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The 11th season of American Horror Story got going in October 2022. This time, the show moves to New York City during the early 1980s and involves a serial killer targeting gay men. The police won’t do a thing, much to the gay community’s chagrin. Reporter Gino Barelli takes matters into his own hands and gets much more than he bargained for, getting involved with S&M, viral bioweapons, and the killer and their penchant for Mai Tais.
It’s an interesting take on the series, but once it’s done, it’s done. Where else can its fans get their fix for criminal horror? Here are some recommendations that American Horror Story: NYC fans may find worth their while.
7/7 The Addiction
If fans are looking for a gritty, New York-based urban horror film, director Abel Ferrara is a good source for them. His 1995 film The Addiction takes vampirism and turns it into an allegory for drug use. For example, NYU student Kathleen suddenly gets bitten by a woman called ‘Casanova’ one night and ends up developing signs of becoming a vampire.
She hates bright light, loses her appetite, and develops a growing lust for blood and more. It soon becomes a habit as she bites more and more people. She tries to control it, but the temptation is too much. It’s a fascinating take on the vampire subgenre, offering gore and thrills as well as plenty of food for thought. Not to mention some fine performances from Lili Taylor as Kathleen, and Christopher Walken as a recovering vampire.
6/7 Silence of the Lambs
Here’s an easy suggestion, given it’s on the precipice between being either a crime drama or a horror film. Agent Clarice Starling’s mission to stop serial killer Jame ‘Buffalo Bill’ Gumb became one of author Thomas Harris’ top books, and Jonathan Demme’s film adaptation became the de facto version of the story.
Anthony Hopkins’ joyfully evil take on the cultured cannibal Hannibal Lector became the definitive version of that character, inspiring all subsequent versions. It may be hard to get into the film just because everything else has copied it, done a homage to it, or straight-up spoofed it. But if anyone missed out on its legacy, Silence of the Lambs is as good as its reputation says it is.
5/7 Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge
The first sequel to Wes Craven’s original dream-based slasher came out in 1985 and has built up a reputation for its gay coded scenes. So, it should scratch the itch AHS: NYC fans for both LGBTQ themes and 1980s settings. But is it any good beyond that? At the time, the film didn’t catch on, and Wes Craven (who didn’t direct it) didn’t care for the “silly script” and felt it diminished Freddy Krueger.
Other critics said Freddy talked too much, which is funny, given he’d talk more and more with each sequel. Nonetheless, the film’s story about Freddy possessing a young man called Jesse has had a reappraisal over the years. It often sparked debate over whether its gay themes were intentional or not. Either way, there’s certainly enough on offer to provide an intriguing and underrated Elm Street entry.
4/7 Summer of Sam
Spike Lee’s take on NYC during the height of the ‘Son of Sam’ murders precedes AHS: NYC’s setting by a few years. But its combination of crime thriller, horror, and the effects it has on a Bronx neighborhood is quite engaging. It may even have been an influence on AHS: NYC, given it shares a few themes and similar scenes.
The only issue is that some of its scenes are more effective than others. The people in the neighborhood succumbing to paranoia and their own personal issues are a strong portrayal of hysteria. The scenes focusing on the actual ‘Son of Sam’ killer David Berkowitz come off quite goofy, particularly with how they pulled off the talking dog. So, be careful, as the film has its downs as well as its ups.
3/7 B&B
B&B by Joe Aherne features a gay couple who, previously spurned by the Christian owner of a bed-and-breakfast, finally get their room after winning a court case. Despite the tension between themselves and their host, they learn to work together when another guest with dark intentions comes to stay. That said, while the movie features homophobia, it doesn’t really dwell on the issue of discrimination against gay people.
The premise is more the basis for the characters’ attitude, be it the sore winner Marc, his tired partner Fred, or the bitter landlord Josh, which might be for the best, as it highlights their separate paranoias over their new guest. Is he some muscle hired by Josh to threaten the couple? Or someone trying to seduce Josh’s closeted son, Paul? Or does he have something more nefarious in mind? It makes for an effective thriller that’s worth a watch or two.
2/7 Black Swan
Darren Aronofsky’s dark thriller about fractured minds and ballet has that strangely cold and disturbing atmosphere that the AHS goes for. But it goes beyond the series’ limits as its lead ballerina, Nina, does all she can to live up to her mother’s expectations and get the top part in Swan Lake. The director thinks she’d be a great fit as the White Swan, but her rival Lily embodies its black counterpart perfectly.
The two end up sparking a friendship where Nina learns to try new things and take risks. But as she does, she starts suffering hallucinations and injuries until she thinks she’s actually becoming a swan. Things only get worse from there as she loses touch with reality. It’s an engaging and freaky tale with some engaging performances that psychological horror fans will click with.
1/7 Hellbent
Finally, for horror fans who just want a straightforward slasher, Hellbent should be just what they’re after. The movie is more in the vein of I Know What You Did Last Summer, as a sickle-wielding killer stalks through the nights following Halloween. Wearing a devil mask, the killer targets gay couples, and he has police technician Eddie and tattoo enthusiast Jake in his sights. It has the usual romps that late 90s/early 2000s slasher films had, featuring gore, sex, and sprinkles of irony here and there.
The difference is that it’s all gay, with male leads, love interests, and victims. While the drama isn’t exactly on par with Black Swan, the film caught on because it was an effective take on the genre that didn’t stereotype its characters. They were slasher tropes, but they weren’t using their sexuality for yuks. It wasn’t the first LGBTQ+ version of a slasher flick, but it did spawn a series of other gay slasher films and queer horror flicks in its wake.
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