Sunday, July 5th, 2026
Sacrilegious Cinema: Menagerie of Madness is taking roll call for a special session of Camp Hot Wax post 4th of July shenanigans- where I’m the counselor and you’re the campers. Returning for a fourth year, let’s relive the 80’s in New York and take a trip to slasher summer camp- the season is not complete without this quintessential subset of horror, so pack your bags and report to Ybor City. 
At 8PM, we attend Camp Arawak for Sleepaway Camp- accompanying Angela Baker as she becomes the prime candidate for bullying- only for it to culminate in bloodshed by an unknown assailant as bodies begin to pile up. Beyond embodying the slasher sub-genre, SLEEPAWAY CAMP (1983) delves into an underlying psychology, discerning the difference between gender identity and sexual orientation, whilst diagnosing gender dysphoria with a helping of homoeroticism and childhood trauma- all occurring during a time wherein such nuances and subject matter were deemed taboo and unchartered, marking it as a unique entry in height of the decade’s slasher craze.
Sleepaway Camp employs a quirky cast of characters, emphasizing these eccentricities with peculiar dialogue and outlandish acting, coming off as surprisingly natural in the delivery. Apart from other slasher contemporaries, director Robert Hiltzik used actual teenagers in the roles of the campers instead of actors in their early twenties. This added to the realism, making the death scenes all the more gruesome. Much of this success is further attributed to the handiwork of special FX artist, Ed French, utilizing entirely practical effects to accomplish the grisly kills.
Felissa Rose’s performance as awkward, doe-eyed Angela is impressively captivating despite her lack of lines; she carries the movie with an unwavering gaze, eliminating any necessity for speech. The bully’s actress is equally capable, with Karen Fields doing an excellent job portraying a believable mean girl viewers love to hate, while Desiree Gould shines as Angela’s odd aunt.
Come meet Angela and find out what lurks beneath her quiet, demure demeanor and prepare for an ending you must see to believe. 
Then, at 10PM, we take a detour to Camp Stonewater- formerly Camp Blackfoot- where whispers of a badly burned ex-caretaker wielding garden shears giving Freddy Kruger a run for his money permeate in the form of a folktale.. until he returns to seek vengeance for a prank gone wrong all those years earlier, disfiguring him for life with the help of Tom Savini’s spectacular special effects.
Eclipsed by the shadow of Friday the 13th, THE BURNING (1981) is anything but a copy- but rather deserves a viewing from any slasher aficionado and avid genre fan alike, emerging as a hidden gem in its execution of many familiar tropes, bestowing their killer with a creative weapon to initiate some genuinely shocking deaths- among them, the infamous raft scene. The cinematography and score is phenomenal, showing the perspective of the killer through a red light tunnel vision. The backstory isn’t very complex, but it does not need to be in order to incite interest in the viewer.
Also notable is Jason Alexander pre-Seinfeld days when he still has a full head of hair to show for.
Loosely based off of the NY/NJ legend of Cropsey, inspired by real life child abductor and suspected serial murderer Andre Rand, this film will certainly have audiences securing their tents and clutching their sleeping bags tight. 
Bring your tube socks and ringer hot shorts and let the carnage begins. 
FREE popcorn included with a mandatory purchase- no cover charge with a 1 drink (or snack) minimum from the bar. Make sure to sample the themed drinks for this week’s double feature- grab them while you can.
(Movie nights offer psychological insight accompanied by behind the scenes information and observations by your horror hostess). 