Sleepaway Camp (1983)- Movie Review- Episode 21
School’s back in session which means Summer is wrapping up. So Brian, John, and Elaine take one last look at one of the hallmarks of summer fun; summer camp…specifically, the 1983 Friday the 13th rip off, Sleepaway Camp. Does Sleepaway Camp belong among the Pantheon of Utter Shit or is it just a goofy fun b movie? Grab your sleeping bag, swim shorts, and communal shower flip flops as we dive into this toasted marshmallow of B movie goodness.
Movie News!
Animators Report Pay Disputes/Mistreatment During Production of Sausage Party
Sleepaway Camp (1983)
Classic 1980’s Slasher…with a Twist
- This movie, despite being a very obvious Friday the 13th rip off uses the interesting idea of sexuality of the killer as the motivation for the murders.
- The idea of Angela being transgendered was extremely controversial for the time.
- This extra layer of gender confusion and reaction to homosexuality in the 80’s does make this movie stand out among other slashers
B Movie Tropes
- God awful acting….With the exception of Aunt Martha played by Desiree Gould.
- Fantastic practical makeup effects for a low budget film.
- Lots and lots of misdirection of who the killer is.
- Plot is fairly terrible….but not as bad as other slasher films.
- Some really terrible lines of dialogue.
Total Kills
- 2 deaths by speedboat collision
- 1 death by scalding by boiling water
- 1 death by drowning
- 1 death by beehive dropped on head/stung by bees
- 1 death by knife impalment in shower and sliced open
- 4 deaths by being hacked apart in sleeping bag
- 1 death by pillow smothering/ impaled through vagina with hot hair curling iron.
- 1 death by arrow shot through throat
- 1 death by decapitation
- Total Kills-13
Sequels
- Spawned 4 sequels and a rebooted sequel
- Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers starred Bruce Springsteen’s sister, Pamela Springsteen.
- Part II is more of a goofy murder by numbers film with more focus on elaborate deaths and less on the gender identity issues of the first film.
Final Thoughts
- Sleepaway Camp is a very fun B movie
- It’s focus on using transgender and homosexual themes in a traditional slasher film make it stand out among a crowded field of Friday the 13th wannabes.
- Stick with the original, stay away from the sequels
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Sleepaway Camp (1983)- Trailer
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Calling all Indie filmmakers! We Want Your Movies!
As indie filmmakers, we can appreciate the value of a review of your work. Film festivals, distribution companies, sales agents, etc. all look at reviews and press that a film can get when considering picking up a film. If you are interested in submitting your indie film for review, contact us at the links below with a digital screener of your movie and we will do what we can to feature it on a future episode of The Cinema Psychos Show.
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- Elaine Wooliscroft-@La_Croft