Exclusive Interview: Meet Roger Connors, the Man Behind the New Queer Horror Film MEAT

July 23, 2023
AJ SLOAN

We all love a fresh slasher flick (RIP Dewey) just as much as we love butts and man titties, and filmmaker Roger Conners' latest project is serving us all of the above and then some. Hope you're hungry, fellas, we're having MEAT for dinner, and it's sure to have you salivating. Without any spoilers, let's hear about Conners' film MEAT from the creator himself...

Roger, you are the creator of the new-age queer slasher MEAT. What inspired the conception of such a deliciously debaucherous queer slash fest?

I’ve been a horror fan since I was too young to even understand what I was watching. Once I reached my teenage years, I used horror movies as a means to seek solace and escapism from everyday life. I was a truly awkward teen, and I found a lot of strength and empowerment in so many of the celebrated final girls that the horror genre has provided. The Sidneys, the Nancys, the Loris, the Sallys. They are often portrayed as common, average, everyday women who are suddenly faced with unthinkable horrors, and they are forced to use their instincts and their survival skills to outwit and overcome their aggressors.

As a young gay man, I dreamt of seeing myself existing in the place of those women. I related to their fight for survival and their relentless determination. Now, as an adult, I long to see not only myself but the entire LGBTQ+ community properly represented within the horror genre. That’s my driving force as a queer filmmaker. Ensuring that there’s proper representation in all genres, be it horror or otherwise.

What is it about the horror/slasher genre that you think resonates with the queer community?

The horror genre often tends to place a loving focus on the outcast, and I feel that queer individuals can directly relate to those characters. The unsuspecting social rejects are forced to defy the odds and tap into their inner strength to rise up in the face of evil. At the end of the day, it’s all about survival, and if there’s one thing our community is quite capable of it's surviving any obstacle that comes our way. Remaining resilient despite our opponents is second nature to us.

Who in your opinion is the cuntiest, queerest, queeniest horror film killer to date (I feel like I missed a “slay” joke in there somewhere)?

Because Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge is one of the single queerest films I’ve ever had the pleasure of viewing, regardless of genre, I’m going to have to say, Freddy Krueger. Freddy is always serving cunt, with all that attitude and those sassy one-liners, flashing around those blades like he just treated himself to a fresh set of acrylics. If you have not yet seen the documentary Scream Queen: My Nightmare on Elm Street, I highly suggest you check it out! It should absolutely be required viewing for all gay horror fans.

What horror genre tropes will you for sure be hitting hard in MEAT?

Excessive amounts of nudity, for one. MEAT is living up to its title in every sense of the word. In place of the strategically placed tit shots and the drawn-out sex scenes with a heavy emphasis on the female form, we’re flipping the script and only including male nudity in our film. And trust me when I say that there’s a lot of it. With the approach we’re taking, there kind of needs to be.

Horror has always been experienced by a male gaze, exploiting beautiful women and stripping them down before hacking them up. We’re offering queer horror fans the same experience, but in place of lady parts, we’re treating them to the full monty. If we’re going to be promising our viewers meat, meat is what they shall receive!

Without giving too much away, what are some themes of your film MEAT that will evolve the horror genre?

I feel that, when it comes to queer-infused horror, you oftentimes end up with a piece of queer-centric cinema but the horror elements feel secondary. Now, there are absolutely exceptions to that idea. Death Drop Gorgeous, for example, is a title that I feel expertly straddles the line between queer cinema and horror. It gives you the absolute best of both worlds. I want to provide viewers with that same kind of experience. I want to create a film that is both unabashedly gay and downright terrifying.