The Burning (1981)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Tony Maylam

Writers:

Harvey Weinstein (story) and
Tony Maylam (story) ...

Release Date:

8 May 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Gather Around the Campfire to Die!

Plot:

A former summer camp caretaker, horribly burned from a prank gone wrong, lurks around an upstate New York summer camp bent on killing the teenagers responsible for his disfigurement.

Plot Keywords:

Summer Camp | Prank | Burned | Hospital | Boy

Cast

Brian Matthews	...	Todd
Leah Ayres	...	Michelle
Brian Backer	...	Alfred
Larry Joshua	...	Glazer
Jason Alexander	...	Dave
Ned Eisenberg	...	Eddy
Carrick Glenn	...	Sally
Carolyn Houlihan	...	Karen
Fisher Stevens	...	Woodstock
Lou David	...	Cropsy
Shelley Bruce	...	Tiger
Sarah Chodoff	...	Barbara
Bonnie Deroski	...	Marnie
Holly Hunter	...	Sophie
Kevi Kendall	...	Diane

Also Known As:

Cropsy (USA) (reissue title)

Runtime:

91 min | Australia:89 min

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:18 (re-rating: 1992) (cut) (re-rating:2002) (uncut) | UK:(Banned) (1984-1992) | UK:X (original rating: 1981) (cut) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Australia:R | France:-16 | Norway:(Banned) (video rating) | South Korea:18 | USA:R | West Germany:(Banned) | Iceland:(Banned) | Finland:K-18 (1990) (cut) | Finland:(Banned) (1985) | Finland:(Banned) (1984) | Finland:(Banned) (1983) (cut) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Buffalo, New York, USA

Company:

Filmways Pictures

Trivia:

Director Tony Maylam said there was much more footage shot of the Cropsy killer for the film but he decided to cut back coverage on the killer to keep Cropsy more frightening on screen.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Cropsy stabs the hooker with the scissors, a close-up shot shows the scissors are cut off to fit her stomach.

Quotes:

Michelle: What are we going to do now?
Todd: All right, we'll all split up and search this whole area. The canoes have to be around here somewhere.
Sophie: What happens if we don't find them?
Todd: Then we'll build a raft, or something.
[the campers murmur and grumble]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Return to Sleepaway Camp (2008) (V)

Soundtrack:

DOIN' IT

One of the best slasher guilty pleasures!

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 ****