Reviews
Digging Into the Campy Horrors of ‘Death Drop Gorgeous’

There is a duality between gay culture and the LGBTQ+ community not necessarily seen by the casual observer. On the surface, a sanitized dish sprinkled with a dash of camp that is both appetizing and easily digestible – think RuPaul’s Drag Race after its move to VH1, Netflix’s Queer Eye, or the very essence of Neil Patrick Harris. Underneath, however, lies a Giallo-like realm of irreverently dark humor, sex, and queer people being their unapologetic selves. Basically, what I imagine the inner workings of Julia Fox’s mind to be.
Death Drop Gorgeous, written and directed by Michael J. Ahern, Christopher Dalpe, and Brandon Perras, dives headfirst into the Gay Upside Down and explores this seedy underbelly of life known to many a queer person. It’s a horror film made by and for the community, with humor just as foul as its vicious gore and an esoteric script that is at times impenetrable to the untrained eye. While representation matters, so too do counterculture and defiance, and DDG is radical as hell.
This grungy slasher tracks a gaggle of drag queens, barkeeps, and aspiring somebodies – the local has-beens and have-nots of Providence, Rhode Island – as they struggle to make something of themselves. The catch? An unseen killer seeks to make blood bags of them instead, slaying and filleting their way through the community in and around the local gay bar that acts as the film’s hub. Borrowing more than a title from 1999’s dark comedy Drop Dead Gorgeous and taking cues from the likes of Showgirls, DDG becomes its own twisted version of these beloved cult classics. Gay colloquialisms replace small-town Minnesotan accents, and the backstage exploits of drag queens Janet Fitness, Tragedi, and Gloria Hole snatch the torch from antihero Nomi Malone and her Vegas contemporaries. Films that were already on the fringe of the mainstream are further subverted into something fully representative of a community and culture that doesn’t always see the light of day.
This spotlight shines on none more so than Gloria Hole, the aging, bitter drag queen with little to show for her tarnished brand other than hosting Tuesday Night Bingo at the local dive. She is rather aggressively being ushered out by younger and more flexible queens, and Michael McAdam (local Providence drag queen Payton St. James) is unmatched as Gloria, displaying comedic timing and dramatic range befitting an Oscar nomination (well, at least Golden Globe). While some of the film’s acting is a bit rough around the edges, McAdam left me transfixed each time Gloria was on screen, and boy does she have some sinful tricks up her sleeve. The cast is rounded out with amusing takes on the usual archetypes, such as buddy cops who break through the homoerotic tension into full-on lovers, the vile and corrupt bar owner with a soft spot for pup play, and the grating best friend who you actually wouldn’t mind seeing eternally silenced. Tragedi (drag queen Complete Destruction) also rises to unassuming icon status as a sociopathic bystander that could give Aubrey Plaza’s dry wit a run for her money.
DDG’s culture clash is also apparent when it comes to the production itself. LGBTQ+ centered media often tends to get the shaft regarding budget and visibility unless it’s awards bait or the aforementioned politically correct morsel, and at times these budgetary constraints are evident. Audio and video quality is noticeably lackluster in certain scenes when directly compared to others, which can be a bit jarring, but this ultimately does not detract from the film’s triumphs. The cutting humor and outstanding special effects work continue to pique interest, and by the time the film’s midpoint arrives – and the killer is revealed – it’s gone full tilt Giallo, and all is forgiven.
In this instance, the Giallo reference is not simply a knowing wink or homage: Genre specific structure, camerawork, coloring, and gore are peppered throughout until the final act sees the film fully release itself to the madness and perform a depraved dance that maniacally balances the styles of Dario Argento and John Waters. When I said DDG isn’t for everyone, I meant it, and even the Boulet Brothers’ darling of prosthetics and practical effects, Victoria Elizabeth Black, is on the crew to bring the carnage to life. Whether you want to see a phallus ground into mincemeat after a hookup gone awry or watch a chilling, purple-hued lip sync of Humanbeasts’ “Chandelier,” this film is your ticket.
Contrary to what current mainstream media would have you believe, there is a grittier side to the LGBT+ community that deserves to be seen and understood. The team behind Death Drop Gorgeous shines a blacklight on these dark corners and allows for an exploration of this shared experience. Stories of misbegotten dreams and cutthroat colleagues may not be unique to any one group of people, but it’s important to acknowledge where different cultures come from and maybe even have a little fun along the way. For some, this may prove cathartic, for others insightful, and for many open-minded souls, it’s simply a blast to behold.
Death Drop Gorgeous is streaming now on Shudder.
Reviews
[REVIEW] ‘The Dead Thing’ Takes Ghosting To A Whole New Level
The Dead Thing follows Alex (Blu Hunt), a young woman who works late hours, lives by the rays of a sunlamp, and is looking for the one connection that will make life seem less cyclical. When Alex meets Kyle (Ben Smith-Peterson), it seems like things will finally be going in her favor. But all that glitters is not gold. As quickly as he came, he vanished. Hurt, confused, and pissed, Alex tries to get to the bottom of why Kyle disappeared from her life. Some stones are meant to be left unturned.

Elric Kane has been a prominent voice in the film and horror space for a long time. One of my fondest memories of Kane is his longtime hosting gig on the Shock Waves Podcast. The amount of film knowledge and obscure films I learned about from him and Dr. Rebekah McKendry singlehandedly fueled my interest in collecting physical media. Hearing how passionate and intense they were with their love of the genre is also what started me down the path of writing. While Dr. McKendry has previously dipped her toes in the feature filmmaking game, it’s now time for Elric Kane to do so.
Cut to: The Dead Thing.
The Dead Thing follows Alex (Blu Hunt), a young woman who works late hours, lives by the rays of a sunlamp, and is looking for the one connection that will make life seem less cyclical. When Alex meets Kyle (Ben Smith-Peterson), it seems like things will finally be going in her favor. But all that glitters is not gold. As quickly as he came, he vanished. Hurt, confused, and pissed, Alex tries to get to the bottom of why Kyle disappeared from her life. Some stones are meant to be left unturned.
Writer/director Elric Kane’s (and co-writer Webb Wilcoxen) singular debut feature film is a superbly crafted supernatural spectacle. The Dead Thing starts slow and deliberate; rather than rushing into an overwritten plot with underwritten characters, Kane and Wilcoxen allow the audience to sit with Alex in her neverending love life. One aspect of Alex that I, and hopefully many will, appreciate is how Alex is written. Rarely does Alex feel written from the perspective of the male gaze. Her life may not be going in the exact direction she wants, but the film never makes it out to be a her problem. At no point do they try and make Alex out to be a floozy or condemn her for the life she’s living, instead they make those who live the same kind of lifestyle feel seen. The film asks the audience if they ever feel like there’s no escape; too many of us can relate to that.
It doesn’t matter how a character is written if the acting doesn’t deliver, and Blu Hunt delivers. Set aside the fact that she has one of the most badass names I’ve ever heard, Hunt provides an astounding lead performance. Whether she’s walking alone down a Los Angeles street, or playing off of her longtime friend Cara (Katherine Hughes), coworker Chris (John Karna), or the mysterious[ly handsome] Kyle, Hunt gives it her all. It helps that Ben Smith-Peterson and the supporting cast all give overwhelmingly brilliant performances.
Supernatural stories aren’t usually my go-to. They can be too overwritten, too style over substance, too “elevated”, or just plain boring. The Dead Thing quickly finds its footing and lets the audience accept it or not. Kane and cinematographer Ioana Vasile (who was a still photographer for Pontypool!!!) wonderfully capture the sometimes-solitary, sometimes-overstimulating beautiful hellscape that is Los Angeles. It should also be noted that one of my favorite actors in the world, Matt Mercer is a producer on this film.
The Dead Thing hits the perfect blend of claustrophobic loneliness and endless yearning. Just like Dr. Rebekah McKendry, it’s clear that Elric Kane doesn’t just talk the talk, he walks the walk. For his debut feature film, The Dead Thing doesn’t need resuscitation. I’d say run, don’t walk, to check this one out, but if you do…look left and right before crossing the street.
The Dead Thing hits Shudder on Friday, February 14! Watch it with your partner if you can, or watch it alone with a tub of ice cream and an overflowing glass of wine. I won’t judge.
Reviews
[REVIEW] ‘Bride of Chucky’ Takes The Franchise In A New Direction
Bride of Chucky follows two groups of people who inevitably meet up for a final climactic finale. Tiffany Valentine (Jennifer Tilly) procures Chucky’s (Brad Dourif) body following the events of Child’s Play 3. Her goal is to perform a voodoo ritual to put his soul back into a human’s body. Through a questionable series of events, Chucky kills Tiffany and puts her soul into the body of a doll. The side story follows Jade Kincaid (Katherine Heigl) and Jesse Miller (Nick Stabile) who elope, with a thousand dollars, from Jade’s overbearing police chief uncle Warren (John Ritter). After Chucky kills Warren, Jade and Jesse are fingered for the murder. That’s when hijinks ensue.

The Child’s Play franchise is all over the place. What started as a [fairly] serious slasher series surrounding a killer doll would morph into a Nightmare on Elm Street-like horror comedy before self-correcting to find a solid middle ground. I’ll be the first to admit that I have never really cared much for this franchise. Child’s Play frightened me when I was a kid, and it wouldn’t be until my college years that I decided to watch Bride and Seed–this altered my overall opinion of what the franchise stood for. Watching Child’s Play 2 and 3 back in college left me wondering how a franchise as culturally impactful as this one fluctuated in style and substance.
Bride of Chucky follows two groups of people who inevitably meet up for a final climactic finale. Tiffany Valentine (Jennifer Tilly) procures Chucky’s (Brad Dourif) body following the events of Child’s Play 3. Her goal is to perform a voodoo ritual to put his soul back into a human’s body. Through a questionable series of events, Chucky kills Tiffany and puts her soul into the body of a doll. The side story follows Jade Kincaid (Katherine Heigl) and Jesse Miller (Nick Stabile) who elope, with a thousand dollars, from Jade’s overbearing police chief uncle Warren (John Ritter). After Chucky kills Warren, Jade and Jesse are fingered for the murder. That’s when hijinks ensue.
Before the comments start, let’s return to the opening comment regarding Child’s Play turning into a horror comedy. Chucky was always one for quips. Like Freddy Krueger, Chucky would hit a one-liner shortly before or after his kill. These jokes worked to help cut through Chucky’s horror. It gave some momentary relief from the kills. Bride of Chucky is just one long gag, and for me, it’s frustrating. Like Nightmare, Bride of Chucky has lost the plot. Every scene seems to exist to facilitate a setup for the next bit or one-liner, rather than having moments of comedy flow naturally. The doll sex scene and swinger couple bits are just poorly thought-out filler.
I know this is going to anger some of you, but Bride of Chucky is a seriously awful movie.
There are a few moments that I do truly enjoy and work well in the overall Child’s Play universe. Tiffany kills the officer she buys Chucky’s body from with a nail file and then uses it to file her nails. The moment Tiffany stabs Chucky in the back at the cemetery is a great character moment, but it makes everything that led up to it pointless. With the exception of a few moments here and there, Bride of Chucky ends up being a chore to watch rather than entertainment. For a genre that has always been political, gay representation has been lacking for quite some time. The character of David Collins (Gordon Michael Woolvett) is a welcome addition to the story, but he feels underutilized in the grand scheme of it all.
While I may not care for the franchise much, I’ve done some research on it over the years. Bride of Chucky features many recycled bits from other Child’s Play scripts and you can really feel it. The kills are few and far between and feel overly forced. Child’s Play 4 was initially put on hold after the abysmal box office of Child’s Play 3 and maybe writer/director Don Mancini should have taken another year or so to really flesh out the canon of Chucky. Now, don’t get me wrong, I like the idea of Tiffany becoming a doll and becoming pregnant with Chucky’s baby. But I don’t think the ends justify the means.
Cult and Curse of Chucky, thankfully, take the series back to a more grounded and to-the-roots nature of what Child’s Play was, and I’m glad it took nearly a decade after Seed for it to come to fruition. Mancini is an excellent voice in horror, but time and constraints are necessary for his vision to be fully realized. Those who are Child’s Play die-hards will probably disagree with everything I’ve said, and that’s okay. As a casual Chucky fan, Bride of Chucky feels nothing more than a nu-metal, Hot Topic, try-hard entry into the franchise. The kills look solid, and Dourif gives an incredible vocal performance (as always) but there’s little to no substance to Bride of Chucky.
No wonder half of all marriages end in divorce.