Wednesday, July 29, 2015

THAT AWKWARD MOMENT WHEN THE GIRL YOU LIKE AT SLEEPAWAY CAMP ENDS UP BEING A 14 YEAR OLD TRANSVESTITE SERIAL KILLER  

"Sleepaway Camp" (1983)
Directed by Robert Hiltzik

  When was the last time that you spent the summer at Camp Arawak? Any time is a good time to watch the1983 slasher film, "Sleepaway Camp", but being a summer camp movie,  nothing beats enjoying this cult classic in the summer.
   For those of you who have yet to experience this gem, it is more than a run of the mill slasher flick. This one rises above the rest by simply having one of the greatest endings in film history. Films with a twist ending don't always have strong re-watch ability. "Sleepaway Camp" is so fun, it remains an entertaining experience every time.
    I came up with an idea for those of you who just can't get enough of Angela Baker and her gender bending killing spree. How about an entire week, where "Sleepaway Camp" is screened every night as part of a double feature? You get to revisit Camp Arawak seven times in a row! What films could possibly be paired with such a unique title and still be complimentary? Don't worry, I got you covered. Here are my picks to watch with "Sleepaway Camp".
 
1. "Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers" (1988) 
Whenever a film has a sequel, it's a no-brainer: pair the two films together. A classic combination.
 2. "Return to Sleepaway Camp" (2008)
Although this is the fourth film in the franchise, it's the only one that reunites the original film's director, Robert Hiltzik and star, Felissia Rose. This film pretends that parts 2 & 3 never happened and acts like a direct sequel to the 1983 original.
3. "Friday the 13th" (1980)
There are many summer camp slasher films, but this is the one that started it all. If you're going to visit another summer camp, Camp Crystal Lake is the way to go!
4. "Night of the Demons" (1988)
The other horror film where the villain is named Angela. It's Angela night. Can you handle TWO Angelas? Watch them both and decide for yourself, who's the boss?
5. "Little Darlings" (1980)
A summer camp film, but not a summer camp horror film. Summer camp films are typically synonymous with teen sex. Usually this can be fun. "Sleepaway Camp" features a young cast. Some, too young, yet sex still finds it's way into the film. It feels a little too "dirty old man" to think of girls that young in a sexual way. This is the other movie where the girls are way too young to be thought of in that way and yet, THAT'S the plot.
6. "The Crying Game" (1992)
You had to have seen this film suggestion coming from a mile away, right? Brave a night of "Oh my God! That's a wiener!"
7. "Meatballs" (1979)
This is, in my opinion, the greatest summer camp film in history. End your week strong. Camp North Star is the way to go. If Angela wants to destroy your summer, Tripper wants to save it!
   
    If you can survive this week long event, you can survive anything! Your reward can be starting the following week with a screening of "Ernest Goes to Camp" (1987).
Knowhutimean Vern?

(Artwork by Isaac Keith Martinez)

4 comments:

Brandon Early said...

Weird co-ink-e-dink... I just got my brand spanking new copy of Sleepaway Camp from Scream Factory this week. (...makes "Twilight Zone" sounds...) Speaking of summer camp, look for Wet Hot American Summer to hit Netflix in two days. You've got a full season dropping at once, so you could toss an episode or two a night of that on the campfire, too.

Isaac's Haunted Beard said...

Thanks for the heads up.
I hope you enjoy your "Sleepaway Camp" from Scream Factory.
If you end up watching it as a double feature, I am curious what film you pair it with.

Brandon Early said...

I watched Sleepaway Camp with my friend Adrienne (it's a favorite of hers). She wanted to start watching that aforementioned Netflix series, too, but she hadn't seen the original movie. We ended up watching the Wet Hot American Summer movie along with Sleepaway Camp. One comedy, one horror, but they share a lot of the same beats owing to the shared setting. The two are now one large summer camp based blob of entertainment in my head.

Isaac's Haunted Beard said...

That sounds like a fun night of movies!