In Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, Jane Schoenbrun continues to explore the themes from their previous films by framing them within a slasher this time and adding plenty of humor and romance to the mix. As a result, it is my favorite of their films so far.
Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson are perfect together. During the Q&A I attended last month, Schoenbrun said that they heard someone in the audience calling the film “Carol for freaks.” I actually had Carol on my mind too while watching some of the scenes. They decided to go with Einbinder after watching her physicality in her comedy special. Einbinder said she picked up some of Schoenbrun’s mannerisms along the way. Jack Haven, who plays the killer Little Death, said they enjoyed having an air conditioning unit as a head. The films mentioned in the conversation were David Cronenberg’s Crash, The Duke of Burgundy, Bound, and Friday the 13th documentary Crystal Lake Memories.
The film also has a great soundtrack. It starts with Okay Kaya’s cover of R.E.M.’s Nightswimming, features a memorable bloody scene set to Counting Crows’ A Long December, and also includes Donna Lewis’ I Love You Always Forever, and Sade’s No Ordinary Love.
MUBI will release the film in theaters on August 8.
