Sleepaway Camp (1983)

Sleepaway Camp

• (MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD!) So I had no idea about the queer undertones that this film has, and now after seeing it, it’s instantly going down as a queer horror classic. By no means is it a “great” film, because it’s very cheesy at times, with your average 80s slasher performances and bland, weak writing. In this instance, it’s basically just ‘Friday the 13th’, though a slight variation, and with younger campers. It follows cousins Angela and Ricky, who are at summer camp, and then people mysteriously start dying from an unknown person. That’s all there is to it. Most everything is surface level and simple. Now when it comes to the queer elements, I was very surprised by it, and almost pleased. It’s revealed at the end that Angela is actually Peter (who is seen at the beginning), and it’s done in a very shocking way, making the twist go down as one of the best horror twists of all time. Maybe even in cinema history. But anyways, at the time this was made, it may have been done this way to reflect “trans panic”, and some might find this transphobic. But for me, I don’t see it like that. I see Angela seeking revenge on people who are making her life hell, and I’m completely here for it. She’s such an icon, and I fully understand why this film has been adopted by the queer community. Queer horror RULES. Plus, there’s so much homoeroticism, with very short shorts and crop tops for a lot of the men. All in all, this film is very queer and reminds me how wonderful horror can be for queer people. As a whole (and as I said), it’s very cheesy, with stale performances, corny dialogue, and exaggerated kills and makeup, but I quite liked it, and I can see this being a yearly rewatch during Spooktober (or during Pride Month). I would recommend it to all slasher fans. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go watch it now!