It Came from the Closet

Starred review from July 25, 2022
Queer writers recall the horror films that touched their lives in this stellar anthology. Noting in the introduction a common “deep queer affinity” for horror, NYU writing professor Vallese lays out the conundrum at the center of the collection: “How can we find such camaraderie in the very thing that so often slights us?” There’s not a weak piece in the pack; among the standouts is “Both Ways,” in which Carmen Maria Machado pushes back against accusations of queerbaiting in the 2009 flick Jennifer’s Body, detecting in them a judgment against fluid bisexuality. “There is such little grace given to the perfect messiness of desire,” she writes. In “Three Men on a Boat,” Jen Corrigan makes a convincing case for Jaws as a queer film (“Is there really anything gayer than three men on a boat?”), and in “The Girl, the Well, the Ring,” Zefyr Lisowski writes searingly about The Ring and Pet Sematary, both of which present the idea that “the disabled were to be feared”: “These movies hurt me and I kept watching them.... They were all I had.” Taken together, the pieces are a brilliant display of expert criticism, wry humor, and original thinking. This is full of surprises.

October 1, 2022

Horror is a genre that has been reviled by the larger art scene since its inception, although it has received more intellectual interest in recent years. Decades of being told they were the real monsters by people who are homophobic and/or transphobic, has uniquely situated queer people to discuss its indelible effect on the culture. Edited by Vallese (expository writing, NYU; What's Your Exit?), this book features essays by 26 authors who each reflect on a classic or contemporary horror film and discuss its relation to their lives as LGBTQIA+ individuals. This translates into deep dives, often purposefully grotesque, into gender and sexuality that many readers will be able to relate to. It is less an anthology about queerness in horror movies than it is an exploration of the queer people who watch these movies and reinterpret them. Each section is also paired with a collage of images from the films at hand, paying homage to vintage horror movie posters. VERDICT An excellent purchase for any film or queer studies collection.--Halie Kerns

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Starred review from September 15, 2022
This volume of critical essays on horror movies focuses its lens on queer perspectives. Although there are many stellar academic books in this category, they are often difficult to access. It Came from the Closet, featuring 25 essays from queer and trans writers, seeks to remedy this. In their discussions of films, the writers include the essential context of their own experiences. They speak of horror movies becoming an escape from the terrors of the real world but also of the ways film reflects the fears of the time, such as The Exorcist (1973) with Vietnam and Watergate. Along with analyses of recent films such as Get Out (2017) and Hereditary (2018), the volume also covers classics such as A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) and Jaws (1975). Each essay provides a plethora of fascinating details. Sumiko Saulson's work on Nia DaCosta's Candyman (2021) is moving when contrasted to her viewing the 1992 original and her interaction with Black horror and fandom. Carmen Maria Machado's essay on the 2009 film Jennifer's Body is particularly sublime. A critical text on the intersections of film, queer studies, and pop culture that will appeal to both academic and public-library audiences.

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