freakboy on film: SWALLOWED (2022)

Do you swallow? 

Dom sure does, but only to make sure his best friend Benjamin has some extra money before leaving.  Benjamin is off to L.A. to become the next big gay porn superstar and the producers are paying for everything.  This is why Dom agrees to be a drug mule for his cousin Dee-Dee.  

The first thing to go wrong is Dee-Dee is out of it, leaving her girlfriend Alice in charge.  Dom tries to back out of the deal, but Alice convinces him, at gunpoint, to swallow several gelatinous spheres containing the drugs.  Alice even forces Benjamin to swallow one.  Their mission, which they are forced to accept, is to drive across the border to a specific rest stop and poop out the spheres. 

The second thing to go wrong is a confrontation with a homophobic redneck, leaving them in a mess, literally.  After getting punched in the gut, Dom expels some of the drug spheres, but one has broke open inside him.  The side effects are simultaneously numbing and arousing.  Freaking out, and not knowing what else to do, Benjamin calls the police.  Fortunately, or unfortunately, Alice shows up first. 

The third thing to go wrong is Alice drives Benjamin and a very high and hard Dom to a cabin in the woods, leaving them at the mercy of Rich.  Rich is an aging drug kingpin with a flamboyant stylish flare and he wants his drugs out of the two young men.  What will happen?  Will Rich retrieve his gelatinous drug spheres and how?  Will Benjamin poop out  the one he swallowed?  Will Dom and his erection come down?  Will Alice help or hinder the whole situation?    What exactly are the drugs anyway?  I’ll keep my mouth shut and swallow the answers. 

I ordered SWALLOWED from Vinegar Syndrome for 2 reasons: Jena Malone and Mark Patton.  I first saw Jena Malone in the wickedly irreverent SAVED! (2004) and I’ve been a fan ever since.  As Alice in SWALLOWED, Jena does not disappoint.  She is somehow both scary and sympathetic.  Mark Patton, of course, became horror’s first male scream queen in A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET PART 2: FREDDY’S REVENGE (1985), which had an effect on my worldview.  As Rich in SWALLOWED, Mark gives a tour de force performance.  He manages to be humorous and disturbing, sometimes in the same breath.  Even though I’m not as familiar with Cooper Koch as Benjamin and José Colón as Dom, they both give strong performances as very complicated friends trapped in a waking nightmare.  

Writer/Director Carter Smith keeps the story moving and creates a truly unsettling atmosphere.  When researching SWALLOWED, I surprisingly discovered that I had seen another Carter Smith film.  He directed THE RUINS (2008), which is about a jolly holiday gone horrifyingly wrong by some killer greenery.  I recommend THE RUINS and not just because Jena Malone stars in it.  

In conclusion…
SWALLOWED might be one of the most disturbing films I’ve seen in a long time.  However, what isn’t shown is the most unsettling and difficult to sit through.  That being said, I enjoyed the complex characters and have watched it more than once.  So, if you’re in the mood for some queer horror, you can’t go wrong with SWALLOWED.   Just sit back, relax and unclinch your cheeks!

Freak Out, 
JLH 

P.S. click the pic 👇 to read about a similarly titled film…

~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
Dare to swallow my queer books… 📚 

freakboy on film: TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA (2026)

I was searching for a soundtrack to some other film when I noticed a soundtrack to a film with a long and unusual title.  My first thought was, Is that a real movie?

After doing research, I realized it is a real film, obvi.  The trailer hypnotized me!  Gillian Anderson of X-Files fame stars!  Jane Schoenbrun (I SAW THE TV GLOW) is the writer/director!  I felt an overwhelming need (yes, need) to see TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA! 

I so badly wanted to grab my Mad Scientist Glasses and catch a showing in a theater, but I live in the center of Nebraska.  The closest theater showing it was 2 and a half hours away.  If I could drive, I would’ve been there in a heartbeat.  I even checked public transportation, which is about an hour away, and departures were at 2 in the morning!  It SUCKS to be visually impaired in the middle of nowhere! 

Anyhoo…since a theater screening was not going to happen, I purchased a digital copy from Apple TV the moment I could.  I convinced myself doing this was no different than purchasing an unknown Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome.  Ultimately, purchasing the digital version was perhaps better for my half-blind eyes than seeing it in the theater because of the extraordinarily helpful Descriptive Audio language option. 

You might be asking, “What is TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA about?”  

Well…

Is it about rebooting a problematic film franchise from a queer perspective? 

Is it about the stress of being a young filmmaker?

Is it about the emotional toll of being an actor? 

Is it about how films can positively and negatively alter us? 

Is it about the blurring of lines between reality and film?

Is it about the female orgasm? 

I will just say Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder better receive acting nods as the two leads!  As for Jane Schoenbrun, if they aren’t nominated for original screenplay and director, then the Academy Awards can sink to the bottom of Lake Miasma! 

In conclusion…
TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA was everything I expected, but also so much more.  I actually can’t stop thinking about it.  So if you’re a horror fan who enjoys a smart, unique take on the genre, grab some fried chicken, dipping sauce and loads of candy to better prepare yourself for meeting Little Death! 

Freak Out, 
JLH 

P.S.  Don’t forget to check out my post all about the recent poetry event I survived…
📜 
https://freakboyzone.blogspot.com/2026/09/i-survived-homegrown-poetry-event-in.html
📜 

freakboy on film: CANNIBAL GIRLS (1973)

A fresh, young couple take a trip and end up having car problems in a quaint, small town.  The inhabitants of this quaint, small town seem odd, yet nice enough, but maybe they simply want to have outsiders over as dinner.  Will the fresh, young couple escape or wind up as leftovers? 

Tragically, it’s not 1970s horror porn!

I couldn’t resist ordering CANNIBAL GIRLS from Vinegar Syndrome, partly because of the fun title, but mostly for the two leads.  I mean, the fresh, young couple are portrayed by Eugene Levy (Schitt‘s Creek) and Andrea Martin (Black Christmas), both of SCTV fame.  Then throw in Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters) as the director and CANNIBAL GIRLS should have been a tasty treat. 

Miss Manners does not approve!

Should being the operative word.

 
I found CANNIBAL GIRLS to be unbearably slow, with little suspense or humor.  Should I blame director Ivan Reitman?  Should I blame screenplay writer Robert Sandler?  (I can’t in good conscience blame Mr. Sandler since IMDb credits him as writing a handful of episodes of the original Fraggle Rock.)  Maybe I should just blame the cast because, according to IMDB, most of the dialogue was…shudder…improvised. 

Me watching improv.

In conclusion…
The most interesting thing about CANNIBAL GIRLS is Eugene Levy’s hair. 

The new Jan Brady!

Freak Out, 
JLH 

P.S.  click the Cannibal Daddy pic for more cannibals… 👇

~~~~~~~~~~~~
My books from Amazon…

booking freakboy: IT CAME FROM THE CLOSET (QUEER REFLECTIONS OF HORROR) edited by Joe Vallese

I love horror films, from classic to modern and everything in between.  So, when I stumbled upon IT CAME FROM THE CLOSET on Audible, I knew I was going to listen.  I didn’t check out the synopsis, so I assumed it was about the rare horror films with LGBTQ+ characters.  I was pleasantly surprised to be mostly wrong.  

IT CAME FROM THE CLOSET is a collection of essays from LGBTQ+ writers on how they found connections and even themselves in horror films.  It’s refreshing to hear a variety of queer voices telling their stories in conjunction with a genre that has a history of either demonizing or outright ignoring the LGBTQ+ community.  Each writer weaves a personal story, relating his/her/their life experiences with a favorite horror film.  One truly surprising aspect is the wide array of horror films mentioned.  Sure, FRIDAY THE 13TH and HALLOWEEN are there, but never in my wildest imagination would I’ve expected to hear people personally relating to the original GODZILLA or the 1980’s remake of THE BLOB.  All of these essays got me thinking about my connection with a horror film from my youth and a real life experience.  

Even when others stated it was the worst in the film series or complained the male protagonist screamed like a girl, I enjoyed the 1985 sequel A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET PART 2: FREDDY’S REVENGE.  I was around 13 years old when I first saw this much maligned entry in the Elm Street franchise on HBO.  While I didn’t love it as much as the first film, I was drawn to Part 2 for reasons I may not have fully understood at the time.  

In the opening scene, we see Jesse Walsh surrounded by peers in a school bus, but still he seems isolated, alone.  I knew that feeling all too well.  The relating increased as we see Jesse being tormented by his gym teacher and dealing with something inside of himself.  Much like Jesse struggling with nightmares of Freddy Krueger trying to take over his body, I knew I had to stay silent about the queer thoughts inside me.  Jesse is ultimately saved from Freddy by the love of a woman.  Though, in the end, Freddy is still there, clawing his way out.

The most memorable scene for me in A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET PART 2: FREDDY’S REVENGE is when Jesse, who may or may not be having a nightmare, visits what is referred to as a queer S&M joint in the film.  Once inside, Jesse is confronted by his leather-clad gym teacher.  Nothing sexual happens between the two, but the scene intrigued my 13-year-old self.  It felt dangerous and alluring.  Dangerous in the sense that my ultra-conservative, ultra-religious hometown would implode at the idea of such a place.  Alluring in the sense that it looked like a place for outsiders like me.  

Maybe that scene is why, at around 13, when I was washing my hands in the restroom at a Wendy’s Restaurant, I stared at the man using the urinal near the sink.  There was a small privacy wall, but I could see he was wearing black jeans, a black leather jacket and a pair of dark sunglasses.  His dark blond hair was slicked back and he looked dangerous and alluring, like he could’ve stepped out of that queer S&M joint.  He must’ve sensed my eyes fixated on him because he looked at me and then asked, “Do you like girls?”  

I recall his voice sounding deep, but neither gruff nor accusing.  Even at 13, I understood what he was really asking, but I didn’t feel threatened.  I just felt overwhelmingly nervous at being seen.  So, I answered, “Yes,” and quickly finished washing my hands.  Nothing more was said and I didn’t look at him as I left the restroom to rejoin my family in the dining area.  However, once seated, I watched the bathroom door and the man had an amused smile on his face as he left the restaurant.  

I never told anyone about this Wendy’s Restaurant encounter, probably because I knew people would freak out, even though nothing happened.  It was just an intense moment where my love of horror films and my queer life intersected.  At least, unlike Jesse and his gym teacher, my experience didn’t end in bloodshed.  Though it might have if I had answered his question differently. 

In conclusion…
Just like any collection, there are stories you’ll like better than others, but all are fascinating and powerful in their own ways.  The final essay about SLEEPAWAY CAMP is one of my favorites.  So, if you love horror and you’re on the LGBTQ+ 🌈 spectrum, or you’re an ally, then IT CAME FROM THE CLOSET might be the book for you! 

Freak Out, 
JLH 

P.S. click a pic 👇 for more queer horror…

~~~~~~~~~~~~
A list of queer books, some of which are available as audiobooks!  🎧 📚 

freakboy on film: IT! (1967)

Thanks to my damaged eyes, I don’t read text messages.  My phone reads them to me and this can sometimes result in confusion.  A friend texted me about the plot of EMBRYO, and in the same message, asked me if I had seen it, starring Roddy McDowell.  I assumed she was asking me if I had seen EMBRYO, even though saying Roddy starred in it seemed an exaggeration.  I mean, he makes a memorable appearance in it, but EMBRYO is Rock Hudson’s film through and through.  My friend then responded to my thoughts on that film, but concluded her message by once again asking me if I had seen it.  I felt like I was losing my mind, so I slipped on my Mad Scientist Glasses and took a screenshot.  After zooming in on her question, I realized she wasn’t asking me if I had seen EMBRYO.  She was asking if I had seen a film I had shockingly never heard of before.  IT! is a 1967 film from the UK that is like THE GOLEM and PSYCHO were stuffed together in a blender. 

Is that a cone on its head or is it just happy to see us?

After a fire destroys a storage building containing artifacts from Prague, museum curator Mr. Grove and his assistant, Mr. Pimm, search the rubble for anything salvageable.  The only thing left is a towering statue.  Grove reads part of an inscription and mysteriously dies.  Pimm doesn’t witness this, but uses it for his personal gain.  He is now acting curator and expects to spend more time with Grove’s grown daughter Ellen.  As an added bonus, being the museum curator makes it easier for Pimm to “borrow” jewelry from display cases to bring home for his dead mother to wear for a day or two.  Yes, dead mother.  Her skeletal remains sit in a rocking chair in Pimm’s flat.  This ghastly twist is revealed early on and shows Pimm’s disturbed mental state. 

Mother just wants to look fabulous!

It’s no surprise then when Pimm, after it’s revealed the statue is a Golem, uses the statue to kill and to impress Ellen by bragging he has the power to destroy a bridge.  However, Ellen only has eyes for Jim Perkins, a man from New York sent to authenticate the Golem.  Mr. Perkins is going to take the statue and Ellen to New York, which causes Pimm and the plot to go completely off the rails! 

We all go a little mad sometimes!

Pimm steals a hearse, kidnaps Ellen, and along with his dead mother and the Golem, holes up in a little castle.  He also holds castle caretaker Miss Swanson hostage and forces her to have tea with his dead mother and the Golem, but tragically, we never see this potentially hilarious and uncomfortable gathering.  Meanwhile, Mr. Perkins has figured out everything and now the British Army is trying to save Ellen and stop Pimm and the Golem.  What will happen?  Will Ellen be saved?  Will the army detonate a small nuclear warhead to stop Pimm and the Golem or will Miss Swanson be forced into another macabre tea?  You’ll have to watch to find out! 

Only the bust knows!

Roddy McDowall is perfectly Roddy McDowall as Arthur Pimm.  The rest of the cast is fine but this is McDowall’s film.  Writer/director Herbert J. Leder keeps viewers confused by showing some things, but not others.  Revealing Pimm is harboring his mother’s corpse so early causes a strange vibe to run through the plot.  Uneven is the best way to describe IT! but it is crazy fun, at least in the last 20 minutes. 

In conclusion…
IT! is a slow burn and only gets really bonkers when Pimm takes everyone to the castle.  Unlike some of the films I’ve reviewed for Rebecca of Taking Up Room’s SO BAD IT’S GOOD BLOGATHON over the years, I freely call IT! a bad film.  It’s a bit tedious at times, but the craziness makes it fun to watch.  So, if you’re a Roddy McDowall fan or you crave some low-key delirious storytelling, IT! might be the film for you! 

Freak Out, 
JLH

P.S. click a pic for more SO BAD IT’S GOOD films…

~~~~~~~~~~~~
A totally biased Reading List for 2026…null
📚 

Hideaway (a short story)

    The door is locked, bolted, boarded up.  They won’t think of looking for me here if I keep to myself.  In this dark room, I sit alone in the corner, quiet, silent as possible.  I barely want to breathe.

    I hear them out there, beyond the door.  Moving, always moving.  Sometimes with purpose, but sometimes they just can’t stop.  If not physically, then verbally.  Always the unbearable noise.  They can’t shut up or stay still, unlike me.  

    I can stay perfectly still, as far away from the door as I can get.  As far away from them.  They taught me to be afraid of them.  In little ways at first, but then I learned how truly damaging they can be.  This is why I must lock myself away from the pain and agony that is…

…other people. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~
2026, John L. Harmon 

Freak Out, 
JLH

P.S.  click a pic for another short story…

~~~~~~~~~~~~
A totally biased list of books and a couple of short stories you should read in 2026…
📚 

booking freakboy: BLOOD SPLATTERS QUICKLY by Edward D. Wood, Jr. (2014)

I am in the third month of a cheap three month trial of Audible.  Of course, I searched for some of my favorite authors, such as Ira Levin and Jacqueline Susann.  Yes, this search also included Ed Wood, the infamous cross-dressing filmmaker.  I truly did not expect to find any audiobooks of his work, but lo and behold, there was one.  

BLOOD SPLATTERS QUICKLY collects a variety of stories from Ed Wood originally published in pulp and nudie magazines in the early 1970’s.  Much like his filmography, the stories cover Ed’s favorite genres.  Horror, crime and sex fill each page, or track, as the case may be.  There is little doubt these stories are from the late, great Wood.  Dialogue is occasionally lifted directly from his films (“Beware. Take care.”) and Angora sweaters are featured more than once. 

Like other short story collections, there are hits and misses.  A few of them really stand out for me.  “Dracula Revisited” felt like a love letter to Bela Lugosi as a man investigates the myth of the legendary vampire.  “The Night the Banshee Cried” is about an undead woman roaming fresh from the grave and it was easy to picture Vampira from PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE.  As for Ed’s penchant for wearing traditionally feminine clothes, he used it to best effect in the title story “Blood Splatters Quickly” as a man seeks revenge for his sister’s death. 

As I’ve said in past reviews, Edward D. Wood, Jr. might have been heterosexual, but he wasn’t straight.  Two stories involving queer men dares to break stereotypes and includes progressive ideas, highlighting Ed as an ally, at least.  “The Autograph” is about a reporter interviewing a Hollywood cowboy who has just come out of the closet.  It’s easy to picture John Wayne as the cowboy, which adds an amusing touch.  “Superfruit” is sadly not about a gay superhero, but is about a queer man seeking business advice from a friend after losing his partner.  It really is more interesting than it sounds

. 
There is one story that made me feel physically nauseous.  “Breasts of the Chicken” is about a man who pays a fortune for a very specific delicacy.  It’s so disturbing and wrong that I almost skipped this story, but the twist ending is so perfectly demented and hilarious that I forgive the unbridled grossness leading up to it. 

A confusing highlight is “Come Inn.”  Within the first paragraph, I realized I knew this story.  Turned out “Come Inn” is sort of a Reader’s Digest Condensed version of Ed’s 1971 adult film NECROMANIA: A TALE OF WEIRD LOVE.  It covers the entire plot of a young couple going to a necromancer for their sexual problems in 20 minutes.  Strangely, Wood also wrote an expanded novelization of NECROMANIA in 1972 called “The Only House.”  Having experienced all three, I’d say the film is best, but the short story is more accessible to less adventurous Ed Wood fans. 

In conclusion… 
Just like the films of Edward D. Wood, Jr, this collection of short stories intrigued me, made me laugh, caused me to raise an eyebrow and occasionally inspired an eye roll.  So, if you’re an Ed Wood fan who hasn’t read his books, BLOOD SPLATTERS QUICKLY is a good introduction to his literary world.  If you already enjoy his longer efforts, then you know exactly what to expect from these short stories. 

Freak Out, 
JLH 

P.S. click a pic ⤵️ for more Wood… 

~~~~~~~~~~~~
Escape reality with my books, some of which are available as Audible audiobooks…
📚 
🎧 

freakboy on film: THE FIREWORKS WOMAN (1975)

Have all of my favorite film directors directed porn?  Ed Wood, Jr. certainly did!  One could argue that Andy Milligan did with the uncut version of FLESHPOT ON 42nd STREET because of at least two very real sex scenes.  Even John Waters admits that one uncomfortably memorable scene in PINK FLAMINGOS is a satirical take on DEEP THROAT.  Oh, and while Roger Ebert made it abundantly clear that Russ Meyer did NOT direct porn, I argue that his manically unhinged UP! (1976) is at least porn-adjacent.  (I really need to review that piece of celluloid craziness.) 

So, I guess it’s not a surprise that before Wes Craven gave us A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, he inverted and exploded the concept of adult cinema with THE FIREWORKS WOMAN (aka The Fireworks Man, which makes more sense as the title.) 

Angela is a complicated woman haunted by the past, by her incestuous feelings for her brother and by The Fireworks Man, a seemingly supernatural entity.  These three influences in her life seem to be entangled as she shows up at the church where her brother Peter is now a priest.  Angela wants to continue their taboo relationship that was consummated before Peter became a man of the cloth.  Peter swears he doesn’t want what Angela wants, but he gets her a job as a maid to one of his parishioners.  The twisted old refined lady and her kinky male cohort start Angela down a path of self-discovery, even though Peter is never far from her thoughts.  

Does THE FIREWORKS WOMAN end with a bang or a fizzle?  It ends just like a Wes Craven film should end, leaving the viewers questioning everything they just experienced.  

SPOILER ALERT

Peter gets advice from the Monseigneur and throws a church banquet.  Angela gets advice from Nicolas Burns (The Fireworks Man) and invites the congregation to an orgy at the same time as the banquet.  Guess which party the so-called faithful attend!  Nicolas then tricks Peter into coming to the orgy, forcing the priest into a decision.  Peter leaves a note for the Monseigneur and then brazenly enters the orgy, scoops up Angela and carries her to a boat.  Then brother and sister sail away, living happily ever after…or do they?  The Monseigneur rushes to the beach to stop the ungodly lovers, but it’s too late.  As he turns away, the disciple of God disappears as Nicolas Burns (the disciple of Satan?) appears, turning towards the faraway boat.  What does this mean for Angela and Peter?  Does it mean the Monseigneur and The Fireworks Man are just flip sides of the same coin?  Unfortunately, Wes Craven never publicly spoke of this film in detail, so, like the end of A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, it’s left to interpretation.  However, according to a blu-ray bonus feature, the original script ends with the boat washing ashore somewhere without Peter and Angela on it.  Even that ending would’ve been enigmatic.  

THE FIREWORKS WOMAN is definitely written and directed by Wes Craven.  His mark is on the haunting visuals, the unsettling/shocking story and he even portrays Nicolas Burns.  The director, who does not appear in the sex scenes, seems very comfortable in front of the camera and appears to be having fun sowing the seeds of chaos as The Fireworks Man.  As for the other actors, they share that natural 1970’s acting vibe.  Jennifer Jordan as Angela and Eric Edwards as Peter are believable as the tormented siblings.  
SIDE NOTE: Eric Edwards is no stranger to this blog.  He appeared as the rich guy with the priceless broach and manipulative aunt in the uproarious BLONDE AMBITION (1981). 

In conclusion… 
When I noticed Melusine was offering this most obscure Wes Craven film, I didn’t think twice about it.  THE FIREWORKS WOMAN is a disturbing study of emotional trauma and forbidden love.  No, it’s not quite on par with Wes Craven’s other films, but it’s an intriguing celluloid stepping stone on his way to creating Freddy Krueger.  So, if you’re a Craven completist or a truly adventurous film freak, THE FIREWORKS WOMAN is the film for you!  Be warned though, there is a very brief scene at the orgy between a fisherman and his catch of the day that you will never unsee! 

Freak Out, 
JLH 
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dare to enter the fantasies of my deranged mind in 2026… 
🧠 
📚