Sleepaway Camp (1983) Review

Sleepaway Camp (1983)

Sleepaway Camp follows Angela Baker, who, after being sent to a summer camp with her cousin, starts picking off campers who do her wrong, while hiding a very dark secret.

Obviously, for anyone who’s seen Sleepaway Camp, you’ll instantly be taken back to it’s downright horrifying ending (which will no doubt haunt you for life), garnering it quite the cult following in the years since. What is hardly mentioned however is just how complete of a movie this is. Aside from its horror, it’s still a fun, 80s summer camp flick that never sacrifices it’s setting or story just to be a slashy little horror. Unlike its obvious inspiration, Friday the 13th, Camp Arawak feels lived in, where it isn’t just horny teenagers getting it on, but playing baseball, swimming, having socials, fighting, you name it. All of it has a purpose, mostly to up the vengeful body count, but regardless, when people aren’t dying, it’s actually quite a fun movie. 

Of course though, there’s no escaping that ending. We’re originally led to believe that Angela’s brother and father were killed in a boating accident in childhood, likely deeply traumatizing her, since she is very obviously our killer from the jump, as shown by her quiet, reserved demeanor that acts as a magnet for bullies. But what we didn’t know is that her mega weird aunt always wanted a daughter and the real Angela died in that accident, whereas her brother lived, forced to continue life as the deceased Angela. Cut back to reality as she drops her boyfriends severed head and chillingly turns toward the counselors, revealing her male genitalia and thus imparting on us one of the scariest visual and audio endings in horror movie history. 

We get a dynamite cast too, starring John E. Dunn, Frank Trent Saladino, Loris Sallahain, Desiree Gould, Katherine Kamhi, Paul DeAngelo, Mike Kellen, Christopher Collet, Karen Fields, Jonathon Tiersten, and Felissa Rose. Between Tiersten and Rose, the two balance out the best parts of this film, from it’s comedy and childhood innocence, to it’s darker, sinister tones, really capturing that duality that teenagers posses depending on their upbringing. 

Sleepaway Camp, directed by Robert Hiltzik, while a more than capable slasher with plenty of memorable kills, also has the rare distinction of being just a fun movie that balances out the intricacies of adolescence with bullying and childhood trauma. 

7.7/10