For reasons too complex to delve into here, horror as a genre has proved an adaptable vehicle for marginalised groups to explore the tensions between mainstream society and its discontents. So there has been a wave of female-centric horror films made by women, a renaissance in horror focusing on race thanks to Jordan Peele and others, and all kinds of scary films addressing ethnic identity by directors far and wide.
Swallowed, a very low-budget sci-fi/body horror with an out-and-proud gay angle, may prompt viewers to wonder why there aren’t more queer-themed horror flicks. The Hunger (1983) and Ginger Snaps (2000) spring to mind, but it seems as if the pickings are distinctly slimmer than in other areas.
