10 Classic Slasher Movies Referenced in ‘Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma’

One of the posters for Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, the new movie from I Saw the TV Glow writer-director Jane Schoenbrun, boasts the tagline “a new kind of horror remake...” It’s actually a completely original movie, as it tells a meta story about a filmmaker hoping to mount a reboot of the fictional Camp Miasma slasher franchise. While that faux 14-film series isn’t real, Schoenbrun clearly drew inspiration from a number of slasher classics of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, leading them to pepper the movie with Easter eggs. Here, we break down 10 references to classic slashers hidden throughout the new movie that hint at the real-life movies that inspired Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma: 1. The Friday the 13th franchise is referenced the most, with Camp Miasma’s summer camp setting, masked killer, final girl tropes, and VHS covers directly inspired by Friday the 13th posters (e.g., Part 2, The New Blood). The aesthetic and kill scenes also reference specific films. 2. The Burning (1981) is referenced by name when former actor Billy Presley mentions it during a conversation about “Me Too,” highlighting its campy, controversial history. 3. The Nightmare on Elm Street franchise is referenced through Little Death’s cheesy anti-drug poster and rap album, paralleling Freddy Krueger’s pop culture defamation. 4. Sleepaway Camp (1983) is referenced by name and its transphobic twist ending is central to the film’s critique of slasher tropes. 5. Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) is referenced through a campfire story scene where Will tells the Jason Voorhees tale, mirroring Paul Holt’s story in Part 2. 6. Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990) is referenced by the killer’s spear-wielding hand emerging from the water, inspired by the teaser’s Arthurian parody. 7. Psycho (1960) is referenced through jokes about Kris’ film being a Psycho retelling and Ed Gein’s influence on Norman Bates. 8. Halloween (1978) is referenced through direct title drops, Michael Myers’ behavior, and the cop’s role resembling Dr. Loomis. 9. Scream (1996) is referenced through Neve Campbell’s name and Little Death wiping blood off his visor, mimicking Ghostface’s glove. 10. Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994) is referenced through its plot parallels to the meta storyline and name-dropping in a running gag. The article also mentions non-slasher references like The Last House on the Left and Videodrome, but focuses on slasher genre inspirations.