“Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma” was released in theaters nationwide Aug. 21.
The film is a satirical slasher horror film from the mind of Jane Schoenbrun, the director of “I Saw the TV Glow” and “We’re All Going to the World’s Fair.” Schoenbrun’s past films are known for their allegorical looks at identity, and “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma” fits seamlessly into their body of work.
“Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma” follows a young filmmaker, Kris, played by Hannah Einbinder, who is tasked with rebooting an old horror film franchise known as Camp Miasma. Kris decides to meet with the final girl of the original “Camp Miasma” film, who became recluse ever since the film’s release in the 1980s. The mysterious star, Billy Presley, played by Gillian Anderson, captivates Kris with her strange and magnetic personality, and the two hit it off.
To define “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma” as merely a horror film is limiting. The horror is truly a lens through which Schoenbrun tackles issues of sexuality and liberation in relation to the main characters, Kris and Billy.
Einbinder’s performance as Kris is what pulls the whole film together; without Kris’ character arc, there would be no movie in the first place. Einbinder does an excellent job of portraying all the complexities of such a role: from being the protagonist of a drama to being the final girl standing in a slasher, this character really does it all.
This is certainly a unique, and sometimes confusing, part of this film. Though it begins as a story about making a horror movie, the fictional “Camp Miasma” very much becomes a real part of Kris and Presley’s lives, leading to some lack of clarity on what is real and what is fiction.
Though this might seem to be a weakness, it is truly a strength for “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma.” As Kris and Billy become part of the next film created by Little Death, played by Jack Haven, the killer of the fictional “Camp Miasma” series, it all becomes an allegory for human sexuality and self-discovery.
The strange, dreamlike world of Camp Miasma is bolstered by Schoenbrun’s unique visual style. Outdoor scenes at the camp featured hand-painted backgrounds, akin to what a viewer might see in a classic Old Hollywood film.
These films were created using a former technique in which a painted sheet of glass is placed a few feet in front of the camera, obscuring the real landscape. Parts of the glass are left unpainted, so the actors and set pieces can be blended seamlessly with the painted fantasy world. These backgrounds became more prevalent the farther Kris was sucked into Presley’s world, highlighting the characters’ loss of connection to reality.
Along with this, the fantastical way in which horror gore is handled emphasizes that “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma” is not intended to be a scary movie, but rather a film that uses the scary movie framework to view broader issues.
Another special aspect of the movie is the film-within-a-film premise, which requires an established lore of the franchise. The opening credits of the film show a large amount of memorabilia relating to the “Camp Miasma” series, which provides viewers with an understanding of the fictional series’ history. It also allows horror fans to make comparisons between “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma" and classic horror films, which are heavily satirized throughout the movie, especially in the impressive sequence that shows parts of the original “Camp Miasma” movie.
Although Einbinder plays an initially grounded character, Anderson expertly tackles the task of playing a character entrenched in a fantasy world. Billy is key to helping Kris find herself, and Anderson’s portrayal really nails the juxtaposition between glamorous movie star and middle-aged lesbian.
All of these aspects combine wonderfully into a thought-provoking, hilarious and original movie. “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma” is not for everyone, but a typical target audience is not intended for a film with such an outrageous title.
For horror fans, people in the LGBTQIA+ community and anyone interested in a bizarre cinema experience, “Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma” might be a must-see film.
