HALLOWEEN HORRORFEST 2021: Death Drop Gorgeous (2020)

We take another brief respite from Rataaplooza and welcome our sponsor for today, Patrick K. Walsh!  Patrick has been producing Scream Queenz, one of the definitive horror podcasts for years now.  He provides a biweekly dose of reviews and commentaries that views horror from a LGBTQ+ perspective.  Season Twelve of Scream Queenz started dropping recently, and I cannot recommend it more.  Patrick is representing Backpacks For the Street, which provides homeless people with backpacks filled with essentials such as clothes, toiletries, a first aid kit and food.

Patrick chose for me the recent slasher set in the world of drag clubs, Death Drop Gorgeous.

Dwayne (Wayne Gonsalves) has returned to Providence after his business--and his relationship with his boyfriend--has crumbled.  He gets a job at The Outhouse, a drag club run by the shady 'Two-Finger' Tony (Brandon Perras) where the original star of the club Gloria Hole (Michael McAdams) is being supplanted by younger stars like Janet Fitness (Matthew Pidge).  Dwayne tries to get his life together while a series of murders have begun with three things in common--the victims were gay, were connected in some way to the Outhouse...and were completely drained of blood.  It seems there's a mirror-masked killer on the loose who's about to cross our hero's path....

I should get this out of the way--I know that this film is not made with me, a straight cis male, in mind.  From pretty much its first frame--Hell, from one of the first company logos preceding it--writer/directors Perras, Christopher Dalpe and Michael J. Ahern make it very clear that this film is about a specific part of the gay community.  As such, the film takes on some of the aspects and elements from drag theater, and someone unfamiliar with that artform might not understand the archness of the acting and the vibrant color palette of most scenes.  There are a couple of actors (including, sadly, Perras) who are unable to walk that fine line between the heightened archness and out and out spoofery.  

But I say that to say this...for one thing, the script may take a little time to find its feet, but it ends up working extremely well.  Gonsalves makes a fairly decent 'average man' hero; when the film slides Dwayne into a Hitchcockian 'innocent man' frame for a moment, it feels thoroughly natural.  And McAdams is incredibly good, portraying someone fighting against time.  Late in the first act, I had assumed that Mcadams and Gosalves' characters were going to form a Holmes and Watson-like team to solve the mystery...which made the ultimate character arc for both characters both surprising and satisfying.

I am sure that the intention of Death Drop Gorgeous was to make a throwback to 80's era horror movies, but I think Perras, Dalpe and Ahern achieved something better.  By emulating the bright color palette of drag theater not only in its performance scenes but the kills, I found myself more in mind of vintage giallos...and damn if that transposition doesn't work exceptionally.  By the time the film reconfigures itself with a supernatural horror element--not long after the killer is revealed to the audience--I was totally on its wavelength.  Once I accepted it as a drag giallo, the film worked seamlessly for the rest of its run time.  I don't know if these writer/directors are planning to follow this film up with other horror flicks, but they are on to something here.  While yes, it's not made for me, they still found a way to make it resonate with me to allow me, someone very much on the outside of their intended audience, to enjoy it.

This is a well made movie that was intended for a specific audience.  If you're a part of that audience, watch it now.  I might recommend it for those of us outside that audience...just please keep your mind open.

And if you're unable to accept other ways of living as valid...please stop reading this blog.

Tomorrow, Ratapalooza takes to the air as my dear friends Jim and Theresa Moon (whose birthday is today, so happy birthday, Theresa!) of The Great Library of Dreams of Hypnogoria and Commentary Club give me the chance to rant and rave about one of my favorite films ever, Robert Fuest's 1971 stylized grand guignol The Abominable Doctor Phibes!

There are presently eleven open slots for this year's festival, and if you'd like to be included, there are four ways to get your share of the spotlight:

1) You can become a Domicile of Dread Patreon at any level.  Patreons always get a free slot, as well as advance access to podcasts and other goodies!

2) You can buy me a coffee at Ko-Fi.  Suggested donation is $3

3) You can make a donation to Queens Community House Covid-19 Relief and Recovery Campaign.  Suggested donation is $10.  Please forward your receipt to me as proof.

4) You can choose to make a donation to the charity chosen by a sponsor on his/her/their day. Like with the third possibility, please forward me proof of donation.

It is not necessary to choose a rat-based horror film.  However, if you do, I will forward you a special Ratapalooza banner you can display on your website.