October 13, 2022
Ahead of New Season, We're Celebrating the Scariest 'Dragula' Looks
Barry Levitt READ TIME: 5 MIN.
Drag is more popular than ever, and for most, that means they're well versed in the world of "RuPaul's Drag Race." Passionate fans of the art of drag know that "Drag Race" isn't the be-all and end-all of drag – sure, it's great, but there are lots of different ways to express yourself through the artform.
A great example is "The Boulet Brothers' Dragula," available on Shudder. It's a reality competition show that involves drag, but it feels completely different from "Drag Race" – it's edgier, more transgressive, and way creepier. The wonderfully passionate Boulet Brothers host the show, with the aim of finding the next great drag monster. With a new season of "Dragula" on the way October 25th, we dove into the scariest looks ever seen on the show.
Melissa BeFierce, Finale – Filth
There were doubts about Melissa BeFierce from her fellow competitors. She was sickening, but did she have what it takes to be a full-on drag monster? When it came to the Season 1 finale, competitors were tasked with bringing three epic looks, one for each tenement of the show – filth, horror, and glamor. On the filth runway, Melissa put all those doubts to rest. It started innocently enough, as she came out looking like a slutty nun, but she turned to reveal a bloodied body, and an enormous rosary sticking out of her bottom. She then showered herself in blood in a gory, grotesque, and downright horrifying runway we'll never forget.
Vander Von Odd, Finale – Horror
Vander Von Odd may just be the most exciting performer in the show's history and was the clear frontrunner on Season 1. She won the most challenges and frequently brought incredibly powerful looks to the floor show. The look that cemented her crown was her finale Horror look, which looks almost like a Victorian-era queen, complete with a striking bloodied crown adorned with daggers. The outfit is simple but effective, and the makeup is meticulously detailed and downright chilling. It's the way Vander snaked across the stage, using movement to absolutely frightening perfection, that really elevated this as a moment that lives in infamy on "Dragula."
James Majesty, Cenobites
Season 2 of "Dragula" opened with a bang, and contestants were tasked with creating their own cenobite, inspired by Clive Barker's "Hellraiser." Many amazing looks were displayed, but none freakier than James Majesty. James' look was chock-full of immaculate details, including gigantic lips, and patches of skin torn hanging off on her outfit that looked like it was made of barbed wire. Her face in the challenge will forever give me nightmares, and of all the monsters in this floor show, Majesty's is the one I'd run from the fastest.
Victoria Elizabeth Black, Sci-Fi Myths
Victoria Elizabeth Black was a definite frontrunner in Season 2, and while she didn't walk away with the crown, she did bring the most consistently excellent looks to the floor show. Her scariest was her alien runway. It was a hairless, naked monstrosity, encased in some sort of gross sticky fluid that stretched when she moved. The effects work, makeup and prosthetics rivaled high-end sci-fi, and it's a look I honestly can't figure out how she put together. Scariest of all was the fact that her alien was pregnant, and the thought that there are more of these horrifying aliens to come keeps me up at night.
Biqtch Puddin, Finale – Horror
The eventual winner of Season 2, Biqtch Puddin didn't have the easiest path to the crown. In fact, in an early episode of the season, almost everyone said they wanted her to go home. They didn't see her as legitimate competition, but it wasn't long before she proved them all wrong, winning multiple challenges on the way to the finale. The final floor show allowed Biqtch to show everyone why she absolutely deserved the win. Her filth look was absolutely disgusting, but it was her horror look that took things to the next level. She made brilliant use of lighting, appearing in an all-black ensemble, and two absolutely terrifying glowing red eyes. When the lights came on, her disgusting pointy teeth and incredibly long claws were revealed, and her victory was all but confirmed.
Landon Cider, Horror Hospital
"Dragula" as a show has always been ahead of the curve, and Season 3 introduced the show's first drag king: the incomparable Landon Cider. Landon more than proved that drag kings make worthy competitors, bringing amazing looks and consistently terrific performances. His scariest look was a demented doctor, obsessed with injecting himself with needles. He came complete with rotting teeth, but what really made the look stand out was the incredible prosthetic work, as his entire brain was exposed. An exquisitely detailed look completely worthy of the crown.
Priscilla Chambers, Horror Hospital
A floor show so chilling that two looks from the same episode made the cut! Priscilla Chambers brought lots of gross-out moments to her drag, but this episode really took things to the next level. She came out as some sort of human/animal monstrosity, complete with horns that were so well done they looked like they grew out of her head. What made it all terrifying was that she was holding what looked like a dead goat, and the implication is very clear that she had just given birth to the terrifying (not-so) little critter. Shocking, against the grain, and scary – all the things that make "Dragula" such a thrill to watch.
Dollya Black, Finale – Horror
Dollya Black was a great competitor on Season 3 of "Dragula," and there was electricity in the air every time she would step on stage. Her looks were incredibly polished, but also freaking scary! Dollya truly saved her best for last, delivering a show-stopping look in the finale's horror floor show. Dollya had a simple silhouette, but everything about the look still gives me nightmares. Her patchwork dress took inspiration from Leatherface, as the entire thing looked like it was put together with pieces of bloodied human skin. The makeup was some of the best we've ever seen, and monumental prosthetic work gave the effect that Dollya had four faces. Completely unforgettable.
La Zavaleta, Horror Icons Reimagined
Season 4 of "Dragula" is full of epic fights and drama, but what it'll be best remembered for are the jaw-dropping looks. The first episode had contestants recreating the screen's best horror icons. Our favorite was La Zavaleta, who delivered a creative interpretation of the Pale Man from "Pan's Labyrinth." The look was full of spectacular excess, turning the character into an absolutely revolting creature, gushing blood in excess. It was bone-chilling, it was beautiful, and the attention to detail was phenomenal.
HoSo Terra Toma, Killer Clowns
The looks in Season 4 really were top-tier, and HoSo Terra Toma really took things to the next level each week. Clowns are a pretty common fear, and it's one I never understood... until I saw this look. Her three-headed clown is downright spooky, but it's HoSo's flawless movements that really make it scary. It's such a studied performance that you'd think in a past life she graduated at the top of her class at clown college. This incredibly detailed look makes Pennywise look sweet and adorable. If you weren't scared of clowns, you probably are now.
