Queer utopias and a (Feminist) Iranian vampire: a critical analysis of resistive monstrosity in A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night

ABSTRACT

In 2014, the black and white vampire spaghetti western, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (AGWHAAT) follows the narrative of the Girl, a forlorn chador-wearing feminist-vampire-vigilante in the fictional world of Bad City. In this queer utopia, the Girl preys on immoral men so that she can protect the female residents of Bad City from the violence of patriarchy. We explore themes of monstrous feminisms and queer doublings to consider how the film uses the trope of the vampire to manifest queer utopias and reflect Iranian and Iranian-American feminist themes.

KEYWORDS:

• Iran
• monstrosity
• queer
• feminism
• horror

Acknowledgment

We thank Dr. Robert Brookey and the anonymous reviewers for their thoughtful feedback and support.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Shadee Abdi

Shadee Abdi (M.A., California State University, Long Beach) is a doctoral candidate in the Communication Studies Department at the University of Denver.

Bernadette Marie Calafell

Bernadette Marie Calafell (Ph.D., University of North Carolina) is Professor of Communication Studies at the University of Denver.