So back in the 80's, some folks made 2 sequels to Sleepaway Camp. The original director was not involved. They are fun movies, but they are really just lightweight goofs and completely lack the fuck-you attitude and weirdness of the original. Angela is made to be more of a wisecracking killer in the Freddy Krueger vein, and the movies are basically god for a few laughs if you like that kind of stupid shit.
A few years back, the original director decided to make his OWN sequel to the original, as if parts 2 and 3 never existed, and after a few years in limbo it's finally on video. And it was worth the wait. Robert Hiltzik, the director, must have listened closely to all the fans, because he made a sequel that takes all the stuff you loved about the original and kicks it up a notch. Namely, the foul mouthed screenplay and the bizarre, over-the-top kills. Little effort is put into actually making the movie scary or anything like that, and instead just piles on the curses and murders and builds to an ending while not as creepy or classic as the originals, is at least as crazy and fun.
So right there, that would be enough for me to recommend this movie: a sequel that actually manages to recapture the unique vibe of the original. But there's something else about this one that makes it at least as good as the original, and that is the character of Alan. I guarantee you, you have never ever in your life seen another character like this in any other movie. He's a fat kid who looks older than all the other campers, but acts like an 8 year old. He likes to pick on the other kids, but the second anyone is mean to him he gets upset and complains that everyone is mean to him. Almost all of his dialogue is yelled. When he gets really upset, he runs off into the woods and plays with frogs, who he claims are his friends. He also claims that he had "rheumatic fever" when he was little and that's why everyone is mean to him. He gets into argus with everyone, including the counselors, and his main comeback to everyone is "your ass stinks!" which he probably says 4 or 5 times in the movie.
This seems like an impossible role to play, but somehow they found the perfect actor for it, and if it were up to me I'd give the guy an Oscar.
If I have one complaint with the film, it's that even though they bring back Ricky, the best part of the original film, he's not in the movie enough. Maybe 5 or 10 minutes. Supposedly Hiltzik might make another one, so I'm hoping Ricky, foulmouthed and with as bad an attitude as ever, has a bigger role.
Angela, on the other hand, the way they bring her back is perfect, but I won't dare spoil why.
1 comment:
i feel like we need to own this movie.
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