Review: Return To Sleepaway Camp 2008

My content is originally published on AC.

As a child Sleepaway Camp was a cool flick, with a sick ending. I was never afraid of horror flicks. At 5 years old nothing amused me more than a bowl of popcorn, a warm fluffy blanket and a monster movie. By the age of 12 I believe I managed to watch every vampire flick, zombie flick, witch flick, and killer flick ever made in the 80's. Sleepaway Camp was one of those cool camp killer flicks that forever stood with me. Although I wouldn't call it the best 80's teen scream, it managed to stitch memories of itself into my brain.

When I came across Return To Sleepaway Camp I was really hesitant on watching it. Would they remake the 80's classic and chop it to crap like that Rob Zombie freak is doing to my favorite classics? Or would they actually put together something worth a damn while still keeping the original cheesy charm alive.

Return To Sleepaway Camp is not for everyone. First and foremost I must say that only a true hardcore 80's horror film lover would be able to find the cheesy charm that this movie gives off entertaining. Everyone else born in the 90's, you will take one look at the flick and want to turn it off. It's boring, cheesy, the film itself seems as if it were made in the 80's, with poor cheesy dialog, bad acting, and just ridiculous kill scenes. However if you grew up on this sort of horror, Return To Sleepaway Camp will simply dazzle you with its scrumptious way on rewinding back to the past.

The entire time watching the movie I was in love. I loved the cheesy dialog, bad acting, terrible kill scenes, and I especially loved how this film (made in 2008) felt like it truly was found buried in an old vault from 1980.

The flick starts off like most camp horror movies from the 80's. A bunch of kids are in summer camp at Camp Manabe. Immediately you are introduced to Alan. It took me about 20 minutes into the film to realize that Alan was the kid in the camp who was being tormented by others. At first though he takes on an odd role of being the bully. Feeling sorry for him is difficult because of the way he is. The bully, then the baby? The bully, then the baby?

At any rate, the torment Alan endures elevates as the film goes on, so immediately you get this sense that they want you to believe Alan is the killer when people at camp turn up dead. If you grew up on 80's flicks though, you know that Alan is a mere distraction.

So who is slashing through Camp Manabe picking off the campers one by one?

You'll have to watch the movie to find out.

Besides the lack luster plot I provided, the movie actually held my interested based off of the fact that it had me laughing my guts up every other minute. Even parts that are not supposed to be funny, come off as funny, making it an entertaining mega cheesy 80's remake. So bad, that its actually good.

I have come across numerous review sites tearing this movie to shreds, but me, I found the flick to be entertaining enough to watch again and again. I guess you'd have to come from a different generation to appreciate the way this movie was put together.

A fun tid bit that you will pick up on immediately happens during the beginning of the movie when you meet one of the camps chefs. This chef turns out to be Isaac Hayes, who also plays Chef in South Park. The interesting thing about him in Return To Sleepaway Camp, is that he is wearing the same red shirt, and white apron. Minus the chef hat of course. I thought that it was funny, and something that most fans will pick up on in seconds.

All in all, it is not for everyone. If you are into fast paced action horrors, than this slow dewy movie is one to pass up. If you enjoy fun quirky gore films like Dead Alive, then Return To Sleepaway Camp will please you.

Movie Review: The Midnight Hour

The Midnight Hour was released for a made for TV in 1985. I was 5 years old however when I first saw it. Let me tell you, it scared the ebbie jeebies out of me.

Now the review before me says that it's okay to show this flick to the little ones. I would say go ahead and let them watch it, that's if you want them up all night, imagining some huge werewolf ripping at them under the covers, and end up sleeping in your room. In my opinion this movie is a bit too scary for some younger children.

Lets get to the movie itself though.
This movie is my all time favorite horror. There doesn't go a year that my family doesn't gather to watch this on Halloween.

Bill is the main character, he is your average nerdy type teenager, with a small group of friends. He has a group of 4 friends total; all whom need a costume for Melissa's Halloween party.

They decide that its a good idea to go and borrow some clothes/costumes, from a local wax museum for authentic costumes.
2 of the teens have ancestors in the museum, as wax figures. So naturally they decide to wear there ancestors original clothes.

They stumble upon a trunk hidden in the corner of the basement. They open the trunk, and realize there are some cool props inside for them to use for the Halloween party. Bill urges them not to take anything, but he's a one man army up against the rest of the group.

For some odd reason one of the teens thinks it would be a cool night to go to the local graveyard and hang out with everyone.

They end up opening the trunk here completely. Inside is a scroll, sealed shut with wax stamp.
Melissa grabs the scroll, opens it up and begins reading it, as she sways back and forth, in a trance like state.

She faints, only to get up saying, "It was only a joke".
They leave quickly afterwards, seeing how no one saw the humor and head for home.

There is then a small cut in the scene, and you now get to see the graveyard beginning to, what looks like; breathe. Dirt goes flying up, you get to see some ripping at the wood inside their coffins, to get out. Some zombies rise up in anger, others just seem to roam aimlessly.

This is the best visual I think I've ever seen in any rising dead horror movie. The make-up and costumes are perfect, the mood of the movie is always up to par, and the music will take you right back to the big 80's.

Oddly however, a werewolf is somehow mixed in, as well as Melissa's ancestor; the witch, who comes back as a vampire. Which is strange. Theres even a little midget thrown in. I think he was the coolest little zombie, and his costume and make-up were spectacular. Some ghouls, and a lot of semi slow moving zombies. It's an awesome scene. One must see the movie to fully appreciate it.

Also in the zombie mix arises a 1950's cheerleader still in uniform. Shes the only one that seems like she doesn't belong in the group of half rotten zombies.

The teens are completely unaware of it at first. Till Melissa's Halloween party. This is where the ghouls were able to blend in perfectly in the crowd. As each teen at the party is bitten, they turn into a zombie themselves. Not cute zombies either. I mean full fledged scary running zombies.

Bill meets up with Sandy on the street, he left the party early. So he was one of the lucky ones who got spared. She asks him for directions to the malt shop. It seems she is not aware shes dead, and she is talking about shops, and places that once existed when she was alive in the 50's.

A small romance is shared between the two, up until they realize they have to save the town from the ghoulies.

This is where the movie turns from semi-scary, to full blown horror fest.
They have to get the ring off of a dead ancestors finger in the graveyard to seal the scroll before midnight.

This tasks proves not so easy, seeing how they have an entire mob of undead chasing them. All of whom were once Bills friends. The chase is probably the scariest part in the movie.

The ending is full of suspense, and will have you actually anticipating the result. I'm telling you the ending is frightening, but I will not ruin it.

I would recommend this movie to families with children no younger than 6. A definite watch for Halloween or All Halo's Eve.

Its just a great 80's horror film that's owed a lot of due credit. I wish they'd play it on TV every year, however they do not. You can buy it on DVD for $80, that's if you can find it. The DVD is no longer being made. Another reason I'm glad my mom taped it, when it was shown in the 80's.