Terror at Tenkiller

Say what you will about movies like Death Promise and Samurai Cop, but they are actually watchable and entertaining in their own ways even without riffing! I watched both of them on their own after seeing them riffed, and I was still entertained. They aren't what you'd call "well made," but they actually DO something. Death Promise has a very clear PLOT that PROGRESSES, and it had likeable, earnest heroes. Samurai Cop had enjoyable heroes who had questionable approaches to their work but never got to the point where you hated them. (Samurai Cop's sequel is ATROCIOUS, however.) The aforementioned films also had villains whose motives you understood, but this film has none of that.

The "heroines" aren't really likable, as one is weak with constant whiny face and the other is basically only a support system for her (and otherwise vague). The location is boring and not beautiful like they claimed, they showed us who the killer is right away, killing any possible mystery-based tension more effectively than any person was killed. And there's no real arc despite what happens. There are countless ways they could have played this, but they played it in the worst way possible because it's a slasher that tells us who the killer is instantly, lacks any mystery or tension, has basic kills, and is absolutely not one iota scary. WHAT WAS THE POINT? Might as well made it a drama about a girl having the power to leave an abusive boyfriend, but they would have messed that up too if what they produced was any indication. Just awful.

A college girl in Tulsa escapes her toxic boyfriend by going to a girlfriend's cabin at Tenkiller Lake southeast of there. Their vacation turns to horror as people mysteriously end-up dead.

"Terror at Tenkiller" (1986) is a slasher of the cabin-in-the-woods variety, but it's more laid-back than most since the drama focuses on the two friends seeking quiet sanctuary at the remote lake. The two protagonists are attractive in a girl-next-door way (Stacey Logan as Leslie and Michele Merchant as Janna), along with the waitress at the restaurant (Debbie Killian), and the director tastefully captures their beauty.

Critics call it "Tedium at Tenkiller," but I appreciate how it's a non-Hollywood slasher that only cost about $40,000. The set-up smacks of real-life and you get to know the characters as the film takes its time. There's a sense of Southern hospitality in the everyday mundaneness, similar to that of "Death Screams," "Squirm" and "The Funhouse." It's like visiting rural northeast Oklahoma. "Camp Cold Brook" (2018) is a modern example, shot just north of Oklahoma City.

While this is perhaps the least of these movies, it has its points of interest. Unlike most slashers, the killer is revealed early on and doesn't wear an eye-rolling mask. Speaking of which, formidable Michael Shamus Wiles is the only member of the cast who went on to regular acting work, including parts in major films like "Fight Club," "Pearl Harbor," "Rock Star," "The Lords of Salem" and "Iron Man 3."

Despite its 1986 copyright, this was actually shot prior to 1983 and after "Friday 13th Part 2," which means 1982 or possibly even the late Summer of 1981.

The film runs 1 hour, 27 minutes, and was shot about an hour's drive southeast of Tulsa at Fort Gibson Lake (the dam and Hulbert), which is 30 minutes northwest of the real Tenkiller Ferry Lake.

GRADE: B-/C+

First off i love this film and i don't know why so many negative reviews. I grew up with this film being a huge part of my child hood. The story is simple but does have character development and back ground. The lead actors are good actors and over all the setting is very atmospheric. the film revolves around two friends Jana and Leslie, Leslie being the one with boyfriend problems. Jana talks Leslie to going to her family's cabin for the summer and getting a break from Josh, her boyfriend who seems to be controlling and cheating.While at the Lake Jana takes Leslie to a local diner and gets her a summer job. Once there someone takes an interest in Leslie and starts to kill to get to her. over all the kill scenes are really good and the special FX are very realistic (especially the throat slicing scene and the arm cutting. But over all its a very calm setting and when you watch it has 80s synth music throughout the whole film which worked really well for this film. I use to rent this film every weekend with The Last Slumber Party it was two of my favorite films as a kid and then once it came to DVD the funny thing is that they both were released on a double feature. so please give it a chance and check the film out its an 80s gem.

....only cuz I once lived around where it was filmed. I went to the university you see in the beginning. After watching it one evening...my friends and I sat out on a day of finding where it was filmed. It was not filmed at Lake Tenkiller. Anyway...on to the film..

It was bad....but not *that* bad. Like someone said before, I have seen worse. I consider myself a horror movie nut, and this is as cheesy as most of the other films to come out of the 80s.

I don't know if I'd recommend this movie to anyone outside of Oklahoma...but I do recommend it to my friends who have lived or live in the Tahlequah area... 5/10

I watched Terror at Tenkiller yesterday and made it through the whole flick. I had seen it before years ago, but couldn't remember a thing about it. Needless to say, it's pretty forgettable. The main female character is a bit on the plump side, and she quickly shows off her assets by taking a shower after a swim (Too bad the lighting is pretty dismal and she's the kinda girl that wears panties under her swimsuit) Needless to say the shot of her getting out of the pool confirms that this chick has got some junk in the trunk. A rare occurrence in most movies who's producers seem to be convinced all men enjoy looking at anorexic women with boob-jobs. At this point I still had high hopes.

Once again the have an example of characters that are supposed to be in school, and still under their parents wing, but look to be pushing or over 30. The leads girlfriend in the flick looks about 31 (although I must admit she keeps in shape as she spends ample time in a bikini) Anywho, the acting is pretty stiff, but not terrible (Except for maybe Thor), that's the best I can say about the rest of the movie.

The quality of the picture is pretty dismal throughout, with the ending being almost unwatchable because it was filmed outside in the dark, the few effects are for the most part non-effective (except one involving poor ol Preacher). The story itself make no sense, and the scares are literally non-existent in spite of several attempt to try and produce a jolt. Attempts at suspense fall flat. There is big hair though and to further confirm the fact this flick was made in the 80's, has a soundtrack that was almost surely made entirely on one of those big ass sampler keyboards you used to play around with that were on display when you first walked into Sears circa 1984.