I Saw the TV Glow was the perfect brand of bizarre horror for its time, serving as a surreal mystery that explores both a narrative of and the impact of television on young minds. The series that once shaped the protagonists’ lives fails to withstand a revisit—a disappointing consequence of adulthood and cynicism—and the situation grows increasingly strange from that point.
The filmmaker is now continuing their disturbing story with another tale about media’s influence, shifting the focus to cinema. Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, billed as a “new kind of horror remake,” centers on a director (Hannah Einbinder) fixated on the actress (Gillian Anderson) who portrayed the “final girl” in a classic slasher film. Watch the trailer here:
In a visual nod to I Saw the TV Glow, the trailer begins with… the glow of a television screen. The film playing is likely a fictional slasher titled Camp Miasma, evidenced later by a shelf stocked with physical copies such as Camp Miasma Part V: The Final Chapter (a highly deceptive name, given there are 14 installments), Medieval Miasma, and Miasma 3000.
Among them is Camp Miasma Part IV: The Curse of Little Death. “Little Death” seems to be the primary antagonist of the franchise, and likely of this film as well (the name, playing on the double meaning of “little death” as a metaphor for orgasm, also cleverly references the Sex in the title). The role of Little Death is played by Jack Haven, who co-starred with Justice Smith in I Saw the TV Glow.
Similar to Schoenbrun’s last film, this project looks to blend horror with a reflection on how the media we engage with in our formative years leaves a lasting mark. The teaser starts with a young girl viewing these movies on VHS, then shows her as an adult facing geysers of blood, strange mouth-like entities, and an array of other peculiar visuals signature to Jane Schoenbrun.
A key moment in the trailer features Gillian Anderson’s character stating in a pronounced southern accent, “There is a hole at the bottom of the lake where the movies come from.” What could this signify? Are the Camp Miasma films the product of a supernatural entity? What is the true form of Little Death? How can this be a remake of a horror movie that was never made? It is precisely such enigmatic questions that define Schoenbrun’s intriguing method. However, there’s no need for excessive concern. As the teaser suggests, if it all becomes too intense, you can simply switch it off.