Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Death Drop Gorgeous’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture, ‘Death Drop Gorgeous’.
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The 1970s and 1980s, were a genuinely magical time for horror films. Because this is an era of filmmaking where writers and directors simply let loose storytelling wise and did whatever it took to produce their independent story and the end result was nothing short of iconic. For George A. Romero put the living dead on the map with Dawn of the Dead and Tobe Hooper and John Carpenter reinvented the slasher genre with their stunning films The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Halloween respectively, and Wes Craven and Larry Cohen worked to create some gritty and dynamic stories through their own unique style of guerilla filmmaking. But what’s truly amazing about this era, is that the carefree nature of these directors and their desire to really push the envelope… inspired others, such as writer/director John Waters, to do the same with other genres of cinema.

For he saw an opportunity to really create some gritty and unique stories, the kind that shocked the audience without the use of monsters and his stunning work also put the LGBTQ+ community into the mainstream. If anything, this truly was a golden age for cinema, one that has never been replicated, largely because the films that are influenced by the work of these revolutionary directors tend to build upon what was created. Which isn’t a bad thing in the slightest, since there is still plenty to explore when it comes to the powerful and far reaching concepts that all of these directors brought to the silver screen and it just so happens, that a trio of writers and directors recently stumbled upon a story idea that would allow for the world to celebrate John’s work and the work of those horror greats by combining their collective genius into one twisted slasher flick in Death Drop Gorgeous.

Now in this particular film, we are introduced to a man named Dwayne, who is at a crossroads in his life. For the relationship he thought would change his life and put him in a comfortable place, outright fell to pieces. Which has motivated him to leave the memory of his boyfriend behind and return to Providence with his head hung low, since he must start over again. But thankfully, his longtime friend Brian has a room for him to rent and his former (and greasy) boss, Tony Two Fingers, is happy to hand Dwayne his old job back at Tony’s Drag Bar. Giving Dwayne hope that life will be stable for a bit, a hope that is quickly dashed by quite the unpleasant surprise. In that, someone is carefully stalking and killing patrons and performers at the bar and draining them of every ounce of their blood and now, it will be up to Dwayne to figure out who this person is and how to stop them, since their reign of terror has paralyzed everyone with utter fear.

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Which is a plot that oozes homage and rightfully so. Because that really is a perfect blend of what John Waters explored about the human condition in his stories, combined with the best parts of the slasher genre and well, while it is wonderful to know that our trio of writers and directors (Michael J. Ahern, Christopher Dalpe and  Brandon Perras) were eager to tip their caps to the greats of that era, there is one big question that is immediately hanging over anyone curious about this particular film. In that, does this merging of different styles work and thankfully… it does. In fact, going this route is actually a stroke of genius. Because it allows for balance to take place, the kind where the horror elements are offset by some solid character development since we get to know Dwayne and Brian and everyone they hang with on an intimate level and going that route, vests the audience in this story, and these dynamic characters and seeing someone try and harm them is infuriating to say the least.
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Unfortunately though, they do indeed face harm, and goodness… are the horror elements here quite epic. Because this movie also does a wonderful job of offering up a grand mystery surrounding the killer and why on earth, they’re draining the blood of their victims and it is how they obtain said blood and kill that makes this aspect of the story so worth our while. Because the kills are inventive and unique and downright twisted at times, to the point where you will definitely cringe while watching them and the reveal as to why exactly our killer is so obsessed with the red liquid that sustains us all, is nothing short of epic. Simply because you don’t see it coming in the slightest, and that same shock is extended to the reveal of the killer and well, that’s all we will say on that part of the story because spoiling the ending would be a grave disservice to you.

Instead, we will simply point out that all the elements we’ve discussed, make Death Drop Gorgeous a worthwhile and engaging watch. In large part because of the nostalgia factor since so many of the visuals and the synth laden score, and the drag performers here, will transport you back to the exact moment you first saw a John Waters film or a horror film from one of the greats of the 70s and 80s. But also because… this movie does offer up some modern twists on these types of films. Plus, it features depth and commentary on the LGBTQ+ experience in modern America and well, if we’ve done enough to get you excited about this film, then this reviewer highly recommends you take a moment to visit your digital on demand provider of choice, and give this unique and refreshing motion picture a look.

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