‘The boys they come, the boys they go’
Death Drop Gorgeous is a 2020 American slasher horror film about a killer slaughtering young gay men via a dating app.
Written and directed by Michael J. Ahern, Christopher Dalpe and Brandon Perras (Saint Drogo), the movie stars Wayne Gonsalves, Matthew Pidge, Brandon Perras-Sanchez and Michael McAdam.
Plot:
After a failed relationship and business endeavour, Dwayne (Wayne Gonsalves) retreats back to his hometown of Providence, Rhode Island. He reluctantly reaches out to his former boss, sleazy club owner Tony Two-Fingers (Brandon Perras-Sanchez), for any bartending shift available.
Dwayne secures a meagre Tuesday night shift but finds the venue isn’t the same he remembers. A new gaggle of drag queens now reign supreme, and their leader, the young and beautiful Janet Fitness (Matthew Pidge) has dethroned the club’s relic, Gloria Hole (Michael McAdam/Payton St. James).
As the dejected Dwayne and the ageing Gloria try to survive the hostile nightlife, a masked maniac, luring victims through a dating app, begins slaughtering young gay men from the club, draining them of blood. Worried this will negatively affect business, Tony pays two corrupt detectives (Michael J. Ahern, Sean Murphy) to cover up the carnage and unmask the killer.
However, the investigation unravels as more bodies turn up disfigured and drained. With no leads, the detectives set their sights on Tony’s employees, and everyone is suspect or a possible next victim…
Press blurb:
“Death Drop Gorgeous is a grassroots, community-built film that showcases the queer talent of the creative capital of America, Providence, Rhode Island. The project was an ambitious endeavour created by three friends who wanted to make an LGBTQ film that they had never seen before.
It was filmed on weekends and weeknights for over two years, and it is a passion project in every sense of the word. It’s a love letter to their city. It’s about protecting queer spaces and elders. And it’s about the very real monsters within the community.”
Reviews:
” …though drag queens are no doubt talented performers, they are not necessarily natural or easy actors. It’s a mixed bag here, though Gonsalves and Matthew Pidge are particular stand-outs, maybe even good enough to appear in movies that aren’t incredibly niche, self-made, and crowd-sourced. If you have fondness in your heart for drag, I’m sure it will extend to this film, where the fun is not just in guessing who’s draining the blood, but why.” @ssholes Watching Movies
“While this begins like a twisted giallo, with black gloves to boot, when our killer is revealed the film does shake off a midway slump and becomes all the more entertaining. In terms of performances, Michael McAdam steals the show as the catty and take-no-prisoners queen Gloria Hole. The finale setpiece may go on slightly too long, but we forgive as we’ve got this far and wanted to see how things turn out for these very fleshed-out characters.” Bloody Flicks
” …the final act is when we are hit with the bulk of the horror. There are some unexpected plot twists, an iconic scream queen makes a brief cameo without distracting us, and the killer’s performance is an absolute hoot, rising to the occasion for this gay slasher comedy’s campy tone.” Boys, Bears & Scares
“The story here is more fun than it is compelling, and the worldbuilding around the main slasher thread would benefit from being fleshed out a bit more. But again, it doesn’t get in the way of the colorful characters and dialogue. There’s also some nice threads about stereotypes, aging, and racism…” Cinema Seventy-Six
” …Death Drop Gorgeous is witty, energetic, loud, and free, reflecting the scene it represents. Its humour both cutting and loving as it bathes in its own unique creativity. The glitter-soaked horror that ensues, both inspired and inventive – paying homage to a range of horror classics from Misery to Carrie and Silence of the Lambs. As a result, Death Drop Gorgeous is undoubtedly one of the most fun and inspired queer horror-comedies of the past ten years.” Cinerama Film Online
“It might initially seem too kitsch and flippant to be worthy of emotional investment, but Death Drop Gorgeous will get under your skin. While familiarity with drag culture or horror cinema will add to your enjoyment, neither is really necessary. If you’re willing to accept the lack of polish and you’re up for fun, this film will show you a good time.” Eye for Film
“Death Drop Gorgeous is a wonderfully vampy, zany and sickening clash between three walks of life. Predators, prey and primadonna drag divas. Between the horror and drama, you’ll find tidbits of comedy, real-world themes, and supernatural elements. Plus, whoever cast this movie gets my applause for hiring the actors who filled the hot cop roles with breathtaking fashion.” Horror Society
“This was great fun, though it was perhaps a tad too long and certain scenes were perhaps unnecessary […] The deliberate layering of camp, mostly round the Brian character, might have missed but he was so endearing that the character worked. Most fantastic was Michael McAdam whose character channelled Bette Davis’ Baby Jane.” Taliesin Meets the Vampires
” …Death Drop Gorgeous is not just an impressive debut or an outstanding example of queer horror. It’s an excellent thriller with a nice touch of humour. And, as an added bonus, it has a cameo from Linnea Quigley (Camp Twilight, The Good Things Devils Do). It won’t be to everyone’s taste due to its subject matter and a couple of the more graphic scenes, but those willing to give it a chance will have a fabulous time.” Voices from the Balcony
“The climatic battle features some pretty nice stuntwork which helps drives the madness of the film. Death Drop Gorgeous is a great horror film that meshes classic slashers, tongue in cheek humor, and the world of the LGBTQ community from all angles. Any horror film should check this out, but that “meat grinder” death is the most cringeworthy one of them all.” World Film Geek
Trailer 1:
Trailer 2:
Trailer 3:
Release date:
In the USA, Dark Star Pictures released Death Drop Gorgeous theatrically and On-Demand on September 10, 2021.
Technical specs:
103 minutes
Related:
MOVIES & MANIA provides previews, our own film reviews and ratings, plus links to other online reviews from a wide variety of trusted sources in one handy web location. This is a genuinely independent website and we rely solely on the minor income generated by internet ads to pay for web costs and cover yet more movies. Please support us by not blocking ads. Thank you. As an Amazon Associate, we earn a very tiny amount from any qualifying purchases.
