Here, Darren Elliot-Smith examines how alternative sexualities have recently emerged from the shadows in horror films and television programmes, with directors and producers employing an overtly queer horror aesthetic that unequivocally references homosexuality. Elliot-Smith case studies consider many forms of the queer horror genre: independent exploitation films ( A Far Cry from Home ), slashers ( Hellbent ) and even the representation of contemporary gay zombies in LA Zombie . Elliott-Smith deviates from analyzing the monster as a symbol of heterosexual fear and focuses instead on queer anxieties within gay male subcultures. Furthermore, he examines key works to reveal gay men's concerns about their assimilation into Western culture, their continuing association with the feminine, and the perpetuation of gay shame.