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:

Don Dixon, Daniel Letterle, Joanna Chilcoat

6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Daniel Letterle	...	Vlad
Joanna Chilcoat	...	Ellen
Robin de Jesus	...	Michael (as Robin De Jesus)
Steven Cutts	...	Shaun
Vince Rimoldi	...	Spitzer
Kahiry Bess	...	Petie
Tiffany Taylor	...	Jenna
Sasha Allen	...	Dee
Alana Allen	...	Jill
Anna Kendrick	...	Fritzi
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.

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Plot Keywords:

camp counselor | cynicism | musical theater | drink | making a costume | 

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Taglines:

A Comedy About Drama

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Drama

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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:

29 August 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

Anekplirotoi erotes

Filming Locations:

Seattle, Washington, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$54,294, 27 July 2003, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$1,628,154, 12 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 her December 2016 New York Times essay about the making of Camp, Anna Kendrick said that at 16 she was anxious to downplay the implication that her character, Fritzi, was sexually attracted to her roommate (and eventual nemesis), Jill. "Today, I would be thrilled to play such a twisted little character. At the time, I just wanted to wear makeup and have my hair done, like the other girls in the cast....I still had to go back to high school once this was over, and I so badly wanted to be the hot girl in a movie, not the girl who washes the hot girl's underwear by hand."

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Goofs

When Jill is in dressing room preparing for her "The Ladies Who Lunch" number, neither her wig styling or costume matches what she is wearing when she appears onstage moments later.

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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....
[...]

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Connections

References Fame (1980)

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Soundtracks

Here's Where I Stand
Music by Michael Gore
Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens
Published by Fifth of March Music (BMI) and WB Music Corp. o/b/o itself and Hillsdale Music,
Inc. (ASCAP)
Performed by Tiffany Taylor

User Reviews

Thanks Todd Graff

Does Stephen Trask (HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH) ever write a note of bad music?

This is a wonderful movie. Admittedly, the pace is not perfection. But the music is great, the jokes are funny and most importantly it portrays a specific milieu. And movies that bring the audience into a milieu they might not know exists are almost always interesting. I've seen this movie once and I'll see it again.

Ignore the critics who want to tell you what the movie isn't and what it should be. They'll only keep you from enjoying a good movie. Todd Graff has something to say. This is his movie and it works. One magazine reviewer noted that the kids in this movie emerge as full-blown professionals. Well -- they are! Most of these kids have never done anything before. That's part of what is being said here. There's all this talent that no one has ever seen. There are kids who are this good. Todd Graff found them.