As Halloween celebrates all things eerie, one gay filmmaker deserves the spotlight for shaping cinematic fear itself. In the 1930s, British-born James Whale brought monsters to life with Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, and Bride of Frankenstein, defining the look and feel of horror still haunting screens today. Openly gay in an unforgiving era, Whale lived for 23 years with his partner, David Lewis. His films spoke for society’s outsiders — misunderstood, feared, yet unforgettable. As costumes and chills fill the season, remember: Halloween’s haunting spirit still owes much to Whale, an out gay man who made monsters human.
