On S List of Movie Reviews

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Sleepaway Camp (1983)

Rate: 7
Viewed: 5/11, 3/24

5/11: Having been aware of the reputation Sleepaway Camp had carried for many years, I finally saw it for the first time.

For the majority of the running length, the movie is banal. But when the ending comes, it's the game changer. I'll say Sleepaway Camp is the Vertigo of all slasher films. There's nothing like it, and I should see the movie again later to develop a better opinion.

Two things it has going are the clothes, which are often tight for the time, and Judy who's so outrageous that she deserves her comeuppance. The killer's identity is obvious from the get-go, but I sometimes wondered if two people were involved.

All in all, the unique ending saves Sleepaway Camp the most.

3/23: My rating for Sleepaway Camp remains unchanged.

The ending is unique which is the single reason why the film has survived past 1983. So I was wondering about the backstory. I watched it again and could think of two reasons. One, when the boating accident happened at the beginning, the girl died. So, the surviving brother assumed her identity and pretended to be a female that was encouraged by his "uncle" (or his father's former lover?). Two, the filmmakers may have thrown the gay stuff into the mix for the hell of it.

As for the film, it's not a boring show which can be thought of as Bullying 101. Yeah, Friday the 13th and The Burning keep coming up in my mind a lot. However, the feel is quite camp, thanks to Karen Fields and Katherine Kamhi as Judy and Meg, respectively. The scumbag who kept going after Angela because he only had sex on his mind deserved it. He should've left her alone. Also, what helps the most is the campers were actually played by kids, not adults.

All in all, the ending is the game changer of Sleepaway Camp.

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