Love, Death and Other Things at Camp Miasma
Jane Schoenbrun’s film is probably the most interesting love letter to Friday the 13th in a long time. The number of references is absolutely enormous, and yet the film still follows its own rather unusual path.
The combination of the music and the film’s style, as if time itself had stopped, was a great choice. The music fits beautifully with the visuals, adding another interesting layer to the whole thing while also slightly making fun of the slasher concept itself.
The film has its own Jason, and his name is Little Death. He rises from the lake and attacks all the campers because he was once drowned in that very lake. Sound familiar? Of course, Little Death looks quite different, but the character remains essentially the same — slowly following his victims and always leaving behind the so-called final girl.
The film follows a young director who used to make films for the LGBT community, and producers see potential in her, believing that after all these years she might be able to revive a franchise that has been killed in every possible way.Hannah is a huge fan of Camp Miasma. She understands that this is not only a chance for her to make her new film, but also an opportunity to open herself up to new experiences.
Camp Miasma offers an interesting take on discovering your own identity, covered in blood and a little bit of guts, but I think that was exactly the point — to show yourself as you really are.
The film is very specific. We get references to all the typical things from ’80s slashers, but everything is covered in an LGBT sauce, allowing you to find that second meaning hidden underneath all the blood and guts.
Is it a good film? Yes and no.
If you enjoy meta-commentary on modern cinema, the constant repetition of familiar formulas, and making fun of the fact that Hollywood seemingly can’t come up with anything new and keeps relying on nostalgia, then you might find a little shelter here.
If, on the other hand, you don’t like LGBT themes and find that subject matter irritating, you may feel a little strange watching this film, because those elements are constantly intertwined with the traditional horror story. Someone expecting a straightforward horror comedy might therefore be in for a bit of a surprise.
Gillian, who plays the former final girl, is an actress who has been forgotten by the world. The first Camp Miasma was supposed to turn her into a huge star, but instead it destroyed her. She eventually locked herself away in the abandoned camp, waiting for a glimmer of hope that someone would finally make a film in which she could set herself free.
For me, the film is strange. A 6/10. Although it is humorous in places, most of the time we are watching the protagonist slowly open herself up to the other main character.
The biggest plus of the film is the music, music, and once again — music.
Rating: 60/100
