Horror and Camp
The term “camp” is difficult to define. If you’re not part of the LGBTQ+ community you might remember camp as being the theme of the 2019 Met Gala. Camp is an aesthetic created by the queer community involving purposely exaggerated and over-the-top style. It has many roots in ball culture and drag. Camp takes things normally considered ugly or gaudy and makes them an art form. I suspect horror fans can appreciate this art, as horror does the same thing.
While the definition of horror is debated I believe that horror (for the most part) uses strange, unusual, and spectacular situations to address some kind of societal fear. Un-killable slashers, telekinetic prom queens, and man-eating plants are all a bit outrageous, yet horror fans love them anyways. It doesn’t matter if they’re unbelievable, the absurd fictitiousness is part of the art. The more extravagant a film is, often the more hardcore the fans.
Both camp and horror share an intentional breaking of societal norms that force the audience out of its comfort zone. They want to make you uncomfortable, because that discomfort forces you to think about the things that we hold as “normal.” Camp and horror make unwanted things wanted, which is one of the multitude of reasons so many people feel more accepted in these communities. We as outcasts (horror fans and queer people) are able to find solace in the regularly distressing environments created by camp and horror.
B-movies are some of the best examples of camp within horror. They don’t necessarily work hard to be the most revered films of all time. However, horror fans still love them- crazy stories and all. We can’t get enough killer space clowns and shark-filled tornadoes. We love the fun of them, worship the practical fx, and adore their weirdness. These films offer something to horror fans that camp offers to the queer community: a sense of belonging. The outside world can view our favorite movies as extravagant, but we see the beauty in them.
Basically, camp and horror go hand in hand. We wouldn’t be the community we are today without our appreciation for camp. There are hundreds of reasons why horror is queer, but the genre’s campiness is one of the biggest. Camp not only gives storytellers chaotic creative opportunities, but it allows fans to admire the absurdity of the imagination. Happy Pride.
