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JUNK MOVIE CLASSICS: THE SLEEPAWAY CAMP SERIES (UK TITLE: Nightmare Vacation) Directed by: Robert Hitzik (Part 1), Michael A Simpson. Stars: Mike Fellin, Fellissa Rose (Part 1), Pamela Springsteen (Part 2/ 3). Year of release: 1983 (Part 1), 1988 (Part 2), 1989 (Part 3). UK Release: Part 1 - CBS Fox (1985), Part 2/ 3 - Colourbox (1989/ 90). USA Release: Part 1 - Video Treasures, Part 2/ 3 - Nelson Video. DVD - Anchor Bay 2000. Comments: '...this entry has a body count slightly less than that of the Vietnam War.' (John McCarthy's Official Splatter Movie Guide Volume II on Part 3) '...there aren't many surprises to be found in this mediocre sequel, since it would be next to impossible to duplicate the first movie's novel conceit.' (Fangoria's Dr Cyclops on Part 2) '...much of the sass and spunk has been replaced by the unspoken dictum of nearly all slasher sequels - "kill,kill,kill them teens!"' (Chas Balun on Part 3 in More Gore Score) |
| WARNING: THE FOLLOWING CONTAINS SPOILERS!!! In keeping with my guide to slice and dice flicks (see issue 2), I thought I'd take the time to mention a series of films that I actually like. As I mentioned in my slasher movie article, most of the Halloween and Friday the 13th rip-offs really aren't worth a toss, however the Sleepaway Camp films are different. They are a genuine guilty pleasure Ð if about as far removed from Gone With the Wind as you can possibly imagine. Ultimately these films are the inhabitants of the genre trash bin, and even daring to devote space to them means that I am in a fine position to be labelled a mindless video junkie with little appreciation for the finer sides of our beloved genre. Sorry folks, but let's face it... giving this space to such recognised modern classics as Repulsion or The Wicker Man is only going to bore you. I have nothing to add to what has been written about these movies! At least you're unlikely to have even seen these films. Anyhow, trash can be fun... Lovers of shock sequences can't go wrong with the final image of Part 1. Indeed, if you have not seen these films then it might be a good idea to stop reading this article. That said, let me say that the original Sleepaway Camp is, up until its startling finale, actually something of a laugh riot. Nobody in the film can act and there is a blubbery paedophile chef who makes his intentions so obvious that it's surprising he is even employed at an adolescent's summer camp! Especially rotten is the performance of the summer camp owner (Kellin), who mumbles his lines to the point where it is difficult to even make out what he is saying! The result is an extraordinarily poor build-up to a horrifying, and satisfying, ending. Sleepaway Camp tells the story of a girl, in her early teens, called Angela. Not the most popular of campers, Angela refuses to take showers with the other girls and she is scared of boys. Moreover, anyone who gets on her nerves begins to meet a grisly fate - including the aforementioned dodgy chef (burned alive by hot water), the camp bitch (electrocuted) and a stereotypical meathead Jock (stung to death by deadly bees while taking a 'wicked dump'). The film would like us to believe that Angela's protective older brother is to blame, but unless you are a complete dunce you'll know that this is an obvious red herring... That said, the final revelation is hardly expected. Angela is shown, initially singing to the decapitated head of her young boyfriend... with a full set of male genitals! Seems Angela's older sister had died in a boating accident and, as you do, her mother had flipped and brought 'him' up as a girl. The fact that the final image is so badly done (Angela's head superimposed onto the full, hairy body of an adult man) merely adds to its power. Even the continuity blunder of Angela's weapon changing from an axe to a knife (moreover, the actress is actually wearing a bikini in some shots!), whilst 'she' remains in the same pose, does not ruin the 'what the fuck?' reaction that you are likely to harbour when faced with this horrific sight. Anchor Bay released the first Sleepaway Camp movie last year in a spiffy new widescreen DVD. Some fans bemoaned the mild cuts given to a couple of sequences but they should really be thankful that an otherwise obscure stalker movie should receive any sort of disc release! No pleasing some... The first sequel to Sleepaway Camp is infinite times better than Part 1. Bruce Springsteen's sister (who can be briefly seen as a cheerleader in that all time classic Fast Times at Ridgemont High) plays Angela, following a proper sex change and years of shock therapy. Angela finds herself employed as a counsellor in a camp nearby her old stomping grounds. In the prologue she cuts a girl's tongue out (removed from the UK version), and it's not long before she's punishing anyone (and everyone) who does not meet with her strict moral guidelines. As she says, she wants to 'weed out the bad'. This consists of burning alive a couple of dope smokers, drowning the camp slut in an outhouse (another scene cut for UK viewers), stabbing to death a tell-tale ('No more whining' pipes Angela) and drilling into someone who merely wants to go home ('What have you got there... a gun?' asks the unenlightened camper. 'No, a drill' replies Springsteen). There's a fantastic ending too, in which Angela hitches a ride with a smoker ('These things will kill you, you know' deadpans Springsteen before unceremoniously slaughtering her helpless driver). Endearingly, she even finds time to stop and pick up the final survivor of her campsite massacre ('Howdy partner!' quips the femme fatal decked out in a cowboy hat). As far as slasher movies go Sleepaway Camp 2 is really good fun, brilliantly played out and featuring a winning performance by Springsteen. Hell, even old Walter Gotell turns up, and so does Martin Sheen's daughter (the terminally cute Renee Estevez). Sleepaway Camp 3 is more of the same, only with Michael J. Pollard in a small role. Springsteen returns, impossibly 'disguising' herself as a teenager and attending camp herself. However, there is still some hilarity to be had, with Angela feeding a cocaine addict a literally explosive home made recipe, blowing off her partner's face with firecrackers during the camp games and then killing a few paramedics at the end, just for the sake of it. Not much plot, then, but as far as good old fashioned slasher movie garbage goes – this one really gets the popcorn glands salivating! What can I say? If you have my sense of humour (e.g. if you consider Porky's to be funny and Airplane an all time classic) then you'll probably love these movies. If you don't, or if you sneer at anything which doesn't match the artistic heights of La Dolca Vita (yawn) then forget it. You'll only hate me for wasting your time. |