Auteur Almanac: June · Gorehound Grindhouse

Month 6 of Auteur Almanac: A Curation of Atmospheric, Alluring Assemblage Art

Welcome to Auteur Almanac, a new monthly series in which I will explore a unique dark theme curated through a gothic lens. Each installment will serve as a guide to the season, featuring these four categories:

- Visual Vault: A Moodboard

- The Midnight Marquee: A Movie Watchlist

- Ambient Accords: Fragrance Notes

- The Grim Advent: Curated Dates

Since June marks the beginning of Summerween for me, it only felt right to make this the theme. Even though I only was at summer camp in Jersey as a counselor (and luckily didn’t get a visit from Jason), there is a nostalgia that the slasher legacy has created in the woods. I am wishing everyone a good Garden State-esque summer filled with late-night lake swims, the constant sound of cicadas, and a warm stagnant heat that is always there even when there is a breeze in the air.

Visual Vault

The Midnight Marquee

Friday the 13th (1980) - dir. Sean S. Cunningham
Synopsis: Camp counselors are stalked and murdered by an unknown assailant while trying to reopen a summer camp that was the site of a child’s drowning.
Thoughts: Of course I couldn’t start this list without the blueprint for summer slasher movies. The first time I watched it my immediate thoughts were that it was pretty boring but after watching the entire franchise this past year, I can understand its appeal. It was one of the first horror movies to subvert expectations with a killer reveal and had a low budget, simple premise that was easy to produce and replicate. But truly I think what stands out about are the aesthetics. The memorable iconography and franchise strategy made it to where there was a saturation of summer camp motifs. The idyllic, rustic camp setting offers a nostalgic, peaceful, and almost charming atmosphere that contrasts heavily with the violent slasher action which heightened the quality. Overall, it is a must watch to start off this list as this campy fun aesthetic clearly inspired the rest in all of the best ways possible.
Sleepaway Camp (1983) - dir. Robert Hiltzik
Synopsis: Years after a terrible boating accident, Angela is sent to Camp Arawak where a series of bizarre and violent “accidents” begin to claim the lives of various campers.
Thoughts: When I first finished this movie, I was so surprised at how almost progressive it was? I do see how it was one of the most shocking, memorable, and mind-boggling twists in horror history because of its release date but the undeniable Friday the 13th references and visually tones really helped to catapult it into popularity. I do think with the ending it had, it elevates the film to a cult classic.
The Final Girls (2015) - dir. Todd Strauss-Schulson
Synopsis: A young woman grieving the loss of her mother, a famous scream queen from the 1980s, finds herself pulled into the world of her mom’s most famous movie. Reunited, the women must fight off the film’s maniacal killer.
Thoughts: The meta-humor, horror satire, and emotional core in this really help me to understand why it is so praised. Although not super scary, it can definitely be felt that it is a warm homage to the slasher genre. It is definitely an overlooked gem but I am glad it is getting more appreciation, at least on social media, in more recent years.
The Burning (1981) - dir. Tony Maylam
Synopsis: A caretaker at a summer camp is burned when a prank goes tragically wrong. After several years of intensive treatment at hospital, he is released back into society, albeit missing some social skills. What follows is a bloody killing spree with the caretaker making his way back to his old stomping ground to confront one of the youths that accidentally burned him.
Thoughts: As someone who absolutely loves Tom Savini, this is another one of his top-tier, brutal makeup effects on full display. With him working on the original Friday the 13th as well, this movie just feels like a sibling to it. They both have the gory practical effects that ramp up the intensity and adds to the appeal of the eerie summer camp atmosphere. There is just something so special about the gritty, entertaining essence of the 80s.
You Might Be The Killer (2018) - dir. Brett Simmons
Synopsis: Counselors are being killed off at summer camp, and Sam is stuck in the middle of it. Instead of contacting the cops, he calls his friend and slasher-film expert Chuck to discuss his options.
Thoughts: I saw this film more recently compared to everything else on this list and its clever meta-horror is simply fan service in the best way possible. It has more of a humorous tone but its unique perspective and structure offers a fresh new take on the genre. This is definitely one to watch after having seen quite a few slashers as it really plays on the tropes but dare I say, this has the potential to soon become a cult classic because of how groundbreaking it is.
Fear Street: 1978 (2021) - dir. Leigh Janiak
Synopsis: In 1978, two rival groups at Camp Nightwing must band together to solve a terrifying mystery when horrors from their towns’ history come alive.
Thoughts: Although I was older when the Fear Street trilogy was released, I saw it with my little sister and thought it was pretty well done! I can absolutely understand why young teens were loving it. The hype around it reminded me a lot of what made It (2017) and Stranger Things so popular when I was younger. A few years ago I found out that there is a word for the feeling of nostalgia despite never experiencing it (anemoia) and that is exactly what it is. This specific entry in the trilogy meticulously reconstructs the golden age of slashers. They use handheld cinematography and the summer camp archetype that taps into a collective cultural memory of 70s youth that feels distinct from our now digital age. In my opinion, it is the best one out of the three movies because of how it mastered the final girl and elevated the emotional stakes.

Ambient Accords

The Grim Advent

Happy Summerween! I’ve hand-picked some dates that stood out to me for the month of June. I hope everyone has fun choosing what days to celebrate by picking some summer horror that fits it! Hopefully wherever you are, the air isn’t thick with humidity and all shadows around you are empty.

Monthly Celebrations

Pride Month

Caribbean American Heritage Month

Great Outdoors Month

National Adopt A Cat Month

Rose Month

National Iced Tea Month

Daily Celebrations

1: Dare Day

1: Flip A Coin Day

2: National Bubba Day

2: National Rocky Road Day

3: National Egg Day

4: Hug Your Cat Day

7: VCR Day

8: Best Friends Day

10: Iced Tea Day

12: Red Rose Day

15: National Nature Photography Day

16: National Fudge Day

18: International Picnic Day

18: National Splurge Day

19: Juneteenth National Independence Day

19: National Kissing Day

19: Take A Road Trip Day

19: World Sauntering Day

20: Ice Cream Soda Day

21: Father’s Day

21: Finally Summer Day / Summer Solstice

22: Summerween (as mentioned in Gravity Falls or it can be the second-to-last Friday in June which is June 19th)

23: National Pink Day

24: International Fairy (Faery) Day

28: Log Cabin Day

29: Camera Day