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IMDbPro

The Burning

  • 1981
  • R
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
21K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,375
1,759
The Burning (1981)
Trailer for The Burning
Play trailer1:26
3 Videos
99+ Photos
Horror

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.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.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.

  • Director
    • Tony Maylam
  • Writers
    • Harvey Weinstein
    • Tony Maylam
    • Brad Grey
  • Stars
    • Brian Matthews
    • Leah Ayres
    • Brian Backer
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.3/10
    21K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    3,375
    1,759
    • Director
      • Tony Maylam
    • Writers
      • Harvey Weinstein
      • Tony Maylam
      • Brad Grey
    • Stars
      • Brian Matthews
      • Leah Ayres
      • Brian Backer
    • 262User reviews
    • 148Critic reviews
    • 42Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos3

    The Burning
    Trailer 1:26
    Watch The Burning
    The Burning: Cain Burning (Exclusive)
    Clip 1:13
    Watch The Burning: Cain Burning (Exclusive)
    The Burning (Featurette)
    Featurette 1:12
    Watch The Burning (Featurette)

    Photos150

    Leah Ayres, Brian Backer, Shelley Bruce, and Brian Matthews in The Burning (1981)
    Brian Matthews in The Burning (1981)
    Lou David in The Burning (1981)
    Lou David in The Burning (1981)
    Leah Ayres and Brian Matthews in The Burning (1981)
    Brian Backer in The Burning (1981)
    K.C. Townsend in The Burning (1981)
    The Burning (1981)
    The Burning (1981)
    The Burning (1981)
    The Burning (1981)
    The Burning (1981)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Brian Matthews
    Brian Matthews
    • Todd
    Leah Ayres
    Leah Ayres
    • Michelle
    Brian Backer
    Brian Backer
    • Alfred
    Larry Joshua
    Larry Joshua
    • Glazer
    Jason Alexander
    Jason Alexander
    • Dave
    Ned Eisenberg
    Ned Eisenberg
    • Eddy
    Carrick Glenn
    Carrick Glenn
    • Sally
    Carolyn Houlihan
    Carolyn Houlihan
    • Karen
    Fisher Stevens
    Fisher Stevens
    • Woodstock
    Lou David
    Lou David
    • Cropsy
    Shelley Bruce
    Shelley Bruce
    • Tiger
    Sarah Chodoff
    • Barbara
    Bonnie Deroski
    Bonnie Deroski
    • Marnie
    Holly Hunter
    Holly Hunter
    • Sophie
    Kevi Kendall
    Kevi Kendall
    • Diane
    J.R. McKechnie
    • Fish
    George Parry
    • Alan
    Ame Segull
    • Rhoda
    • Director
      • Tony Maylam
    • Writers
      • Harvey Weinstein
      • Tony Maylam
      • Brad Grey
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Tom Savini turned down "Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)" to work on this.
    • Goofs
      When Cropsy is set on fire at the beginning of the film, it is possible to see his crash helmet.
    • Quotes

      [last lines]

      Camp Counselor: They never found his body, but they say his spirit lives in the forest. This forest. A maniac, a thing no longer human. They say he lives on whatever he can catch. Eats them raw, alive maybe. And every year he picks on a summer camp and seeks his revenge for the terrible things those kids did to him. Every year he kills. Right now he's out there. Watching. Waiting. So don't look; he'll see you. Don't breathe; he'll hear you. Don't move; you're dead!

    • Alternate versions
      The version of the film shown on the MonstersHD channel (August 2006) is completely uncut. However the added bonus for this version is that they showed the film in its proper widescreen format. The film has never been issued in a widescreen format at all (short of its theatrical run) previously to this.
    • Connections
      Featured in Sneak Previews: The Legend of the Lone Ranger, Outland, Death Hunt, Take This Job And Shove It (1981)
    • Soundtracks
      DEVIL'S CREEK BREAKDOWN
      (uncredited)

      Written and Performed by Alan Brewer

      Produced by Alan Brewer

    User reviews262

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Instant classic horror slasher flick
    The Burning (1981) is an instant classic slasher horror flick, puts most of horror movies today to shame. This movie come out the same year as did Friday the 13th Part 2 my favorite horror film. They are so many horror films in 1981 I haven't hear, see or they are forgotten. This movie however surprised me. "It ripped off Friday the 13th" no it didn't! This movie was different, it was a revenge film but it was different than Friday the 13th. It is an original story not a copycat of other slasher films. Honestly I think this movie is much way better horror movie than Friday the 13th Part 2. This movie has a different story, it is not that bad and it is a good slasher movie and it just become my favorite horror film.

    The story follows campers from summer camp goes with canoe trip to Devil's Creek once there they become targets, from a former summer camp caretaker, horribly burned from a prank gone wrong, with a pair of hedge clippers to take revenge on the campers. Once there they are trapped while assailant is stalking them and kills them one by one.

    I enjoy this film it is not a bad slasher horror film it is instant classic and really puts most of horror films to shame. It has a lot of nudity with girls been naked and sexy. This days I don't see any naked girls in any slasher horror films today. They don't make horror movies like this one in the woods today. Back in the 80's was more work than today. Tom Savini from Dawn of the Dead makes special effect for more gory blood and they work. Just like he did special effects for Friday the 13th, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter and Dawn of the Dead he makes effects for this movie and the gory kills really works. There is a lot of scares and twists in here that keeps getting you interested and intense. It doesn't allowed you to stop watching it. Friday the 13th part 2, My Bloody Valentine, The Burning, The Howling and American Werewolf in London are really in my top five favorite films from 1981 in horror genre. Why can't we get movies like this?

    Directed and original story by Tony Maylam who directed the film really good. I miss movies like this today and I think it is a really good movie. Brian Matthews, Brian Backer, Carrick Glenn and Carolyn Houlihan were believable at acting and they were really good. 8/10 this movie is an instant classic in the horror genre from the 80's for me.
    helpful•66
    19
    • ivo-cobra8
    • Feb 19, 2018

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    FAQ2

    • Is there going to be a remake?
    • What are the differences between the R-Rated and Unrated versions? What about the BBFC-18 version?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 8, 1981 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Cropsy
    • Filming locations
      • North Tonawanda, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Cropsy Venture
      • Miramax
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $1,500,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 31 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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