The Final Terror (1983)

User Rating:

4.3/10   

Director:

Andrew Davis

Writers:

Jon George (screenplay)
Jon George (story)

Release Date:

May 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

If you go down to the woods today you're sure of...

Plot:

A group of forest rangers go camping in the woods, and trespass into an area where a backwoods mama likes to kill people who come onto her turf.

Plot Keywords:

Forest | Camping | Bus | Dying During Sex | Mother Son Relationship

Cast

John Friedrich	...	Dennis Zorich
Adrian Zmed	...	Marco Cerone
Ernest Harden Jr.	...	Nathaniel Hines
Lewis Smith	...	Boone
Rachel Ward	...	Margaret
Daryl Hannah	...	Windy Morgan
Akosua Busia	...	Vanessa
Joe Pantoliano	...	Eggar
Mark Metcalf	...	Mike
Cindy Harrell	...	Melanie
Irene Sanders	...	Sammie
Richard Jacobs	...	Mr. Morgan
Donna Pinder	...	Mrs. Morgan
Jim Youngs	...	Jim
Lori Butler	...	Lori (as Lori Lee Butler)

Also Known As:

Bump in the Night
Campsite Massacre
Carnivore (USA) (TV title)
The Creeper (USA) (working title)
The Forest Primeval
Three Blind Mice (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Belgium:16 (video rating) | Australia:R | Norway:18 | Sweden:(Banned) | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Crescent City, California, USA

Trivia:

The film was shot in 1981, but was shelved when it couldn't find a distributor right away. It wasn't until 1983 when it was released to capitalize on the rising stardom of Daryl Hannah and Adrian Zmed.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the beginning, when the boy and girl are riding on the moped/motorbike, when the crash happens the girl's hair changes from short to longish, to short again.

A highly influential (in my opinion, anyway), star-studded stalk and slash.

It's easy to make the mistake of dismissing The Final Terror as just another instantly forgettable, derivative backwoods slasher: the characters are your usual array of one-dimensional psycho-fodder; the setting is the standard 'spooky woods located miles from civilisation'; there's the corny campfire legend that sets up the back story for the killer; and the film features several cribs from other similarly themed horror movies (most obviously John Boorman's Deliverance).

However, I think this film is a more important addition to the genre than it is given credit for: not only did it give director Andrew Davis (of The Fugitive fame) and several future Hollywood stars (Daryl Hannah, Rachel Ward, Joe Pantoliano, and...errr... Adrian Zmed?!?) a step up in their careers, but—and you can call me mad if you like—I am also convinced that The Final Terror was a big influence on the excellent Arnold Schwarzeneggar sci-fi/action movie Predator!

As Lloyd Grossman used to say in Through The Keyhole, 'Let's take a look at the evidence...'

The group of friends stranded in the wilderness; the strange creature who hunts them one-by-one; the pivotal moment where the hunter finally becomes the hunted; and the final showdown in which the killer is lured into a booby-trap made from a huge tree trunk. Let's face it.... all that's missing is a mini-gun!!!

Anyway, regardless of whether you subscribe to my Predator theory or not, The Final Terror is still a reasonably enjoyable way to pass the time, with some effective jump scares, a fair amount of atmosphere, and some lovely cinematography. I'd liked to have seen a bit more gore, some nudity from the ladies (this is a slasher, after all!), and Adrian Zmed get slaughtered (I still remember T. J. Hooker), but I suppose you can't have everything!

6.5 out of 10, rounded up to 7 for IMDb.