Happy Weird Movie Wednesday! I hope everyone had a super fun Fourth of July. I certainly did and with all this summer fun I've been itching to write about one of my favorite summer horror movies, Sleepaway Camp. This cult classic came out in the fall of 1983 and stars the lovely Feilssa Rose who gained cult actress status due to the underground popularity of the movie. All that and she hardly spoke in the whole film! Sleepaway Camp would spawn three more movies and a secrete unfinished movie that has only been released in the first aid kit box set of the films which does not include the fourth Sleepaway Camp movie, Return to Sleepaway Camp. In this, Rose reprised her role as Angela alongside other original cast members, as well. In an effort to prolong the life of my blog, we will only be talking about the first one for today, so let's get started.
The movie begins with a couple of little kids playing with their dad in a lake. They are splashing and laughing and having a good time when we see a couple of teens speeding in a boat. Things get out of hand and the kids crash into the small family killing the dad and one of the children. We fast forward a couple of years later to an everyday home where we meet cousins Ricky and Angela and their bizzare mom/aunt, respectfully. She is kind of strange, talking in a dreamlike demeanor. She gives them some snacks and their physicals (because she is a doctor) and sends her son and niece off to Sleepaway Camp.
When they arrive, there are kids and camp counselors all around, sporting some very 80s gym shorts. I love. We learn about how shy Angela is as she doesn't speak at all. This angers fellow camper Judy and camp counselor Meg. That's M.E.G, got it? They don't like how the other counselors and her cousin Ricky protect her, but what they don't know is that her troubled past makes her unable to feel comfortable in the camping environment. You see, she was one of the kids in the beginning that was in that horrible boating accident. She finds comfort in another camper named Paul, who takes a liking to her during a social. The two bond and things become romantic, however the camp has become gripped with fear with the death of the camp chef who gets scolded with boiling hot water. Soon after more deaths occur. Kids being drowned, stabbed and burned with curling irons by a mad man who is roaming the camp. Between this and Paul, Angela starts having flashbacks of her father and his boyfriend and, separately, her as a child.
Meanwhile, Camp owner Mel has become increasingly worried about the murders. He's afraid that all the murders will generate bad press and no one will want to send their children to his Sleepaway Camp. Plus, he can only buy off and cover up so much before too much bad word gets out. So, he starts paying more attention to his campers and he determines that the murders are being committed by one among them. He suspects that it is none other than Ricky who is killing off anyone who is messing with Angela and there is plenty of them. Could he be right? Mel finally confronts the young boy after finding Meg, his potential love interest, slain in the shower. Mel attacks Ricky and leaves him beaten but alive.
Across the camp Angela and Paul decide to renedezvous at the lake....and they won't need swim suits. A sweet night under the stars with your sweetheart. Little do they know that Counselors are looking for them after discovering other younger campers who were sleeping out slaughtered in the night. When they find Angela and Paul it is a horrifying scene and one that will stay with horror fans for years to come. If you think I'm going to tell you the end then you are absolutely out of your mind! All I can say is that you won't see it coming.
The twist ending is legendary among all horror fans, especially for those who love slashers. Because it is so iconic, I refuse to be the one to spoil the ending for you. I want you to see it if you haven't already. However, I will talk about a few of my favorite weird things about the movie starting with the scary aunt. Aunt Martha is so unnerving and hilarious, we quote her all the time at home. She doesn't have a big part in the movie but she is referenced in the following films. Words don't do her character justice, she is just strange. She trails off when she talks, ties string around her fingers and over exclaimes everything and I love everything about her.
The next thing I want to talk about is the fact that this movie reeks of 80s. From the way the characters talk to one another to the clothes they wear, it is painfully 80s. My favorite is this one camp counselor who sports a very bouncy hair cut, a gold chain, and the tightest short shorts you may ever see. Adding to the hilarity was that he was buff and had a heavy New Jersey accent. He was too much, but it wasn't just him who made the movie look it's time. We had mean girl Judy with her 7ft of hair on her head that makes me want to shave off my own hair and of course Meg. Meg was constantly donning braided head bands and high socks. Needless to say that I am in love with everything said and worn on screen.
The final thing that stands out in this classic is the flashbacks. I don't think Sleepaway Camp had a very big budget and you can kind of tell in these flashback scenes. Most of them take place on a revolving bed on an otherwise empty stage and have little to no dialogue. Plus, they have this dream like quality that comes off more smokey than anything. It is fun though and was an interesting way of revealing to the audience who Angela really is. I like it, it's fun.
Before we wrap this one up for good I wanted to talk about my mother's wreath making business. It's called MothershedCreations.com and you can find her on Instagram at @nadine40. She makes all sorts of quality wreaths but she specializes in horror themed wreaths. Her latest in the marcabre wall hangings is none other than a Sleepaway Camp themed wreath. Inspired by the original movie poster, she has handcrafted everything you see here. That show? Handmade. Knife? Handmade. Everything down to the marshmallows and the letter are all handmade. I even helped with this one, providing the handwriting for the letter. So of you love this movie and would love to have a wreath made for it then place your order on her website. That was mothershedcreations.com and you can contact her on Instagram @nadine40. If this one isn't your thing then check out some of her other wreaths. Plus, she can make you a custom one per your request. Go and show her some love!
That's all for today. I hope you enjoyed and that you stay tuned for this Friday. We will be discussing something horror related....or will we? Muuhhhaaaa, evil. If you like what you read then like, comment and subscribe. Better yet, follow me on Instagram @cameronmothershed and on Twitter @cameronmarie96. I post pretty regularly. With that said, stay spooky friends!
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