The Original: On the surface, Sleepaway Camp isn't much more than a generic slasher film attempting to cash in on the success of Friday the 13th and so on. However, the pic is well-remembered for its jaw-dropping plot twist, in which the killer turns out to be Angela (Felissa Rose), but not only that, "she" is in fact a he, as a wide shot reveals her to have a penis. As anyone who has seen the film will know, it's simply impossible to erase that final facial expression (pictured above) from your mind once it's taken hold. Why It Needs A Remake: Because given how trans-phobia has become one of the west's prevalent social issues over the last few years as homosexuality has unequivocally gained mainstream acceptance, it seems appropriate to tackle the notion in a horror film. Plus, the film isn't particularly well known and it'd be easy to market, so the twist would likely remain under wraps for young teens looking for a scaring. How Likely Is It?: 6/10. It's easy to foresee a studio remaking this and neutering the plot twist completely, which would pretty much just result in another generic cabin slasher flick. Series creator Robert Hiltzik is reportedly planning a reboot, though given the film's relative obscurity, it'd be simpler to just remake it instead. While over-sensitive bloggers might argue that making the transsexual character the villain would appear to demonise the practice, it's worth considering how social issues can be brought to the forefront to the minds of otherwise closed-off youngsters through unconventional means, in this case the horror film.
Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes).
General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.
