Horror’s most iconic monsters & misfits have always lived on the margins. Frankenstein’s monster hides from the mob. Werewolves conceal what they become. Vampires survive in the shadows. For many queer viewers, the monster in the movie is just a reflection.
But the villain can also be cause for celebration, as is the case in Halloween Headliners, the 14-minute short film directed and written by Chris Carter and John Simpson. The film follows longtime drag rivals Elvirus and Betty Whitecastle as they co-headline a Halloween show at a creepy, remote gay campground.
When the lights go down, their battle for the spotlight becomes a fight for survival. Elvirus also co-wrote and produced the film, which premiered at the Toronto Indie Horror Fest on April 9 at Eyesore Cinema and heads next to Shock Stock in London, Ont., from April 29 to May 3.
Why queerness and horror have always belonged together
Elvirus said the bond between queerness and horror runs deep.
“I think the queer community can definitely relate to that feeling of being on the outside looking in,” she said. “A lot of the heroes in horror movies have witnessed the unbelievable and are often ridiculed for speaking out. It’s very relatable to queer folk when you’ve been told by society you don’t fit in, it’s a phase, or you’re just confused.”
Carter saw the connection from a different angle.
“For many people, being queer is scary and anxiety-inducing, and when you expose yourself to scary things, it helps process some of those inner fears,” he said. “Like exposure therapy.”
Camp, comedy and horror: a balancing act
Layer camp on top of that and something combustible happens. Carter said most horror concepts are an inch away from being comedies, citing directors like Jordan Peele and Zach Cregger, who came to the genre from comedy backgrounds. Getting the balance right between horror, comedy and camp is tricky—lean too far in one direction and the whole thing collapses.
Elvirus said the directors each pull the film in different directions, and that tension is what makes it work.
“I basically live in a tent pitched on too much camp,” she said. “It’s a place Chris and John like to visit but always drag me back to reality. Or try to.”
How drag culture shapes the monsters & misfits in Halloween Headliners
The world of drag gave the filmmakers a natural vehicle for that mix. Carter said the genre’s glamour, soapy feuds and big performances meant the film could do a lot of storytelling without much exposition.
“Looking at Elvirus, you immediately know she’s a drag queen, so that tells you a lot about the character without having to do anything,” he said.
That characterization is a matter of friendly debate on the team. Elvirus prefers a different label.
“What drag? I’m a beautiful lady!” she said.
The real rivalry behind the film’s fictional feud
The rivalry at the film’s centre is real—or at least, real enough. Elvirus and Betty Whitecastle are close friends. That’s not very entertaining. So during the pandemic, they manufactured a feud instead. Elvirus produced a YouTube drag tournament called Get Dragged, where performers traded insults in elimination rounds. Betty entered. The online rivalry clicked—most of the time.
“I’ll actually write insults about myself and get Betty to say them and vice versa,” Elvirus said. “And it’s easy because she’s an old hag!”
Simpson said the bits that misfired were often the funniest—a joke that doesn’t land, a bit that isn’t quite in Betty’s wheelhouse. That awkwardness gave the rivalry authenticity..
“That relationship was a great jumping off point to build the film around,” he said.
Filming a queer horror short on zero budget
The film was shot at Rainbow Mountain Resort in the Pocono Mountains, where Elvirus had performed years earlier. Simpson said drag performers routinely get booked in unexpected places, so setting two feuding queens at a remote gay campground felt plausible. Elvirus’s character also works at the campground.
Production was a guerrilla affair. There was no real budget or crew. Simpson said they took a “more is more” approach to set decoration, filling the space with Halloween props. Carter said he wished there had been more time for the performers to improvise, but the pace left little room. The script, though, captured their essences.
Simpson praised both queens for their commitment on set.
“For them to get hosed down with blood or run laps around a hilly campground at 1 a.m.—with zero complaints—is honestly so impressive,” he said. “On top of all of this, Elvirus and Betty were legitimately putting on a drag show at the campground that we had to navigate around.”
Where to see the monsters & misfits in Halloween Headliners next
The Toronto Indie Horror Fest premiere delivered what the filmmakers were hoping for.
“There were laughs where we wanted laughs,” Carter said.
Elvirus said the festival’s intimate setting at Eyesore Cinema felt warm and welcoming.
“I felt like a kid in a candy store.”
The film next screens at Shock Stock, the long-running horror convention and film festival in London, Ont. Elvirus had simple advice for anyone who hasn’t been.
“Oh my Godzilla, if you’ve never been to Shock Stock you must go!” she said. “There’s nothing like it.”
Asked what she hopes audiences take away from the film’s monsters & misfits, Elvirus didn’t hesitate.
“Fun! I always hope people have a good time and a couple of laughs,” she said. “And if someone out there wants to fund a feature, call me!”
Seriously. Call her. Because this film has the story and plot for a full-fledged feature.
Meanwhile, Simpson offered a darker takeaway for what viewers should get out of Halloween Headliners.
“The film teaches a valuable lesson: if you have a rival who threatens your meteoric rise to stardom, you must do anything and everything possible to take them down—including murder,” he said. “Just kidding! … Or am I?”