Camp (2003)

After a series of Broadway flops, songwriter Bert Hanley (Dixon) goes to work at a musical camp for young performers. Inspired by the kids, he finds an opportunity to regain success by staging an altogether new production.

Director:

Todd Graff

Writer:

Todd Graff

Stars:

Daniel Letterle, Joanna Chilcoat, Robin de Jesus

6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Daniel Letterle	...	Vlad Baumann
Joanna Chilcoat	...	Ellen Lucas
Robin de Jesus	...	Michael Flores
Steven Cutts	...	Shaun
Vince Rimoldi	...	Spitzer
Kahiry Bess	...	Petie
Tiffany Taylor	...	Jenna Malloran
Sasha Allen	...	Dee
Alana Allen	...	Jill Simmons
Anna Kendrick	...	Fritzi Wagner
Don Dixon	...	Bert
Robert Orosco	...	Emil
Stephen DiMenna	...	Glen
Omar Edwards	...	Alston
Camilla Millican Samuelson	...	Hillary

Storyline

Misfits in their lives back home, a group of young people live it up at musical-theater camp. While the sports counselor is completely ignored, the kids' spend all their time in rehearsal for a grueling schedule that involves a new show every two weeks. Several personal stories come to the fore. Is talented golden-boy Vlad honest in his feelings about Ellen? Can cross-dressing Michael have a relationship with his parents? Will one-hit-wonder musical playwrite and now camp counselor Bert Hanley remain mired in drink and cynicism? Fireworks are in store when Fritzi, who slavishly serves glamour girl Jill, is finally told to get a life, and the parents of Jenna, whose jaw has been wired shut in a compromise to avoid being sent to "fat camp", learn a valuable lesson at the summer's big end-of-season benefit.

---

Plot Keywords:

musical theater | cynicism | sports counselor | summer | drink | 

---

Taglines:

A Comedy About Drama

---

Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements regarding teen sexual issues, and some language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

5 September 2003 (Ireland)

Also Known As:

Anekplirotoi erotes

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

£245,183 (UK) (5 September 2003)

Gross:

$1,628,154 (USA) (10 October 2003)

Company Credits

Production Co:

IFC Productions, Jersey Films, John Wells Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In joke: Bert Hanley's character, a washed-up songwriter turned director at summer camp for theatrical kids, has the same name as the unseen business manager mentioned in 1962's Whatever Happened to Baby Jane, involving Bette Davis as a former child star.

---

Goofs

During Ladies Who Lunch, after Fritzi drags Jill offstage, she is holding a glass, filled with liquid. However, when she breaks the glass, it's empty.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
[scene opens on Dee, Shaun and Company singing "How Shall I See You Through My Tears"]
[as singing continues, scene shifts to Vlad in his bedroom]
Vlad: To all the critics out there, I know they're gonna review this, and I know they're gonna try to knock me - is it OK if I say this to the camera, Amber? - Okay. I only am who I am 'cause I was born that way. I have a gift, and I'm trying not to be selfish about it, but to use it. Okay? If you're gonna knock me for that, that's your problem....
[...]

---

Connections

Featured in The 2004 IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards (2004)

---

Soundtracks

"The Want of a Nail"
Written by Todd Rundgren
Published by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI) and Humanoid Music (BMI)
Performed by The Company

User Reviews

Slipshod but entertaining

This movie has an amateurish air to it, with more than its share of sloppy edits, plot dead-ends, and those little acting moments that take the viewer out of the story. The story and setting are so entertaining, however, that it manages to overcome its shortcomings and remain a memorable experience. The characters are realistic and fun, and the song choices are consistently good (especially "Turkey Lurkey Time" which is otherwise unavailable on film, far as I know). The original songs (from the people who brought you "Fame") are also good--occasionally terrific.

It's interesting to me that among a cast of newcomers and unknowns, the worst performances are from the adults--especially Don Dixon (Bert). The kids fare much better in general, and their musical performances are their real strengths (unsurprisingly). A surer hand on the direction and script could have tightened Camp up considerably, but even as messy as it is, it's still well worth seeing.