Summer Camp Nightmare

Summer Camp Nightmare (1987) was a version of the book "The Butterfly Revolution". Whilst the book was a good read, the film was pure teensploitation. This movie is like totally dated dude. The haircuts, clothes and make-up put this one in 80's hell. The characters, for the most part are broadly drawn and the acting is mediocre at best. The direction is sloppy and uninspired. Just your typically 80's teen flick. The campers have enough of the puritanical rule of Camp Leader Chuck Connors and the campers revolt. The leader of the "revolution" is a charismatic young fellow who likes to read Thoreau in his spare time. Sadly, this "revolution" suffers from what all of them become prey to. Loss of

ideals, a lack of a true focus and lust for power turns the camp into something frightening.

An okay film. Chuck Connors plays his usual self, a character with something repressed beneath his grizzly haggard persona. But other than that, there's nothing to really talk about or worth mentioning. It has it's moments and a couple of scenes are quite entertaining. Like the revolution, this film's full potential is not fully realized. A pity because this one could have been good.

Okay film, slightly recommended.

C+

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"Attention campers! Welcome to North Pines, where we got lotsa soul, and rock-n-roll, and wild times." This film defines the eighties; the cheese, the mullets, the headbands, the ragged jeans. Summer Camp Nightmare is pure fun and a great addition to the eighties teen movie legacy. I also found this one hiding out in the horror section (where it does not belong). It's title is a tad misleading (except the camp part, because this movie's full of it). It's storyline is similar to that of Lord of the Flies but it doesn't take itself that seriously. Instead, it becomes one of the most hilarious flicks I've ever seen. Charles Stratton does an excellent job as a far-out Counselor In Training who leads the revolution of Camp North Pines. "Society keeps us in line by the use of fear. When we overcome fear, that's when we stand above society." With this theory, he convinces almost everyone to join the revolt. It's filled with great characters, the best of course being Runk the Punk with his Iron Maiden t-shirt. Runk, without a doubt, has the two best lines in the movie. 1) "Stay outta my face, small crap." and 2) when he and Mason (Tom Fridley from Friday the 13th Part VI) lip sync a Fear song titled "Beef Bologna" at the talent show. From there, the movie gets fairly medieval as the kids become more and more primitive. Their new society fails and all hell breaks loose. If you're a fan of the eighties, you have to find this cult classic. To the revolution!

This movie is like a mix of "Meatballs" and "Taps". The title is misleading. This isn't a "Friday the 13th"-type horror film. It's a pretty good little film about a teenage counselor who organizes all of the kids to take over the camp and lock up the adults. They do it because the new camp director (Chuck Connors) runs the place like a dictator and doesn't let the kids do anything fun. I wish we had done this when I was kid at bible camp! The teen counselor isn't exactly playing with a full deck either, but the kids don't mind as long as they get what they want, which is rock n' roll, parties, and sex. The supporting characters are well-drawn, especially Runk the Punk. Check this movie out if you come across it in the video store. It's a good time-killer.

Well, of course I found it in the Horror section. With a title like that, what do you expect? Of course the video store employee is gonna stick it right between Slumber Party Massacre and Twisted Nightmare. It's just common sense. Especially if you haven't seen it. But I suppose Summer Camp Nightmare can be interpreted as semi-Horror, yet, officially, it's more of a suspense-drama... or thriller? I don't know. Despite the fact that we're talking about a quality flick, with quality acting, and zero gore, I still prefer to think of it as B-Horror. Now that that's settled, our story is set in an all boys camp (awsome!!) Run by an uptight religious fanatic, who has a thing for butterflies. This new camp director (Chuck Connors) is determined to make sure that everyone is watched, at all times, and that no one even remotely enjoys themselves. So, you could imagine how disgruntled everyone would be, expecting keen summer fun, and instead, the dull Mr. Butterflies has different ideas. Franklin Reilly, the evil genius (every camp has one) has stood about as much boredom as he's gonna stand. It's time for a revolution. Being an evil genius, Franklin can easily manipulate others to do stuff. Stuff, such as turning on Mr. Butterflies, and the other authority figures, lock them up, and naturally, make Franklin their leader, with the promise of unlimited freedom. Runk the punk seems to think it's a swell idea. Now would probably be a good time to head over to the girls camp, and lock up their authority figures, and bring the girls over here, so, the keen summer fun can finally begin. Lets's just hope Franklin's power doesn't go to his head. Summer Camp Nightmare is either slightly inspired, or slightly ripped off from Lord Of The Flies, which is fine, because one is cheesy 80's fun, and the other is mediocre. I'd rather watch Summer Camp Nightmare any day of the week. Whether this movie is actually a thriller at a camp, like the book probably meant for it to be, or campy Horror, like the video store guy assumed it was, it's not that important, because Summer Camp Nightmare is interesting, entertaining, and offers not one dull moment, and I'm glad to have this movie in my B-Horror collection, whether it belongs there or not. 8/10

Can a summer camp full of fun-loving kids be run without a proper counselor? Can the love of lawless behavior create a law of the land? Would you let the inmates run the asylum? A good lesson in replacing one leadership with a much devolved leadership is taught in this flick. It runs like an after-school special of the early 1980's and makes you wonder if anyone gave a damn about rules whoever comprised any. This makes you wish Jason Voorhees would make a cameo and show the show-offs a real reign of terror.

It is hard to understand that the citizens of this revolution could keep the party going day in and day out, not pursuing much in the ways of other camp activities. Probably because the heads of state can't afford winding up with outside influences killing their fun by killing them. This is why the only three people able to thwart this campy tyranny wind up on the most wanted and despised lists. Reality would have seen this film cut shorter after a couple of weeks of overpartying and the poor attitude over the guys running the camp. The happy yet sad ending conveys a meaning of life or a comparison to history. It will be clear what not to do if a filmmaker considers pulling up a bland film from a good premise.