Terror at Tenkiller

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+

There's no mystery or suspense in this film at all, the characters are utterly vapid, and Ye Gods! but the music has to be the worst I have EVER heard in a film. The guy who is somehow supposed to come off as an attractive psycho is ugly as sin...It's hard to believe this movie was ever even released in VHS. It seems as though it may have been scriptless. I highly suggest watching the Rifftrax version of this, if you want to see it at all - it's the only way it will be tolerable. Very, very cheesy ending, too. (Note: The above reviewer who calls the female lead 'plump' must be hallucinating - she is just another anorexic looking 80's chick!)

Rifftrax Review: 9 out of 10: Bad, slow films where nothing happens have stumped the boys before. (The Beast of Yucca Flats, Robot Monster) but they really bring their A-game here. The riffing is on point and upbeat. They really seem to be enjoying themselves. They perform a miracle and make Terror at Tenkiller actually watchable.

Terror at Tenkiller: 1 out of 10: A woman on the run from her controlling boyfriend hides out in a cabin with a friend. But local girls are disappearing and they could be next.

The Good: Well it made for a surprisingly well done Rifftrax track. Also, it gave an acting start to Michael Shamus Wiles who went on to become a solid working actor (He, like everyone else, is awful in this film.)

The Bad: Good lord where to start. Do you like to watch woman talk on the phone? Do like endless discussions about nothing? How about panning shots of an unremarkable lake? Scenes that go on a least a minute after they were supposed to?

There is no mystery to who the killer is. The killer is one of the five characters in the movie. He has no motivation, no one-liners, no hockey mask or hook arm. Just a bro with a few screws loose. There is also no terror, suspense, or horror to be found. Well except for the realization that there are forty minutes to go and the characters are taking yet another nap.

The Ugly: Why do we watch slasher films? Is it to see two women discuss their relationship problems in front of wood paneling? Or is it for the ye olde sex and violence. Well, I hope you're a fan of the former. The only nudity is an accidental flash from lead Stacy Logan clearly caused by the full-screen transfer and the violence is both bloodless and incompetent.

In Conclusion: I thought The Final Terror was the nadir of eighties slasher films but Terror at Tenkiller is in a whole other category. It is like one of those seventies search for Bigfoot films where they spend seventy minutes in a swamp and never actually find Bigfoot.

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.

I don't know the first thing to say about Terror at Tenkiller. Despite it being one of the most placid and mundane slasher films I've ever seen, I weirdly wasn't ever bored. That has to count for something, right?

Tenkiller focuses on two college students (though one looks about old enough to have college aged children herself) who head out to secluded lakehouse to escape from one of their abusive boyfriends. They talk, take in some of the local color, and attract the attention of another angry man, except this one is much more dangerous.

Unlike a lot of slashers, there's no mystery or whodunit aspect here. The only mystery is trying to decided what's going on in most of the night scenes (my DVD appears to be sourced from the world's oldest VHS tape).

There's a slight attempt at character development with the two leads, but they never rise above dim-witted bimbo who can't leave an abusive man and sassy, no nonsense best friend cliches.

If you're expecting tons of nudity or gore, you'll be disappointed, too, since Tenkiller didn't seem very interested in supplying any which leaves the film in a weird place - not thoughtful/suspenseful/scary/character driven enough for serious horror fans and not enough blood or nudity for the gore and skin fans. Who was this even made for?