Podcasts
The Camp, the Kink, and the Queerness in ‘Batman Returns’ [Horror Queers Podcast]
Gay Sewer Gremlin.
After closing out November with some Satanists in The Seventh Victim, we kicked off December with the queer-coded antichrist in Fear No Evil before getting into the rape-revenge weeds with David Fincher’s The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Now it’s time to really get into the holiday spirit with what may be one of the kinkiest (and queerest) superhero films of all time: Tim Burton‘s Batman Returns!
In the film, the monstrous Penguin (Danny DeVito) joins up with wicked shock-headed businessman Max Shreck (Christopher Walken) to topple the Batman (Michael Keaton) once and for all. But when Shreck’s timid assistant, Selina Kyle (Michelle Pfeiffer), finds out, and Shreck tries to kill her, she is transformed into Catwoman. She teams up with the Penguin and Shreck to destroy Batman, but sparks fly unexpectedly when she confronts the caped crusader.
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Episode 156 – Batman Returns (1992)
Happy Holidays, Bats! We’re heading back to Gotham City to discuss Batman Kills…wait…no…Batman Cameos…wait…still not right…Batman Returns! Joining us for the conversation is Alex Hall, a film writer who specializes in queer & lesbian horror cinema!
Join us as we laud the queer-coding of Catwoman and the Penguin before trying to figure out just how this dark, campy and horny “family” movie got made (Tim Burton’s expert negotiation skills and bringing on the Heathers screenwriter probably has something to do with it).
Plus, erogenous zones blown sky high, resurrection via pussy, a nose-biting castration, Poodle Lady appreciation, a lesson in vichyssoise, and just how epic and amazing is Danny Elfman’s score? Mee-OW.
Cross out Batman Returns!
Coming up on Wednesday: We’re opting out of our usual coverage to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Scream with an episode on the 25 reasons we love it so much!
P.S. Subscribe to our Patreon for tons of additional content! This month, we will have episodes on Nightmare Alley, Initiation, Silent Night and a minisode on trailers that are way better than the movies they’re advertising. Plus, as a holiday present, an audio commentary on Gremlins!
On the DL.
After spending June on explicitly queer texts like Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn (listen) and William Castle’s Homicidal (listen), it’s only appropriate that Horror Queers celebrate the American holiday with a blockbuster film with a not-so-secret gay connection.
In Independence Day, an unlikely group of people come together when the human race faces extinction from a threatening alien race. After spaceships destroy every major city, pilot Steven Hiller (Will Smith) must team up with secret tech genius David Levinson (Jeff Goldblum), as well as the US President (Bill Pullman), to execute a daring plan to save the planet from annihilation.
Along for the ride are the two saviors’ romantic partners – WH Communications Director Constance (Margaret Colin) and stripper Jasmine (Vivica A. Fox) – plus eccentric scientist Dr. Okun (Brent Spiner), who is at the center of the film’s most horrific set piece.
Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get a new episode every Wednesday. You can subscribe on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeartRadio, SoundCloud, TuneIn, Amazon Music, and RSS.
Episode 393: Independence Day (1996)
Today, we celebrate our Independence Day…courtesy of gay German director Roland Emmerich.
As the summer blockbuster celebrates its 30th anniversary, we’re looking back on an alien disaster film that scared young Trace (thanks to that alien autopsy scene) and turned Will Smith into a star.
Plus: the death that upsets the most; bemoaning Vivica A. Fox’s career; pondering what could have been with the casting; why Smith’s bravado and the film’s patriotism doesn’t always work for Joe; and plenty of riffing on the atrocious sequel.
Cross out Independence Day!
Coming Up Next: We’re retreating to the country for some questionable therapy courtesy of Joe Dante’s 1981 classic, The Howling!
P.S. Subscribe to our Patreon for over 503 hours of Patreon content including this month’s new episodes on Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Forbidden Fruits, Saccharine, Evil Dead Burn, an audio commentary on the utterly ridiculous sequel Howling II: Your Sister Is A Werewolf (1985), and the conclusion of our Requel Tier coverage of AMC’s The Vampire Lestat.