Sleepaway Camp

Starring: Felissa Rose, Johnathan Tiersten
Written by: Robert Hiltzik

Director: Robert Hiltzik
Year: 1983

Rating: * *    Stars       +       (Fan Bonus *  )   Total: * * *

Two cousins are sent to camp for the summer, but strange accidents begin to befall the other campers.

Angela is a shy and unassuming girl. Through flashback sequences we see that some ten years  before, Angela, her brother, and their Father were involved in a boating accident. The accident killed both the brother and father, and left her injured. She went to live with her eccentric aunt Martha, and her cousin Ricky. Now, on the verge of being a young woman, Angela, and her cousin Ricky are sent to summer camp. Immediately some of the kids begin to pick on Angela, as she prefers to keep to herself. Ricky is extremely over-protective of her, and gets into a few fights because of this. 

Eventually, someone is taking matters into their own hands. Campers and camp leaders begin experiencing strange, and often fatal accidents. A Cook is knocked into a boiling pot. A bee's nest is placed in the men's room stinging one boy to death. On and on it goes. Eventually, the maniac grows less subtle, as the accidents become downright murders. But who's doing the killing, and why?

Like a good magician, the film makes use of misdirection. Almost immediately it suggests that Angela may be the psycho killer, but as it goes on, we suspect it might be hot-headed Ricky. Still, at times it seems there may be a third, unknown suspect at work.  Regardless, when the killer is finally revealed, it can truly be said no one saw this one coming. Probably the most shocking reveal in the history of horror/slasher films, and a bit creepy too.

While Friday the 13th may have cornered the "Summer Camp Killer" market, Sleepaway Camp proves that there is still plenty of room for films of similar plot and locations to thrive. Don't go into this film expecting Shakespeare, it's still low-brow slasher fair, but so what. It's a crazy fun film that can still scare the un-jaded, and surprise those who think they've seen it all. This film has launched a few sequels over the years, but none have had he imact the first film did.

SEE THE TRAILER: Sleepaway Camp