In the 1980's Teenage Summer Camp slasher movies were all over the place. The Friday the 13th franchise was rising, John Carpenter was taking a break from Michael Myers till 1988, and Freddy Kreuger was just becoming a thought to Wes Craven. In 1983, this movie was released as an independent film, however, it was ahead of its time and progressive for what it was.
The movie is about two young kids named Ricky and Angela who go to a New York summer camp (and by the way you can tell they are New Yorkers/New Jerseyians by their accents). They run into a bunch of kids while there who are mean to Angela because she is shy and not talkative. The mean girls do horrible things to her like : push her in the lake, throw water balloons at her, Make fun of her because she is flat chested and does not shower with the other ladies. The guys also give Ricky hell because of Angela. They do have one common friend whom Angela falls in love with. The camp owner in the meantime is a very greedy SOB.
So how does this become a slasher film? Well it all starts in the beginning of the movie where Angela is taken to the back of the kitchen and nearly raped by a fat, greasy cook. Ricky comes in and saves her. However, a few minutes later the cook is burned alive by a hot stockpot of boiling water. One kid is killed by a swarm of bees after the killer drops a beehive in the restroom stall. Another girl is killed by a curling iron to the vagina. One of the main girls preparing for a date is killed in the shower a la Psycho. The Camp owner is later killed with an arrow to the throat. There are other kills in this movie, but I want to let you watch this movie. Throughout the film, the camp owner is accusing Ricky of doing the killings to get revenge for what they are doing to Angela.
Here is the twist to the movie (SPOILER ALERT: If you don't want to know the ending please skip to the next paragraph). The movie begins with two Siblings Angela and Peter. The beginning of the movie shows a ski boating accident where Angela was killed. So Ricky's mom who is Angela and Peter's aunt then takes Peter and makes him over into Angela claiming she always wanted a girl. The end of the movie shows the younger campers all murdered in a campsite off the lake, and Angela/ Peter cuddling and caressing the boy who was the lover. The final shot of the movie as the camera pans out is a naked Angela with Genitalia shown. The Actress portraying Angela was of legal age so no laws were broken.
Overall I give the movie a 3.5 out of 5. It told a good story and was suspenseful. The twist ending was also very progressive for its time too. There were two other sequels made with Angela as a full female. Angela for the next 2 movies would be played by Bruce Springsteen's sister. The kills were more creative and Angela would again take out her violence on the mean and disobedient kids.
So, if you have not seen this I recommend you watch it. It is available on Youtube.
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