Summoning Sylvia is a supernatural horror film that offers a unique and welcoming experience. The film tells the story of a group of friends who decide to spend a weekend in a haunted mansion, where they unwittingly invite danger and supernatural forces into their lives. While the film features classic horror elements, it also explores the complexities of queer relationships and identities in a nuanced and relatable way.
If there’s ever been a horror film that feels like a warm hug, it’s Summoning Sylvia. The idea of the genre being able to elicit those tones definitely seems contradictory, but this supernatural queer horror has cozy undercurrents beneath the jump scares that come with huddling in a dark corner of the film's antique, haunted house.
This unique experience and intriguing atmosphere can only really be attributed to the genuinely affable main cast, who play their characters with sheer authenticity and share heartfelt chemistry with each other. More significantly, they give the genre a fresh take on queer characters, veering away from contrived stereotypes and establishing nuanced human experiences a universal audience can relate to. With co-directors Wesley Taylor and Alex Wyse at the helm of this film with a 100% RT score, many of the crew and cast members are part of the LGBTQ+ community, lending their voices to re-invigorate the overlooked sub-genre. 'Summoning Sylvia' Is a Welcoming Queer HorrorFor this friendship group, a Victorian-era mansion is the perfect location to host a surprise bachelor's weekend, and when the groom-to-be's blindfold is uncovered, he couldn't agree more. Larry (Travis Coles) sashays through the doors with his three best friends on his tail as they gasp and gush over the fragile antiques and delicate architecture. Reggie (Troy Iwata) has planned a meticulous itinerary filled with dancing and games, which will also hopefully distract Kevin (Noah Ricketts) from his bad break-up, but Nico (Frankie Grande) mandates one activity that the title gives away. When you're in a haunted house, a seance is obligatory, especially when Nico has an ancient book of spells and incantations.Related A Queer History of Horror: 10 Essential Queer Horror Movies To Watch This HalloweenThis Halloween, dive into the rich history of queer horror films. Posts From the beginning of Summoning Sylvia, the chemistry between the four friends is enticing, between the witty one-liners, sassy honesty and dramatic flair. We easily believe that they are lifelong friends, which nurtures genuinely contagious love and laughter through their comedic gems. Making them likable in this fairly simplistic premise is a key component to redefining queer characters in horror, as their welcoming energy makes us invested in their group and their experiences. But when Larry's people-pleasing behavior makes him accidentally invite his fiancé's homophobic brother Harrison (Nicholas Logan) to the party, the comforting atmosphere is disrupted by creeping tension. Since a level of connection and empathy has already been established with the group, we hold our breath and tiptoe on eggshells around Harrison alongside them. It deftly captures the queer experience of not precisely knowing how to act with a new person when you're unsure of their beliefs, aggravated by the dark, supernatural events that are about to unfold. Between Harrison's out-of-pocket homophobic remarks and the hallmarks of a classic haunting, the cheap thrills of the genre grip the air, but are deepened by how the cast weaves in their queer experiences. 'Summoning Sylvia' Redefines Queer Characters in HorrorClose Horror is a popular genre for marginalized communities to convey their voices through, from the racial commentary in Jordan Peele's hits to female rage becoming the basis for quite a few survival or revenge horrors. While there are some standouts, the sub-genre of queer horror is still a fairly overlooked space, and some of that can be attributed to the prejudices of how characters are portrayed. Gay men in particular are severely pigeonholed and often ridiculed as effeminate, but Summoning Sylvia deconstructs this archetype by giving us what we expect but making it authentically human. Each of the characters has the drama and extravagance we have come to expect from gay men and drag queens in media, from touting gorgeous make-up looks to responding with bold comments we can only dream of mustering up. But this attitude never feels grating or over-done as it is mingled with four distinct and nuanced personalities that are also achingly familiar. Who doesn't have a people-pleasing friend like Larry who we are always telling off, or a Type A planner like Reggie that we are constantly rolling our eyes at? We can all relate to feeling insecure over a stray comment, like Nico does when he is accused of being'over-the-top,' or the timeless idea of hesitantly trying to turn a friendship into something more romantic. These universal experiences humanize the characters, building on the likable foundation that was cemented at the start by their inviting friendship. It makes the characters accessible to more diverse audiences, while also remaining faithful to the queer experience, as Larry's pushover trait is paired with the idea of hiding his queerness to make someone else feel comfortable, or Nico's insecurity also being fed into by prejudic
QUEER HORROR SUMMONING SYLVIA HORROR FILM REVIEW LGBTQ+ REPRESENTATION IN HORROR SUPERNATURAL HORROR
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