Sleepaway Camp (1983)

Director:

Robert Hiltzik

Writer:

Robert Hiltzik (writer)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

...you won't be coming home!

Plot:

Slightly disturbed and painfully shy Angela Baker is sent away to summer camp with her cousin. Not long after Angela's arrival, things start to go horribly wrong for anyone with sinister or less than honorable intentions.

Plot Keywords:

Identity | Summer Camp | Murder | Subjective Camera | Dead Boy

Cast

Felissa Rose	...	Angela
Jonathan Tiersten	...	Ricky (as Jonathan Tierston)
Karen Fields	...	Judy
Christopher Collet	...	Paul
Mike Kellin	...	Mel
Katherine Kamhi	...	Meg
Paul DeAngelo	...	Ronnie
Tom Van Dell	...	Mike
Loris Sallahian	...	Billy
John E. Dunn	...	Kenny (as John Dunn)
Willy Kuskin	...	Mozart
Desiree Gould	...	Aunt Martha
Owen Hughes	...	Artie
Robert Earl Jones	...	Ben
Susan Glaze	...	Susie
Frank Trent Saladino	...	Gene
Rick Edrich	...	Jeff
Fred Greene	...	Eddie
Allen Breton	...	Frank The Cop
Michael C. Mahon	...	Hal the Lifeguard (as Mike Mahon)
John Churchill	...	Doctor
Dan Tursi	...	John
James Paradise	...	Lenny
Paul Poland	...	Craig
Alyson Mord	...	Mary Ann
Carol Robinson	...	Dolores
Bram Hand	...	Scott
Brad Frankel	...	Joey
Dee Dee Friedman	...	Marie
Julie Delisio	...	Betsy
Michael Lerman	...	Greg
Lisa Buckler	...	Leslie
Colette Lee Corcoran	...	Young Angela
Frank Sorrentino	...	Young Peter
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tim Clark	...	Boy (uncredited)
Glenn-Thomas Ford	...	Asst. Cook (uncredited)
Mike Tatosian	...	Assistant Cook (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Hiltzik

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Robert Hiltzik		writer

Produced by
Robert Hiltzik	....	executive producer
Jerry Silva	....	producer
Michele Tatosian	....	producer

Original Music by
Edward Bilous

Cinematography by
Benjamin Davis

Film Editing by
Ron Kalish
Sharyn L. Ross

Production Design by
William Bilowit

Makeup Department
Ed French	....	makeup illusions

Sound Department
Oded Carmi	....	boom operator
Jack Cooley	....	sound re-recording mixer
Rolf Pardula	....	sound mixer
Sharyn L. Ross	....	sound editor
Linda Shamest	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
William Bilowit	....	special effects coordinator
Ed Fountain	....	special mechanical effects

Stunts
Cliff Cudney	....	stunt coordinator
Norman Lopez	....	stunt helper
Rick Schierbaum	....	stunts
Webster Whinery	....	assistant stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Chaim Kantor	....	first assistant camera
Nick Tallo	....	key grip

Editorial Department
David M. Perkins	....	final colorist (2000 DVD)

Music Department
Piers Plaskitt	....	music recording consultant

Other crew
René Simon Cruz Jr.	....	key production assistant
Robin Grey	....	production auditor

Production Companies

• American Eagle

Distributors

• Anchor Bay Entertainment
• CBS/Fox (UK)
• Creswin Distribution (1984) (Canada)
• Filmways Home Video (Australia) (video)
• Legacy Entertainment (2004) (Canada) (DVD)
• Media Home Entertainment (video)
• United Film Distribution Company (UFDC)
• Video Treasures

Also Known As:

Nightmare Vacation

Runtime:

88 min | USA:84 min (DVD version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:R (DVD rating) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Singapore:PG (cut) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Finland:K-15 | Australia:M | Norway:18 | UK:15 (re-rating) (2004) (uncut) | UK:18 (original rating) (cut) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Argyle, New York, USA

Company:

American Eagle

Trivia:

Jane Krakowski was originally cast to play Judy.

Goofs:

Continuity: When they show the girl water skiing in the far shots she's wearing a helmet, but when there is a close-up, the helmet is gone.

Quotes:

Artie: Look at all that young fresh chicken. Where I come from, we call 'em baldies. Makes your mouth water, don't it?
Ben: Artie, they're too young to even understand what's on your mind.
Artie: There ain't no such thing as being too young. You're just too old.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Dead Teenager Movie (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

You're Just What I've Been Looking For

There are two scenes in this film that I will never forget

Horror films seemed the easy way to make a quick buck in the 80's. There was an abundance of them that graced video. I don't think half of them actually made it to the big screen. You can add Sleepaway Camp to that list. This is a typical scary film. It has it's moments and it is scary in some parts. It has some nice humour especially when they play camp jokes on each other. But having said all that, this movie is as good as it is and it's not too bad ) because the mother in this film is creepier than Mrs. Bates and she actually makes you want to kill her. But the two parts that I will never forget are images that are firmly planted in my brain, especially the part of it that stores nasty horror elements in it.

The first was the death by curling iron. It is so horrific that it bothered me so much that I had to cover my eyes the second time I saw it. It is qutie graphic, not because of what they show, but because you know how nasty it is.

But the one thing that will stay with me and probably anyone else that has seen this film is the very end. That last shot is so horrific, so way out of left field that you never see it coming. It just hits you and then it ends. It has a power of its own. And judging by the comment on here from other users, they feel the same way. This is a film absolutely worth checking out.