The Burning

One of the first (and best) horror films to follow in the massive success of Friday the 13th (1980) is this terrifically bloody slasher film.

Prank leaves camp caretaker horribly disfigured and ready for some harsh vengeance. Enter a band of teenagers and a sharp pair of garden shears...

While admittedly The Burning isn't the most well-written horror movie of the period, it's definitely one that delivers great atmosphere and suspense. Even better for genre fans, it boasts the spectacular gore FX from master makeup artist Tom Savini. The FX in this film are highly bloody, especially during the infamous 'raft' scene. This, along with a spirited cast, nice wilderness locations, and a tension-filled electronic music score makes this film a pretty well done slasher flick. Oh, also there's a good bit of nudity which helps to make it even more of a guilty pleasure for slasher fans.

Cast-wise the movie holds its own too. Brian Matthews makes for an OK leading man, but it's really the supporting cast that highlights here. Young Jason Alexander and Fisher Stevens both make their film debuts here (along with a passing Holly Hunter) and prove to be likable goofs. Also good is Larry Joshua as the beefy camp bully.

So slasher fans, The Burning is one flick that's not to be missed. Be sure to find an uncut version of it though.

*** out of ****

Made in 1981, this film clearly jumped on the teenage slasher bandwagon and is very similar to a Friday the 13th movie. As far as the genre goes, 'The Burning' is way above average. Sure, it has the obligatory teenagers on summer camp and a deranged stalker out for 'revenge' but there are some genuinely tension-building moments and quite a few decent scares. The effects are above average (though quite heavily cut in the British version) thanks to gore-king, Tom Savini and Rick Wakeman's electronic music score is far more effective than Harry Manfredini's psycho-like strings in Friday the 13th. The acting is nothing special, but then again, it never is in these films.

If you're in the mood for a decent, scary stalk'n'slash movie, you could do far, FAR worse than this.

I believe I've found what must be the seminal summer camp slasher film of the 1980s. It captures every element of the decade's obsession with movies like "Friday the 13th" and "Meatballs" and puts them in one package. Shout! Factory has scored again with their Blu-ray release of "The Burning."

The caretaker of a summer camp is burned alive and left deformed after a prank goes wrong. Years later, he's released from the hospital and returns to the area where the accident occurred. A new group of campers have arrived for the summer and he has horrific plans for them. Hedge clippers in hand, the caretaker begins his reign of terror on the counselors and attendees.

"The Burning" has the raunchy toilet humor of "Meatballs" mixed with everything you came to expect from slasher films like "Friday the 13th" and "Sleepaway Camp." You have nice girls making bad decisions by hooking up with bad guys. Unfortunately, the killer sees all and punishes them for their perverse deeds.

I always thought the killer in "Friday the 13th, Part V: A New Beginning" was the first to utilize hedge clippers. I was very wrong, as you can see in "The Burning." It's obvious the psycho in "A New Beginning" took inspiration from the crazy caretaker.

It's unbelievable how many big names are attached to "The Burning." Harvey Weinstein created and co-wrote the story. Bob Weinstein co-wrote the screenplay. Special Make-up Artist Tom Savini returns to camp for a second time after his classic work on "Friday the 13th." His handiwork keeps the blood flowing efficiently.

Brian Backer plays a character more annoying than the one he did in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." Jason Alexander (yes, George Costanza) portrays a sporty and popular high schooler. He has a full head of hair and doesn't wear glasses. Holly Hunter can be seen briefly as a camper. She looks like she was maybe 13 years old.

"The Burning" is another one of those cult classics many people forget about in the shadow of "Friday the 13th." If you're a fan of 1980s slasher movies, it's a must-own.

There's no disguising the fact that 'The Burning' is a rip off of 'Friday the 13th' so I won't bother arguing about it. The most important thing is that 'The Burning' has more likeable characters and they are killed off in gorier and more flamboyant ways. This makes it one of the few knock offs that I can think of that surpasses the original. The thing that really makes this outstanding isn't the handful of actors in the cast of unknowns that went on to bigger and better things (Jason Alexander, Holly Hunter,etc.), but Tom Savini's realistic and gruesome effects, some of his best work. I don't think you really watch a slasher movie for much more than some shocks and some gore, and this has both in spades, making it one of the very best slasher movies of the 80s. This genre isn't my favourite kind of horror, but I enjoyed 'The Burning' a great deal, and the uncut version is worth tracking down for the raft sequence alone, which is unforgettable and very, very cool. Recommended, but not for the squeamish.

How many times in film history has it occurred that a rip-off is better than its source material? Well, in horror films, it happens a lot and THE BURNING is a fine example. The first film churned out by modern powerhouse Miramax, THE BURNING delivers the goods and that's that.

The storyline: a janitor at a summer camp is the victim of a fiery prank and returns years later to exact revenge on teens at a summer camp across the lake from his old stomping grounds. OK, not so original...in fact, you might say that it reminds you of FRIDAY THE 13TH, right? Duh, by now, you should know that this is an F13 rip-off. But here's the great part: this movie is not only gorier than F13, it is better acted, better paced, and has better characters. Three of them are played by future stars Jason Alexander, Holly Hunter (with no lines! Ha!), and Fisher Stevens! Alexander even has hair, but he plays the typical fat guy jokester. He doesn't get butchered, though.

Tom Savini supposedly turned down F13 PART 2 to do the special effects for this film. It's pretty good that he did this since the effects are part of the appeal of THE BURNING. The highlight of the film: the dispatching of an entire group of kids on a raft using giant shears! Truly amazing!

THE BURNING was severely cut by the MPAA and international censors as well. It has yet to turn up legally uncut in the US (other than a brief uncut video release) and it is aching for a DVD release by Anchor Bay! Until then, try to find a copy at your mom-and-pop store. You will not be disappointed!