Sleepaway Camp


1983 campy horror movie

Rating: 12/20

Plot: Somebody's killing off campers and faculty members at Camp Arawak, a campground that has seen its fair share of past tragedy. It's probably the creepy, expressionless girl, but I wouldn't want to spoil anything for you.

This movie is only worth watching for the shocking and completely crazy final shot which you're not sure you believe even after you see it. You have to trudge through a lot of standard early-to-mid-80's horror cliches to get there, but it really is worth it. No, it doesn't make any sense at all, add to the story or its characters, or really do anything but shock, but it's undeniably memorable and unique.

The derivative bits could almost entertain in a bad movie sort of way. And if violence is your bag, there are some nifty death scenes, almost darkly comic.

James Earl Jones' dad, Robert Earl Jones, is in this. That was kind of fun. Mike Kellin, who I'm surprised to see was a serious actor and actually nominated for a Tony, plays the camp director, and it's a bafflingly bad performance.

No comments: