The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
I have been drowning myself in 1980s new wave/gothic music all summer, especially Bauhaus. Now that fall is here, I am doubling down with gothic cinema. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, a silent German expressionist film of the Weimar Republic, follows a hypnotist who uses a sleepwalker as a vessel for murder. Visually stunning, Caligari twists viewers’ perceptions using sharp edges and shadows facilitated by an unorthodox set design that is just as much part of the art as the actual motion picture.
Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night 2 (1987)
The bitch is back! I am beyond excited to revisit Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night 2. This offshoot of Prom Night (1980) has it all: possession, campy 1950s dialogue, a subplot about teenage pregnancy, and undeniable queerness coming from the central antagonist. The film follows girl-next-door Vicky, who, after searching for a prom dress in the drama club closet, becomes possessed by prom queen-scorned Mary Lou, a promiscuous and tenacious 1950s teen who seeks revenge on her killers. It’s a fun mix of A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge and Carrie. I promise it will not disappoint.
The McPherson Tape (1989)
The McPherson Tape walked so The Blair Witch Project could run. The McPherson Tape is a found footage film from 1989, ten years before The Blair Witch Project became the blueprint for the future of found footage. Instead of a witch in the woods, The McPherson Tape revolves around an alien encounter during a family’s birthday celebration in 1983. Be prepared to watch this as if it were a home video you just popped into your VCR.
Queer for Fear (2022)
It has been a long time coming for this four-part series on the history of queer representation in the horror genre. Premiering September 30th with new episodes each week, Queer for Fear will discuss horror’s queer roots in the monster movies of the 1930s-1940s, make connections between horror cinema and dozens of queer histories, and how the genre has evolved since the problematic portrayals of the past. Get your notebooks ready and pencils sharpened (or just pull up your Letterboxd Watchlist), and be prepared to find some new queer horror recommendations and favorites!
As always, all these movies can be found on Shudder, so make sure to check them out!