was something deeper than that, I felt anxious, and so agitated that I had to stop reading it a few times.
The burden of patria is the burden of padre, and the burden of padre becomes the burden of mija.
Definitely recommend it, specially for the season.
When you look up the definition of horror films, what appears is something along the lines of: It explores dark subject matter and deals with transgressive topics and themes… normality is threatened by a monster…repulsive…all boundaries are dissolved. Though there is not a unique definition universally agreed upon, because what might be horrific to some people, might not be to others, it seems that the themes explored in this genre are widely appealing to the queer community.
It Came from the Closet is a heterogeneous anthology and even though the essays are short, the authors dig deep into their personal life experiences while using horror to reflect on their queer identity, and vice versa.
The insight from these memoirs is wide; in addition to tackling on queer subjects as: being gay or lesbian in a religious household, growing up trans and dealing with gender issues, how bisexual visibility and queerbaiting seem to go hand in hand; there is also discussions about class, race, disability, abuse, fertility treatments, proving once more that we can’t analyze these matters in an isolated environment, everything is connected, and the only way to deal with it is voicing our experiences.
Language might be the best thing that we have to bridge the void between ourselves
Not all essays hit the same, but I blame it on not having seen some of the movies being referenced, but overall it was really interesting the interpretation from a queer lens. My favorite had to be Bad Hombre: ¿Eres tú, papá? by Sarah Fonseca. I was greatly surprised to see that her essay was based on a Cuban horror film, those, as she mentions are non-existing here, and even this movie is not widely known. I know she has Cuban heritage but it makes me sad that sometimes foreigners are able to appreciate Cuban culture more than us because they’re not under the weight of our government. (the reality experienced by those confined to this island trapped between the past and the future) I am unapologetically biased, but with this article I connected in a way that I didn’t with the others. I couldn’t relate to the abuse story she was telling, but it was something deeper than that, I felt anxious, and so agitated that I had to stop reading it a few times.
The burden of patria is the burden of padre, and the burden of padre becomes the burden of mija.
Definitely recommend it, specially for the season.
Read
September 13, 2024Review coming soon!
October 16, 2023
This was simply fantastic, a collection of intimate essays contemplating classic horror films through various lenses of queerness.
The "horror" imagery of blood serving as a metaphor for AIDS contracting fears.
Samara from The Ring's [or ghosts from The Grudge] contortions of limbs and body serving to paint the disabled, or differing joints\bodies, as horrific and frightening.
Werewolf transformations as metaphor for what closeted individuals in the past (and some now, of course) were made to feel - as if a monster were inside them.
This is a fantastic collection and one that feels as if each writer tore out bloody, grisly bits of themselves and their trauma to throw on the page - perfectly fitting for an anthology of horror concepts.
The "horror" imagery of blood serving as a metaphor for AIDS contracting fears.
Samara from The Ring's [or ghosts from The Grudge] contortions of limbs and body serving to paint the disabled, or differing joints\bodies, as horrific and frightening.
Werewolf transformations as metaphor for what closeted individuals in the past (and some now, of course) were made to feel - as if a monster were inside them.
This is a fantastic collection and one that feels as if each writer tore out bloody, grisly bits of themselves and their trauma to throw on the page - perfectly fitting for an anthology of horror concepts.
October 5, 2022
A wonderful collection. Every anthology has its lows and highs- luckily the lows were fairly enjoyable, perhaps needing some slight editing, but the highs were spectacular. It’s a book that doesn’t ask many questions and allows readers to sit with each author’s interests in their own intersections of identity and love for a medium that a lot of queer people find drawn to in deeply personal ways. Readers that do not know any or very few of the movies being discussed will likely struggle, because this is an unabashed passion project that never feels the need to explain itself. If you’re someone that has interest in both horror and queerness, I think you’ll love it.
November 23, 2022
Personal essays where people use horror films to discuss their sexuality and gender? Sign me up! This is a great collection, the use of horror films to write about queer topics provides so many different avenues for the authors to go down. All of the essays here feel so unique.
These aren’t essays that are concerned with deep film analysis, it’s more using the movie as a way to relate to things in their own lives and write about experiences with queer sexuality, gender, not relating to specific “traditional” gender roles, family, relationships, and more. I can see some readers being disappointed if they went into this just wanting straight up film criticism and weren’t expecting personal essays.
I decided to watch all of the movies that I hadn’t already seen before reading the essays they were based around. I don’t think that’s necessary. Because these aren’t really about the movies themselves you can still appreciate the essay without having watched it. The authors give enough context to explain how they’re connecting the movie to their own stories. But I would say that if you are planning on watching any of the movies that it’s a good idea to do it beforehand since they discuss a lot of spoilers.
My personal favorite essays are Carmen Maria Machado’s about Jennifer’s Body, S. Trimble’s about The Exorcist, Laura Maw’s about The Birds, and Jude Ellison S. Doyle’s about In My Skin. The only one I didn’t really appreciate was Will Stockton’s about Child’s Play. I love that franchise and was interested to read how the author related it to his life. But I ended up being kind of uncomfortable with how much of the essay was about revealing personal things about a teenage kid him and his husband adopted and the behavioral issues he had. I just kept thinking “is your son okay with you writing all of this for strangers to read?”
These aren’t essays that are concerned with deep film analysis, it’s more using the movie as a way to relate to things in their own lives and write about experiences with queer sexuality, gender, not relating to specific “traditional” gender roles, family, relationships, and more. I can see some readers being disappointed if they went into this just wanting straight up film criticism and weren’t expecting personal essays.
I decided to watch all of the movies that I hadn’t already seen before reading the essays they were based around. I don’t think that’s necessary. Because these aren’t really about the movies themselves you can still appreciate the essay without having watched it. The authors give enough context to explain how they’re connecting the movie to their own stories. But I would say that if you are planning on watching any of the movies that it’s a good idea to do it beforehand since they discuss a lot of spoilers.
My personal favorite essays are Carmen Maria Machado’s about Jennifer’s Body, S. Trimble’s about The Exorcist, Laura Maw’s about The Birds, and Jude Ellison S. Doyle’s about In My Skin. The only one I didn’t really appreciate was Will Stockton’s about Child’s Play. I love that franchise and was interested to read how the author related it to his life. But I ended up being kind of uncomfortable with how much of the essay was about revealing personal things about a teenage kid him and his husband adopted and the behavioral issues he had. I just kept thinking “is your son okay with you writing all of this for strangers to read?”
October 21, 2023
A phenomenal collection of essays from various queer lovers of horror and their connections, interpretations, and understandings of their favorite horror films.
I laughed, I was enthralled, I was moved to tears.
This doesn’t even need to be for film lovers or those who enjoy horror. The essays and the explorations of various horror films and how they connect to the essayist’s personal life are all deeply interesting and fantastically written.
I love this book so much.
CW: themes and descriptions of: homophobia, transphobia, descriptions of self harm, violence, death, murder, miscarriage, grief, domestic violence, sexual harassment, brief descriptions of past childhood sexual assault/harassment
I laughed, I was enthralled, I was moved to tears.
This doesn’t even need to be for film lovers or those who enjoy horror. The essays and the explorations of various horror films and how they connect to the essayist’s personal life are all deeply interesting and fantastically written.
I love this book so much.
CW: themes and descriptions of: homophobia, transphobia, descriptions of self harm, violence, death, murder, miscarriage, grief, domestic violence, sexual harassment, brief descriptions of past childhood sexual assault/harassment
June 7, 2023
i liked this in concept but after a while some of the stories kinda felt repetitive as hell. like there’s really so much you can say along the lines of “the monster was demonized/had to be hidden…AND SO WAS/DID I” even if you’re saying it in different ways. i also wish we got more stories from trans women because i feel as though they’re particularly demonized when it comes to just general society but especially in horror.
however, all in all, this wasn’t bad. no essay was particularly horribly written or totally uninteresting and i would recommend it to any queer horror newbie! my favourite stories were: the girl, the well, the ring and twin/skin.
however, all in all, this wasn’t bad. no essay was particularly horribly written or totally uninteresting and i would recommend it to any queer horror newbie! my favourite stories were: the girl, the well, the ring and twin/skin.
January 30, 2023
oftentimes when i review anthologies, i say there were ups and downs, but this book ranges from B++ to A+ all the way through. some essays were more to my taste than others, but all of them were so well-written and well-organized that i can’t help but be overall impressed. if you’re looking for a diverse theorization about queer appreciation for the horror (film) genre, look no further!
April 3, 2023
my favorite part was when jason voerhees and michael myers kissed on the mouth
April 25, 2022
First of all, that cover is perfect, as is the title of this anthology. So clever, and the essays are just as slick. I will say, I skipped the essays for the movies I hadn't seen yet, but I really loved many of the essays I did read (around half). Some of the connections between queerness and horror were surprising and interesting. The Halloween, Child's Play, and Elm Street essays will stick with me, and I really liked the Get Out, Us, and Candyman essays as well. And you can't go wrong with Jennifer's Body. I'm shocked there isn't an essay on Scream though, and the lack of Elm Street 2 is surprising. Because of these gaps, in terms of iconic queerness horror has to offer, this does feel a little incomplete to me. Can't recommend enough to horror fans looking for unique perspectives! 4/5 stars.
October 22, 2022
3.5/5 stars
I’m not a horror fan by any means so I haven’t seen most of the movies these essays reference but in spite of that, I really enjoyed this.
I love being a raging homosexual
I’m not a horror fan by any means so I haven’t seen most of the movies these essays reference but in spite of that, I really enjoyed this.
I love being a raging homosexual
August 17, 2023
gay rights: queer books can be boring too
Read
October 20, 2024SLAY (literally)
December 27, 2022
Did not meet my hopeful expectations. I found most of the connections to specific horror films tenuous and inorganic, as though the authors were given prompts and told to write, write, write.
It was a shame for two reasons, the first being the missed opportunity to create a really spectacular collection of essays on queerness and horror.
The second reason: Some of the most interesting details were left as B-plots or insufficiently explored--teases that were frustratingly far more fascinating than what the author had to say about this or that film.
For example, one author writes about Hereditary. Fine, kind of boring and vaguely connected. HOWEVER, I was completely enthralled by the personal details of his writing, his marriage to a woman while struggling with his attraction to men, but even more, his blossoming secret interest in gaining weight and other men gaining weight. Curious, poignant, NEEDED MORE PAGE TIME.
It was a shame for two reasons, the first being the missed opportunity to create a really spectacular collection of essays on queerness and horror.
The second reason: Some of the most interesting details were left as B-plots or insufficiently explored--teases that were frustratingly far more fascinating than what the author had to say about this or that film.
For example, one author writes about Hereditary. Fine, kind of boring and vaguely connected. HOWEVER, I was completely enthralled by the personal details of his writing, his marriage to a woman while struggling with his attraction to men, but even more, his blossoming secret interest in gaining weight and other men gaining weight. Curious, poignant, NEEDED MORE PAGE TIME.
September 25, 2022
Carmen Maria Machado's essay has her usual spunk and passion. I also enjoyed Addie Tsai (on Dead Ringers, and being a twin), Sam Autman (on Get Out, and being Black in Utah), and Will Stockton (on Child's Play, and being a foster parent).
September 30, 2024
Really enjoyed this collection, it has a diversity of voices and experiences and the films discussed are a great blend of classics + hidden horror gems.
I don't know exactly what else to say about it in this review, so I'll just mention my favorite essays and leave it at that! I really loved: Both Ways by Carmen Maria Machado, discussing Jennifer's Body and bisexuality, The Girl, the Well, the Ring by Zefyr Lisowski, discussing The Ring (also disability, possibly Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome), Indescribable by Carrow Narby, discussing The Blob and Society (and being agender + being seen vs. being observed), The Wolf in the Room by Prince Shakur, discussing As boas maneiras (which I super wanna see now!), Loving Annie Hayworth by Laura Maw, discussing The Birds (which I saw on stream once with many many bisexuals and we all agreed that Melanie and Annie were super into each other) and Centered and Seen, by Sumiko Saulson, discussing Candyman (one of my faves as a teen).
I will say that it was a pleasure to listen to this audiobook, listening to so many queer people talk about how they managed to watch horror creations in a clandestine way - that was my experience too, I'd hope that my parents would fall asleep on the sofa and I could watch horror movies on HBO or Tales from the Crypt and other things!
I don't know exactly what else to say about it in this review, so I'll just mention my favorite essays and leave it at that! I really loved: Both Ways by Carmen Maria Machado, discussing Jennifer's Body and bisexuality, The Girl, the Well, the Ring by Zefyr Lisowski, discussing The Ring (also disability, possibly Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome), Indescribable by Carrow Narby, discussing The Blob and Society (and being agender + being seen vs. being observed), The Wolf in the Room by Prince Shakur, discussing As boas maneiras (which I super wanna see now!), Loving Annie Hayworth by Laura Maw, discussing The Birds (which I saw on stream once with many many bisexuals and we all agreed that Melanie and Annie were super into each other) and Centered and Seen, by Sumiko Saulson, discussing Candyman (one of my faves as a teen).
I will say that it was a pleasure to listen to this audiobook, listening to so many queer people talk about how they managed to watch horror creations in a clandestine way - that was my experience too, I'd hope that my parents would fall asleep on the sofa and I could watch horror movies on HBO or Tales from the Crypt and other things!
October 5, 2024
wasn’t super impressed with this one. i think a lot of the essays would’ve been fine if they were published on their own, but suffered due to the same thing being expressed in 70% of the book. there’s simply only so many times you can read ”i related to the monster because they, too, felt demonized, hidden, and ostracized.” before you have to start rolling your eyes. like okay? can you give me some more depth?
some of the stories broke out of this formula and struck out a me, particularly imprint, the blob, and twin skin, but i couldn’t get over the repetitive nature of the book. snoozefest
some of the stories broke out of this formula and struck out a me, particularly imprint, the blob, and twin skin, but i couldn’t get over the repetitive nature of the book. snoozefest
July 31, 2023
I thought I would be rating this pretty high out the gates. Unfortunately, this ended up being a pretty forgettable collection of essays. There were a few standouts, but mostly they were either repetitive or the connection to their selected movie was tenuous at best.
You can tell which writers had an actual passion for horror and felt genuine queer resonance with their film. Unfortunately those are drowned out by the ones who felt like they were struggling to satisfy the requirements of a creative writing prompt.
You can tell which writers had an actual passion for horror and felt genuine queer resonance with their film. Unfortunately those are drowned out by the ones who felt like they were struggling to satisfy the requirements of a creative writing prompt.
March 5, 2024
I’ve never been a fan of movies in my life, much less scary ones: in high school my classmates would put them on when we had free periods and I would get overstimulated by the sudden loud noises — also I often had anxiety attacks in class, which were unrelated to the movies but let’s just say that the whole atmosphere wasn’t a pleasant one, or one that I thought I would want to relieve in my spare time. To my surprise, though, in the last few years I’ve realised that I do like the explorations of the fears depicted in horror, at least in literature, so when I saw this anthology I HAD to read it.
I think it helps that, despite never having watched a single one of these movies I still don’t plan to because ~everything~ got spoiled. Every essay mentions which movie the essay talks about, so it’s still fairly easy to avoid spoilers.
All of the essays deal with different facets of sexuality and gender identity while tying their personal experiences with a particular movie — some of the essays were interesting and well crafted, while others disappeared from my mind right after I finished reading them, as it always happens in a collection; I don’t think I can fault the authors or editor for that. Not all of the movies deal with queer issues, and when they do they use a queer identity to depict evil, or to shock the audience (never mind that probably all of these movies came out after the Hays Code had been changed into the rating system so there was no need to depict lgbtq+ people in a bad light… they were just being homophobic), but the authors saw themselves in these movies, and applied a queer lens to analyse them anyway.
Despite liking the idea more than the execution I’m still rounding my rating up to a four!
I think it helps that, despite never having watched a single one of these movies I still don’t plan to because ~everything~ got spoiled. Every essay mentions which movie the essay talks about, so it’s still fairly easy to avoid spoilers.
All of the essays deal with different facets of sexuality and gender identity while tying their personal experiences with a particular movie — some of the essays were interesting and well crafted, while others disappeared from my mind right after I finished reading them, as it always happens in a collection; I don’t think I can fault the authors or editor for that. Not all of the movies deal with queer issues, and when they do they use a queer identity to depict evil, or to shock the audience (never mind that probably all of these movies came out after the Hays Code had been changed into the rating system so there was no need to depict lgbtq+ people in a bad light… they were just being homophobic), but the authors saw themselves in these movies, and applied a queer lens to analyse them anyway.
Despite liking the idea more than the execution I’m still rounding my rating up to a four!
October 18, 2024
There is one essay that has me fucked up (/derogatory).
There are a few essays that fucked me up (/complimentary).
I think I wish there was a slightly more completionist compilation that sought to cover all the classic monsters and subgenres, but I get that that's a futile endeavour and not the point of this collection.
There are a few essays that fucked me up (/complimentary).
I think I wish there was a slightly more completionist compilation that sought to cover all the classic monsters and subgenres, but I get that that's a futile endeavour and not the point of this collection.
January 17, 2023
I truly don't know where to begin with my review of this book.
This collection combines two of my favorite things: horror and ALL THINGS QUEER. I've spent years dissecting horror films on my own and finding the queer-coding; however, it's only been recently that I've seen that reflected back to me. First with Shudder's Queer for Fear series that aired in October, and now with this collection of horror movie analyses through a queer lens.
This book took me SO LONG to read, but not because I wasn't enjoying it. I just made it a point to watch ALL of the films shared in this collection BEFORE reading the essays based on them.
Some of the films that have become new favorites for me (that I hadn't previously watched) were:
-In My Skin
-Friday the 13th Part 2
-The Blob
-Jaws
-Society
I had previously watched Sleepaway Camp, Jennifer's Body, Hereditary, The Ring, The Birds, Candyman,A Nightmare on Elm Street, Us, The Blair Witch Project, Halloween, and Get Out; therefore, those have been long-time favorites of mine already.
Although all of the essays were, truly, spectacular, the ones that I enjoyed most were:
- "My Hand on the Glass" by Bruce Owens Grimm (discussing Hereditary)
- "Imprint" by Joe Vallese (discussing Grace)
- "Indescribable" by Carrow Narby (discussing The Blob and Society)
- "Loving Annie Hayworth" by Laura Maw (discussing The Birds)
- "Centered and Seen" by Sumiko Saulson (discussing Candyman)
- "Blood, Actually" by Grant Sutton (discussing Friday the 13th, Part II)
- "The Me in the Screen" by Stefan Triplett (discussing Us)
Looking back at this, four of the essays that were my most favorite were about films I had seen before, 2 were about films that I would consider new favorites after watching them in anticipation for this collection, and 1 was about a film that I would consider my LEAST favorite film out of all those mentioned in this collection.
Altogether, if you are a horror movie fan, this book is a NECESSITY for your collection. If you have a hard time understanding what people mean when they say, "horror is queer," then read this book, and you'll have your answer. Horror is INNATELY queer, and the discussion within this text highlight that perfectly AND beautifully (like there were some sections that had me tearing up... seriously). This book is a must-read, and I hope that there will be another collection following this theme very soon because I'm already craving so much more. EVERY SINGLE ESSAY WAS PERFECT!
This collection combines two of my favorite things: horror and ALL THINGS QUEER. I've spent years dissecting horror films on my own and finding the queer-coding; however, it's only been recently that I've seen that reflected back to me. First with Shudder's Queer for Fear series that aired in October, and now with this collection of horror movie analyses through a queer lens.
This book took me SO LONG to read, but not because I wasn't enjoying it. I just made it a point to watch ALL of the films shared in this collection BEFORE reading the essays based on them.
Some of the films that have become new favorites for me (that I hadn't previously watched) were:
-In My Skin
-Friday the 13th Part 2
-The Blob
-Jaws
-Society
I had previously watched Sleepaway Camp, Jennifer's Body, Hereditary, The Ring, The Birds, Candyman,A Nightmare on Elm Street, Us, The Blair Witch Project, Halloween, and Get Out; therefore, those have been long-time favorites of mine already.
Although all of the essays were, truly, spectacular, the ones that I enjoyed most were:
- "My Hand on the Glass" by Bruce Owens Grimm (discussing Hereditary)
- "Imprint" by Joe Vallese (discussing Grace)
- "Indescribable" by Carrow Narby (discussing The Blob and Society)
- "Loving Annie Hayworth" by Laura Maw (discussing The Birds)
- "Centered and Seen" by Sumiko Saulson (discussing Candyman)
- "Blood, Actually" by Grant Sutton (discussing Friday the 13th, Part II)
- "The Me in the Screen" by Stefan Triplett (discussing Us)
Looking back at this, four of the essays that were my most favorite were about films I had seen before, 2 were about films that I would consider new favorites after watching them in anticipation for this collection, and 1 was about a film that I would consider my LEAST favorite film out of all those mentioned in this collection.
Altogether, if you are a horror movie fan, this book is a NECESSITY for your collection. If you have a hard time understanding what people mean when they say, "horror is queer," then read this book, and you'll have your answer. Horror is INNATELY queer, and the discussion within this text highlight that perfectly AND beautifully (like there were some sections that had me tearing up... seriously). This book is a must-read, and I hope that there will be another collection following this theme very soon because I'm already craving so much more. EVERY SINGLE ESSAY WAS PERFECT!
May 23, 2023
Disclaimer: I only read 4 of the essays. "Both Ways (Jennifer's Body)" by Carmen Maria Machado, "My Hand on the Glass (Hereditary)" by Bruce Owens Grimm, "The Wolf Man's Daughter (The Wolf Man)" by Tosha R. Taylor, and "Sight Unseen (The Blair Witch Project)" by Spencer Williams.
Out of those 4, "Sight Unseen" was the best, but overall I was disappointed with the essays. They were very surface level and very thinly connected to the movies themselves. The movie inclusion was more like a gimmick so this wouldn't be 'just another nonfiction queer memoir essay collection' rather than an an actual component when it came to writing the essays, at least the ones I read.
Out of those 4, "Sight Unseen" was the best, but overall I was disappointed with the essays. They were very surface level and very thinly connected to the movies themselves. The movie inclusion was more like a gimmick so this wouldn't be 'just another nonfiction queer memoir essay collection' rather than an an actual component when it came to writing the essays, at least the ones I read.
November 4, 2022
loved this (obviously!)
December 3, 2023
Bardzo byłam podekscytowana czytaniem jak zaczynałam, a ostatecznie mnie strasznie momentami męczyła.
Jest kilka esejów naprawdę fantastycznych, do których będę wracać, a większość jest takich okej, bez rewelacji, z fajną myślą albo z uwagi na poruszaną tematykę/wybrany do analizy film; niestety, jest kilka naprawdę złych, w tym jeden potencjalnie szkodliwy, który nie wiem, jak przeszedł przez edytorów. Brrr.
Poza tym, co na wielki minus, mała różnorodność. Książka ma podtytuł „QUEER Reflections on Horror”, ale równie dobrze mogłaby nazywać się „Gay and Occassionally Trans Reflections on Horror.” Zapadł mi w głowę prześwietny esej osoby agenderowej na temat postrzegania ciała i seksualności, bardzo egzystencjalny w wydźwięku; co ciekawy, był to jedyny esej, w którym pojawiło się słowo „aseksualny”, a to i tak tylko przy wyliczaniu postaw wobec seksu. Tak więc no, esejów jest tutaj dużo, na pewno znaleźliby się reprezentacji innych tożsamości.
Wielki plus — intersekcjonalność. Te eseje to nie tylko queerowość, ale także rasa, klasa, zdrowie psychiczne (nie licząc fatalnego podejścia wyżej wspomnianego fatalnego eseju, który zmiótł z planszy wszystkie tematy, wtf w ogóle), perspektywa osób z niepełnosprawnościami czy chorobami przewlekłymi, rodzicielstwo, rodziny imigranckie, i dużo więcej. Mnogość autorów daje mnogość autentyczność doświadczeń i to chyba główna siła tego typu zbiorów.
All in all — nie odradzam; wręcz przeciwnie, jeśli ktoś, tak jak ja, kocha horrory, to na pewno znajdzie tu sporo dla siebie. Ja po prostu liczyłam na coś więcej, a ta książka to zwyczajnie spoko ciekawostka.
Jest kilka esejów naprawdę fantastycznych, do których będę wracać, a większość jest takich okej, bez rewelacji, z fajną myślą albo z uwagi na poruszaną tematykę/wybrany do analizy film; niestety, jest kilka naprawdę złych, w tym jeden potencjalnie szkodliwy, który nie wiem, jak przeszedł przez edytorów. Brrr.
Poza tym, co na wielki minus, mała różnorodność. Książka ma podtytuł „QUEER Reflections on Horror”, ale równie dobrze mogłaby nazywać się „Gay and Occassionally Trans Reflections on Horror.” Zapadł mi w głowę prześwietny esej osoby agenderowej na temat postrzegania ciała i seksualności, bardzo egzystencjalny w wydźwięku; co ciekawy, był to jedyny esej, w którym pojawiło się słowo „aseksualny”, a to i tak tylko przy wyliczaniu postaw wobec seksu. Tak więc no, esejów jest tutaj dużo, na pewno znaleźliby się reprezentacji innych tożsamości.
Wielki plus — intersekcjonalność. Te eseje to nie tylko queerowość, ale także rasa, klasa, zdrowie psychiczne (nie licząc fatalnego podejścia wyżej wspomnianego fatalnego eseju, który zmiótł z planszy wszystkie tematy, wtf w ogóle), perspektywa osób z niepełnosprawnościami czy chorobami przewlekłymi, rodzicielstwo, rodziny imigranckie, i dużo więcej. Mnogość autorów daje mnogość autentyczność doświadczeń i to chyba główna siła tego typu zbiorów.
All in all — nie odradzam; wręcz przeciwnie, jeśli ktoś, tak jak ja, kocha horrory, to na pewno znajdzie tu sporo dla siebie. Ja po prostu liczyłam na coś więcej, a ta książka to zwyczajnie spoko ciekawostka.
March 7, 2024
The only reason I bought this is for the essay on Jennifer’s Body but I’m happy to say I absolutely loved every single essay. Especially the one on Jennifer though because that essay spoke to my soul and the exact feelings I have about that movie. If you’re queer and love horror then you absolutely need to read this one! Even if you’re just queer or just love horror or neither of those, just read this book.
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