In the landscape of modern horror, few moments are as jarringly effective as the centerpiece of Jane Schoenbrun’s latest film, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma. The movie, a meta-commentary on the slasher genre and the lasting impact of pop culture on our adult psyches, features a deliriously gory mass murder scene set to the unlikely soundtrack of Counting Crows’ 1996 hit, “A Long December.”
For Schoenbrun, the choice was far from a simple ironic gag. The filmmaker, known for I Saw The TV Glow and We’re All Going To The World’s Fair, has a long-standing personal history with the band. “Counting Crows was such a gateway band for me,” Schoenbrun explains. “I went through a breakup in 2024 and I was just clinging to Recovering the Satellites.”
The creative process behind the scene was surprisingly fluid. Schoenbrun initially considered using R.E.M.’s “Nightswimming,” viewing it as a “queer anthem” that fit the film’s themes of vulnerability and summer nostalgia. However, after listening to the Counting Crows album on repeat, the decision shifted. “I think the first thing that tickled me was the Hollywood repetition,” Schoenbrun notes. “I was like, ‘Oh my God, Little Death can chop someone’s head off every time Adam Duritz says Hollywood.’”
Beyond the structural timing, Schoenbrun argues that the song’s emotional resonance is essential to the scene’s impact. “The song’s tone is the movie’s tone,” they say. “It’s been a long year and it’s kind of sucked, but next year is going to be a little bit better. That kind of hard-won, resilient triumph. Without that feeling, the scene is meaningless.”
The director even sought advice from musician Lindsey Jordan of Snail Mail to settle the debate between the two tracks. Jordan’s vote for “A Long December” ultimately tipped the scales. When asked about the reaction from the song’s writer, Adam Duritz, Schoenbrun remains optimistic. “We texted a little bit and he told me he was stoked to have ‘A Long December’ be part of a one shot,” Schoenbrun says. “I can’t wait for him to see it. I hope he loves it.”