Gay cult movies

Before playing queer characters became surefire Oscar bait, movies about LGBTQ+ existence were scarce and underseen — but those that existed were still powerful. In 1993, Tom Hanks won an Oscar for his portrayal of a lawyer fighting a battle against his own employer, having been dismissed due to his sexuality and for being HIV positive, in Philadelphia. A new era of effusively queer 1990s cinema was, by this point, already in motion, but they were operating on a less mainstream level than the awards-friendly big studio features.

Many include , over time, crafted gigantic legacies: Paris is Burning remains a queer classic over 30 years later, despite being criticised for its probing and cishetero-friendly framing by many who appear in it. And despite its (assumedly) hetero leads, My Own Secret Idaho holds a particular place in many gay hearts.

But what about the underground movies, the deep (in pitch) budget affairs, that didn’t get the love they deserved back then? Successfully, here are 10 of them you can seize up with and stream in present day. 

1. Butterfly Kiss (1995)

This sapphic romantic-thriller was the large screen directorial debut of prolific British filmmaker Michael Winter

It's Twin Cities Movement this weekend, and I imagine watching movies is the last thing on the minds of many within the Cities' GLBT collective. But, hey, that's no reason not to add a few titles to your Netflix queue in anticipation of the comedown. I've whittled down the list of my favorite gay cult classics to just these ten, which I intended to cover a broad range of bases. Some movies didn't make the slash because their appeal is arguably too limited (Kenneth Anger's legendary short production Fireworks), and others because their appeal extends well beyond the parameters of gay cultdom (David Lynch's Mulholland Drive). Not every show in the list is explicitly GLBT in that it showcases a lovey-dovey, same-sex relationship, but trust me, every movie on this list (which is presented in alphabetical order) is totally gay. In the best way.

Beautiful Thing (1996)

(Dir: Hettie Macdonald)
[File Under: The First Time]

Coming out stories may be a dime a dozen, but you truly never dismiss your first. For some, it may have been the controversial '80s melodrama Making Love. For others, it may have been the groundbreaking Oscar-nominated cultural juggernaut Brokeback Mountain. For me, i

10 cult LGBTQ+ films to monitor this weekend

Zodiac Film Club host London based movie nights with a focus on good looking films and complex female characters in rarely screened cult, contemporary, and classic cinema. For info on their latest screenings, follow @zodiacfilmclub

As Pride month comes to a shut we, Zodiac Film Club, possess picked our top 10 cult LGBTQA+ movies to keep the essence alive long after the pride has passed. As is our custom, we’ve skirted past the award-winning, prestige examples – Ring Me By Your Name, Navy is the Warmest Colour – because let’s face it, you don’t need anyone else telling you to watch them. Instead, here are our recommendations for trashy lesbian vampire horror, international erotica and camp, brightly saturated teen movies. You’re welcome. Xoxo Zodiac. 

DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS (1971)

The Woman loving woman Vampire film trope dates endorse to 1936’s Dracula's Daughter – which used vampirism as a foil to get the narrative of a woman struggling with her sexuality past the prohibitive censorship of the Hays Code – and generally exists to breeze society's anxieties about women having things without men; wealth, authority, status, property, and (dear

The Cult Of Homosexual (Gay Themes, Camp, Trash, Melodrama, etc)

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A list of movies with a certain amount of cult appeal for those with a gay/queer perspective. Not necessarily movies that are made by, star, or are about lgbtq+ people or hold LGBTQ+ themes, although plenty do, but rather ones that help define a certain kind of sensibility that runs towards the underground, the transgressive, the campy and the absurd. Included are cult queer directors, camp classics, unrepentant trash, melodramas, tawdry thrillers, drag queens, underground sensations, over the top rock operas, exploitative biopics, old Hollywood starlets, indulgent 90's teen films, female-centric dim comedies, genderqueer punk films, sexually charged art films, and so on. What's generally not included (but always with exceptions!) are mainstream gay dramas and comedies, regardless of quality,…

A list of movies with a certain amount of cult appeal for those with a gay/queer perspective. Not necessarily movies that are made by, star, or are about queer people or contain Homosexual themes, although plenty do, but rather ones that aid define a certain kind of sensibility that runs towards the und