Celluloid ClosetĀ is back for Mayās instalment and this month weāre bringing you something very different from last monthās movieĀ Coffee Date. Whilst that film was light, fluffy and a little bit romantic, this monthās movie is the gay horror movie classicĀ Hellbent. Thatās right folks weāre getting a little dark (to match the UK weather) and moving away from the romantic side of gay cinema.
HellbentĀ focuses on four gay friends who dress up for an evening of fun and frolics at the West Hollywood Halloween Carnival. Even though thereās been a grisly double murder in the city, the four guys decide they are still going to party their socks off. As the evening gets more and more raucous, an evil killer tracks the four men down and begins to pick them off one-by-one. Can any of them survive or is this one Halloween night thatās going to end in bloodshed?
The gay cinema genre and horror donāt always go very well together. Often the combination can lead to low budget softcore porn butĀ HellbentĀ doesnāt do that.Ā HellbentĀ may not redefine any horror genre conventions but it does serve up an interesting enough storyline to keep you engaged. As with all the best horrors it leaves you wondering and lets your imagination run wild rather than spoon-feeding you every detail you need to know.
From the opening sequence featuring the grisly murders of two guys getting it on in their car through to the genuinely creepy third act face-off,Ā HellbentĀ builds slowly and hits when youāre least expecting it. Over the course of the movie expect to see plenty of blood and we bet youāll be looking at Halloween through different eyes when it comes round again this year. Also prepare to be creeped out by the sinister horned killer that stalks the beautiful young things over the course of Halloween night.
Key toĀ HellbentĀ is the rather drop dead gorgeous Dylan Fergus. In the lead role of Eddie, Fergus is not only decent guy candy, he also shows some acting muscle. He makes for a great leading man and he plays Eddie with a mixture of vulnerability and strength. For much of the film heās pursuing bad boy Jake (Bryan Kirkwood) and trying to keep track of his wayward friends. Since this movie Fergus has gone on to star in a variety of projects most notably as Noah Bennett in US soapĀ Passions. Now heās stepped behind the camera to try his hand at directing, writing and producing.
If you like your horror with its tongue firmly placed in its cheek then youāll loveĀ Hellbent. Not the highest budget horror weāve ever seen but it certainly makes the most of what it does have. From the creepy killer through to the buff boys Hellbent knows its audience and makes sure you have an enjoyable ride.
Hellbent is available now through TLA Releasing.