YMMV / Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker

• Fair for Its Day: The film is widely credited for an early positive portrayal of a gay male character, Tom Landers. Though he’s somewhat minor in the film’s plot itself, Landers is never portrayed as anything other than a reasonable man unfairly targeted by the police because of his gay relationship with the victim. While even some of the main characters (such as Billy) express latent homophobia (it was 1982 when the film came out after all), they still see Landers as a good guy. More over, the film doesn’t evoke Bury Your Gays with him, as he manages to survive the film.
• Retroactive Recognition: Yes, that is Bill Paxton as the homophobic bully who messes with Billy.

---