Zombie Apocalypse at the Queer Club

If there’s one thing you absolutely cannot stand at a party, it’s clogged toilets. At least: Dre’s brother-in-law, the organizer’s relative (played by Katy O’Brian, known from “Love Lies Bleeding”), comes to the rescue. Dre could do without his anti-queer remarks, but as long as the toilets work in the end, she has to accept it.

Besides, she already has a handful of other problems to tackle right before her big queer party. Her headlining act has pulled out at the last minute, because Yasmine (Dominique Jackson from “Pose”) would rather appear at a well-paid event.

Dre’s partner has an idea: Her colleague Sam could step in. But Sam and the party have a not-quite-smooth history, with conflicts not yet fully spoken. Better not, says Dre.

The party goes on, but then the night’s biggest problem shows up: a zombie apocalypse has gripped New York. And the first undead is already inside the club. Dre, for her part, still wonders if perhaps she took too much—that’d be not unheard of at a party like this.

The Drag Queens Glitter from Head to Toe

What to do? “Destroy the brain,” the plan goes. With glee, at least that is the look on the queer-phobic brother-in-law’s face, his crossbow already drawn. But the queer crowd can’t bring themselves to do it—and locks the undead in the go-go cage. The danger is contained, at least for now.

“Queens of the Dead” is far from a classic zombie movie. Director Tina Romero gives her debut feature a thoroughly queer spin not only through the cast. Visually, it also stands out from other zombie films: the lighting is often colorful, the clothes and jewels of the drag queens glitter from head to toe, and the outfits of the other guests exude provocative sexuality.

No gore-filled bloodbath

Moreover, the film shines primarily as a comedy: the drag queens do what drag queens do best—speaking with sharp wit and sharper tongues. The characters are funny, the gags land, and the pacing is right.

Typical horror elements are rather scarce: yes, a few zombies must be killed, but “Queens of the Dead” affords itself an average bloodbath rather than a gore-fest. The gross-out factor is also modest — probably the most unappetizing thing is the rat the brother-in-law cites as the reason for the blockage.

Carry the Father’s Torch

Director Tina Romero clearly hasn’t had an easy path with her debut: her father, George A. Romero, created genre-defining works like “Night of the Living Dead” and “Dawn of the Dead,” which enjoy cult status to this day. Can she, nearly nine years after his death, step into his footsteps?

She wants to “carry the Romero torch” forward while staying authentic, Tina Romero says. The film is as faithful as possible to her and her father’s legacy, while also proving she has her own voice.

More than just a queer stamp
Loyalty, in this sense, means the film also touches societal topics beneath the surface: drug use, solidarity within the community, pinkwashing. More importantly, the film demonstrates that Tina Romero isn’t simply slapping a queer label on a zombie movie.

She and co-writer Erin Judge don’t use the community as mere backdrop, but understand it — because only then can the film be as funny as it is. Whether “Queens of the Dead” becomes a classic remains to be seen. It doesn’t spread fear and dread, but as a queer horror-comedy it convinces with a community that won’t let an approaching apocalypse bring them down.