Sleepaway Camp will get a remake and will be directed by its original director

Sleepaway Camp rises from the grave and will get its well-deserved remake directed and scripted by its original director, Robert Hiltzik.

The successful 1983 classic made Felissa Rose an iconic figure in horror cinema and tells the story of shy young Angela, who is sent to Camp Arawak, a summer camp that soon turns into a bloody nightmare. The cast and release date of the new film have not yet been revealed, but horror fans are already anticipating a violent and bloody tribute to one of the most beloved slasher films of the 1980s.

An updated version of a cult classic

The 1983 film focuses on a summer camp for young people, where campers and staff begin to be brutally murdered. It is especially remembered for its surprising twist in the third act, when it is revealed that shy Angela is responsible for the murders. However, it is revealed that Angela is actually Peter, a boy who was forced to live as a girl by his cruel aunt after the death of his father and sister.

The film has been criticized for using transphobic elements, with reviewers pointing out how it presents trans women as violent, portrays transsexuality as a mental illness, and contains an exaggerated and shocking revelation about a trans character's genitals.

Today, the film is best known for its surprising final twist and unforgettable ending scene, where Angela is revealed to be Peter when she is seen naked and gaping. At the same time, the discussion about LGBTQ+ adults influencing children to be trans has never been more common. Conservatives are more focused than ever on the idea that being trans is a mental disorder or a result of manipulation of young people who have been influenced.

In recent times, the film has been rediscovered by the queer and trans community. Many current viewers see Angela as a tragic figure. Angela can be considered an unfortunate example of the importance of gender expression. From the teenager's perspective, she is Peter, but she is called by a name she does not want and is confused about her gender.

The horror movie presents a powerful metaphor about the dangers of imposing gender roles on someone who does not identify with their assigned gender. The horror of the film's famous scene does not come simply from the revelation that Angela has male genitalia, but from the recognition of the damage and mental suffering that this girl has endured for years.

These versions of the film take it in a new direction, presenting a reinterpretation of the film: a conversion setting that would be meaningful to LGBT+ youth.

One way to update the franchise to suit a more modern and open society would be to set the story in a rehabilitation center. There, a trans youth or non-binary teenager would be forced by their aunt to live as a girl. In this place, they would face bullying, physical humiliation, isolation, and sexual abuse, similar to what Angela experienced.

In this new interpretation of Peter, he would be aware of his identity as a boy, but would still be forced to shower and sleep with the girls. He would be told that he doesn't know who he is and would be harassed by the adults at the camp. It would be an experience intense enough to affect anyone.

A revamped version of Sleepaway Camp could explore the same themes, showing that excessive pressure on a person can push them to their limits. This new adaptation could illustrate the true horror of living a life like Angela's: being forced to assume a gender that does not belong to them.