Sleepaway Camp (Widescreen)

Oh f%^&! That was my bona fide reaction to the final scene, and I'm pretty sure it will also be yours as long as you go into this film with no outside knowledge about what happens. I laughed off this film's claim to offer "the most shocking climax in the history of American cinema," but I'm here to tell you these guys were serious - and they deliver the goods. This may or may not be the most shocking ending of all time, but I'm here to tell you that it's way up there on the list. Up until that point, this was just a slightly better than average slasher, but now I want to out and shout "Sleepaway Camp" from the rooftops. It has been so long since any slasher offered me even the smallest of surprises, then here comes along this cult classic from 1983 to totally blow me away. If you have even the smallest iota of interest in horror films, you simply must watch Sleepaway Camp.

What parent wouldn't want to send their little angel to Camp Arawak? The guy who runs the place is a dirty old man, the head cook's a pedophile, and the counselors are worse than the kids. Here, your child can take part in water balloon fights atop a sloping roof, wander out into the lake to skinny dip or dump his canoe passengers any time night or day, and be as mean to the other kids as he wants. Yep, this is a great place for kids to go camping. One kid who does not enjoy the experience, however, is Angela (Felissa Rose), who is sent there along with her cousin Ricky (Jonathan Tiersten) by Aunt Martha. Martha is a strange one; she looks weird, she talks weird, and she's completely loony tunes - but she has been Angela's guardian ever since a tragic boating accident made her an orphan. It's no wonder - after all she's been through - that Angela is shy and withdrawn among the other kids at Camp Arawak. Naturally, the other kids tease her mercilessly because she won't talk or take part in any activities - and Ricky can't be there to protect her all the time.

Things go south almost from the get-go, as one man suffers a horrible accident. Then one of the kids drowns. By the time we get to the third death, it seems pretty obvious that these are no accidents - a killer is staking Camp Arawak. The amazing thing is that a couple of dozen kids are still there by this point, as you would think even the worst parent in the world would have to honor the three-death rule and take his/her kids home. That would ruin all the fun, though, as the killer still has a lot of work to do. Who could the killer be? That's the big question, of course. Knowing this film boasted a shocking revelation at the end, I was really focused on figuring out the killer's identity. I was overanalyzing everybody, especially the most likely suspects. In the end, my efforts were largely in vein, as the filmmakers succeeded in shocking the hell out of me.

The ending of this film is so impressive that I have to give it five stars. Sleepaway Camp should be on any and every list of must-see horror movies. Stop reading about this film right now, and get your hands on a copy. Don't look at any storylines for the sequels, and don't let anyone spoil the surprise that awaits you in the end. If you don't know what's coming, just sit back and prepare to be blown away.

...the wardrobe department from this movie! Man! Ultra high tube socks! Midriff baring T-shirts(for the guys!)! Super high and tight shorts!(also for the guys! let's sing Soprano!)

But really, from the opening scene, you know you are in for one sweet and (unintentionally)funny ride. If you haven't seen it, let me go over the very beginning.

Hair helmet sporting lifeguard lends boat to cute but inattentive girl. Both fail to hear pleas from the waterskiing
girl(who no doubt gradutated from the William Shatner school of acting) who has spotted a man and his two children in the water after capsizing their boat. From the ultra fake body which gets run over to the lament filled utterance "John" by the man's "significant other" to the girl screaming so loudly you would think she was the one who was run over...I haven't laughed this hard in a while.

And it gets better after that.

Witness the obscenity filled male softball game with players in the ranging in the ages of 9 to 25!

Witness men walking around in their underwear alot more than they should at a camp for little kids!

Witness the girl who gets hit by a water ballon drop like she has just been shot!

Witness Mel(who looks like a crack addicted Norman Fell) put on the most dramatic performance of 1983!

You think Johnny and gang from the Karate Kid were mean? Check out this gang!(Guys and Girls!)

Shockingly funny ending! I won't give it away here, but it just seems like it fits with the rest of the weirdness of the film.

Get some beer, get some friends, enjoy the campiness.

this is a review of the cut version.for the uncut,gorier version with
special features,check out the Anchor Bay edition.as for this
version,for the most part,this horror flick is slow and
boring.actually,right up until the last scene.and the acting has to be
seen to be believed,but not in a good way.in the whole bunch,there is
only one very good acting performance.i thought several times about
stopping this one,but for some reason,i stuck with it.the ending has
got to be one of the most inventive and even shocking moments in the
genre.i'm not gonna spoil it,but in order to appreciate the ending,you
do have to sit through the other 80 plus minutes.does it make the movie
worth watching?i'm not sure,but it does elevate the rating,in my
book.up to that point,this movie was headed for the big fat goose
egg(zero).instead,i give Sleepaway camp a 4/10.come to think of it, i
guess it is worth sitting through,just for the ending.normally i
wouldn't recommend a 4/10* movie,but in this case,i have to make an
exception.by the way Anchor Bay also has a three collection of the
first three movies uncut,with special features,entitled Sleepaway
Camp(limited Edition with survival kit).if you're a real fan of the
movies,you might want to pick it up.