Camp (2003)

Director:

Todd Graff

Writer (WGA):

Todd Graff (written by)

Release Date:

5 September 2003 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Drama

Tagline:

A Comedy About Drama

Plot:

After a series of Broadway flops, songwriter Bert Hanley (Dixon) goes to work at a musical camp for young performers. Inspired by the kids, he finds an opportunity to regain success by staging an altogether new production.

Plot Keywords:

Theatrical Show | Gay Friend | Dance | Theater Owner | Gay Slur

Awards:

6 nominations

Cast

Daniel Letterle	...	Vlad Baumann
Joanna Chilcoat	...	Ellen Lucas
Robin de Jesus	...	Michael Flores
Steven Cutts	...	Shaun
Vince Rimoldi	...	Spitzer
Kahiry Bess	...	Petie
Tiffany Taylor	...	Jenna Malloran
Sasha Allen	...	Dee
Alana Allen	...	Jill Simmons
Anna Kendrick	...	Fritzi Wagner
Don Dixon	...	Bert
Robert Orosco	...	Emil
Stephen DiMenna	...	Glen
Omar Edwards	...	Alston
Camilla Millican Samuelson	...	Hillary

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements regarding teen sexual issues, and some language.

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Malaysia:U | Australia:M | Germany:o.Al. | Hong Kong:IIA | Singapore:PG | UK:12A | USA:PG-13

Company:

IFC Productions

Trivia:

Several additional scenes with featured characters show during and after the credits.

Goofs:

Continuity: While singing "The Ladies Who Lunch", Jill vomits several times onto the stage (we hear the splat when it hits the floor). After Fritzi replaces her (yanking her offstage from the wings), we see the stage and it's clean.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[scene opens on Dee, Shaun and Company singing "How Shall I See You Through My Tears"]
[as singing continues, scene shifts to Vlad in his bedroom]
Vlad: To all the critics out there, I know they're gonna review this, and I know they're gonna try to knock me - is it OK if I say this to the camera, Amber? - Okay. I only am who I am 'cause I was born that way. I have a gift, and I'm trying not to be selfish about it, but to use it. Okay? If you're gonna knock me for that, that's your problem. Jealousy will get you nowhere. And I'm gonna keep rockin' on.
[scene returns to singing cast, then shifts to Ellen's bathroom]
Ellen's Brother: Ellen, what's the matter with you? Don't tell Mom I'm taking you to your stupid junior prom.
Ellen: [in shower] Get out of here!
Ellen's Brother: Your brother - how gross is that! Come on!
Ellen: They don't know you're my brother. Please Ben you have to - I'll pay you.
Ellen's Brother: Find someone who's not related to you. Loser.
[...]

Movie Connections:

References "Jenny Jones" (1991)

Soundtrack:

Last Song on Blue Tape

Funny, light entertainment that's easy to enjoy

Going in I wasn't sure about Camp - a musical comedy about a performing arts summer camp - but I am happy to admit that this is an easily enjoyable and funny film.

It is shot in a sort of mockumentary way - not in the direct to camera awareness of Best In Show or father of the genre This Is Spinal Tap but with an intimacy with the characters that makes you believe these are real people and not actors.

Part of writer/director Graff's (known best to me as the guy with the rat from The Abyss) genius in this is casting completely unknowns who have never been on film before. Each brings a freshness and enthusiasm to the role adds to the 'realism'. Even those who don't seem to be particularly good actors work because at this sort of camp there would presumably by those people who are less talented but convinced of their own abilities. This may even be a deliberate portrayal of this type of person, in which case their acting is even more impressive.

While all the young cast are superb singers it is the vindictive Fritzi (Anna Kendrick) that impresses most from the support cast. She is not only an excellent singer but has a glorious ability to play black humour that should see her continue to work solidly, if largely in supporting roles. If she doesn't end up as the sort of caustic supporting character on a sitcom that Megan Mullally plays in Will & Grace I'll be very surprised.

The three leads also do well. Robin de Jesus seems to be having a wail of a time as Michael - a misunderstood transvestite teen - while Daniel Letterie does well in the least flashy role. Best of the lot though is Joanna Chilcoat. She's a keeper, believe me.

Don Dixon as washed up one-hit wonder broadway director Bert Hanley gets all best moments and lines - one bit when he tells Fritzi he's been watching her is brilliantly delivered. I did not recognise Dixon but this film should bag him a lot more work in ensemble comedies and other films. I look forward to seeing him in other things.

Overall Camp is witty and amusing. It is undeniably slight and is unlikely to stay with you long after you've seen it unless you have a more first hand experience of this sort of world which I do not, but as a piece of entertainment it works and is well worth trying to see.