Just Before Dawn (1981)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Jeff Lieberman

Writers:

Mark Arywitz (writer)
Jeff Lieberman (writer)

Release Date:

March 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Will Anyone Survive Those Hours Just Before Dawn?

Plot:

Five campers arrive in the mountains to examine some property they have bought, but are warned by the...

Plot Keywords:

Forest | Mountain | Teenkill | Nudity | Transformation

Cast

George Kennedy	...	Roy McLean
Mike Kellin	...	Ty
Chris Lemmon	...	Jonathan
Gregg Henry	...	Warren
Deborah Benson	...	Constance
Ralph Seymour	...	Daniel
Katie Powell	...	Merry Cat Logan (as Kati Powell)
John Hunsaker	...	Mountain Twins
Charles Bartlett	...	Vachel
Jamie Rose	...	Megan
Hap Oslund	...	Pa Logan
Barbara Spencer	...	Ma Logan

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:18 (re-rating) (2005) | UK:X (original rating) | Iceland:16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Norway:16 (1982) | Sweden:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Silver Falls State Park, Sublimity, Oregon, USA

Company:

Oakland Productions

Trivia:

Director Jeff Lieberman cites Deliverance (1972) as the films primary influence.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Just Before Dawn: Lions, Tigers and Inbred Twins (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

Heart Of Glass

S10 Reviews: Just Before Dawn (1981)

Five friends take a camping trip into the wilderness to check out the land that one acquired (or inherited). On their way up the mountain they run into a park ranger (George Kennedy) starts off with the old you best not go up there routine that previews the road ahead for them. After brushing him off they continue on their way jamming to the '70's without a care in the world. Lo and behold a local pops out of nowhere to warn of "demons" and such. At this point these kids should probably start for home but then we wouldn't have a film would we? They drive their camper as high as it will go then hoof it to the summit. But you guessed it them thar "demons" that they blew off start doing them in, one by one. Will the forest ranger save them in time? Jeff Lieberman (Squirm) turns in this beautifully shot film that is a bit slow at times. I found Brad Fiedel's (T2) music score to be very haunting and beautiful, a perfect match for the lovely forest and waterfall locations. The cast headlined by Kennedy (Creepshow 2) do a go job of relaying the fear of the script which at times came up with some tense set-pieces. "Just Before Dawn" drags a bit but would be an excellent edition for the fan of 1980's slashers.