Sleepaway Camp (1983)

(AKA: Nightmare Vacation)

My rating 6.5/10

(click on images below for larger versions)

After a boating accident kills her family a quite and shy young girl goes to live with her aunt and cousin. Their aunt sends them to a summer camp but soon after they, along with lots of other young teens arrive a series of violent and brutal murders start to happen.

A strange one for sure. The fact they used real kids and not 20 somethings playing kids adds to an already creepy atmosphere. A pedophile chef, a very strange aunt, plenty of gay overtones, some quite nasty killings and a young girl with a very big secret make for a wonderfully memorable slasher with an ending you'll not soon forget. This is one that can still shock even today especially for those who don't know the ending and go into it blind, and that really is the only way to watch this for the first time.

Some of the acting is over the top and on occasion can be quite bad, but for the most part the young cast do well and often out perform some of the adults. It's definitely not the best slasher you'll ever see but it is one of the most interesting. The gore is good with a couple of very memorable effects. Definitely recommended for those wanting a different kind of slasher.

SCREEN SHOTS

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