A groundbreaking exploration of trans images in film and the emerging political possibilities of the new trans cinema movement.

For over a century, trans images have appeared in cinema, often as harmful cultural objects shaped by the zeitgeist—from Christine Jorgensen to Candy Darling to sensationalised guests on The Jerry Springer Show. These representations frequently cast trans bodies in abject forms: as corpses, jokes, tragic martyrs, or even monsters. But now, a new wave of trans cinema is emerging from the margins, creating its own film language in direct response to this history.

Corpses, Fools, and Monsters provides a radical history of trans images in film, analysing the works of trans directors like Isabel Sandoval, Silas Howard, and the Wachowski Sisters. It explores trans representation in everything from pre-talkie films and Ed Wood’s B-movies to Oscar-winners, body horror, and slashers. Beyond reassessing notable films and portrayals, the book highlights overlooked filmmakers and films, showcasing those who are pushing trans cinema into the mainstream in the twenty-first century.