Camp Blood: The Musical (2006?)
Written & Directed by: Tanner Barklow, Jefferson Craig,
& Thomas Hughes
Cast: Fia Alvarez, Dan Wilcox, Emma Manion, Jacob
Wolf, Ashley Hanna & Tom Shoemaker
Approx: 30 min.
Written & Directed by: Tanner Barklow, Jefferson Craig,
& Thomas Hughes
Cast: Fia Alvarez, Dan Wilcox, Emma Manion, Jacob
Wolf, Ashley Hanna & Tom Shoemaker
Approx: 30 min.
Anyone who has endured a lengthy slasher film discussion
with me will probably attest to the fact that I seem to have
double standards. I am very forgiving with even the most
abysmal output up until some time in the late 80s. After that, I’
m about as warm as a witch’s tit. Could it be that I’m right?
Have filmmakers simply lost the ability to make a good slasher
film? Wes Craven and Steve Miner seem to be doing their
best to provide the necessary evidence for my case. Why
then would I keep lining up for the latest Halloween sequels, or
rent things called Camp Blood and Bloody Murder? Either I’m
a glutton for punishment or there’s a tiny part of me that
hopes to recapture the excitement of renting a beat up VHS of
The Burning, Slaughter High, or Sleepaway Camp.
with me will probably attest to the fact that I seem to have
double standards. I am very forgiving with even the most
abysmal output up until some time in the late 80s. After that, I’
m about as warm as a witch’s tit. Could it be that I’m right?
Have filmmakers simply lost the ability to make a good slasher
film? Wes Craven and Steve Miner seem to be doing their
best to provide the necessary evidence for my case. Why
then would I keep lining up for the latest Halloween sequels, or
rent things called Camp Blood and Bloody Murder? Either I’m
a glutton for punishment or there’s a tiny part of me that
hopes to recapture the excitement of renting a beat up VHS of
The Burning, Slaughter High, or Sleepaway Camp.
All these questions could be answered by simply chalking it up to personal taste. That would be too easy though.
Slashers are different, and I will argue until my dying day that they’re just not as good anymore. It seems now that too
many people are in on the joke. The clichés used now have a venomous and condescending edge to them. Most
modern slasher films are out to prove themselves better and more “in the know” than the older product. This simply isn’t
true. While earlier slasher films were just as prone to tired by-the-numbers plots and one-dimensional characters, they
at least had the decency to revel in their own deviancy.
Take the tired idea of sex = death. That cliché has been exploited vigorously in both old and new slasher films. In my
eyes, the difference boils down to good storytelling vs. a one liner joke. Show don’t tell. Modern films will use the same
cliché, but try to legitimize it by telling the audience that they know it’s a cliché and giving a real obvious wink. Older
slashers will get the point across with sex and death.
Slashers are different, and I will argue until my dying day that they’re just not as good anymore. It seems now that too
many people are in on the joke. The clichés used now have a venomous and condescending edge to them. Most
modern slasher films are out to prove themselves better and more “in the know” than the older product. This simply isn’t
true. While earlier slasher films were just as prone to tired by-the-numbers plots and one-dimensional characters, they
at least had the decency to revel in their own deviancy.
Take the tired idea of sex = death. That cliché has been exploited vigorously in both old and new slasher films. In my
eyes, the difference boils down to good storytelling vs. a one liner joke. Show don’t tell. Modern films will use the same
cliché, but try to legitimize it by telling the audience that they know it’s a cliché and giving a real obvious wink. Older
slashers will get the point across with sex and death.
This isn’t to say that there isn’t room for parody or satire in the world of slashers. What it really comes down to though,
is respect. If you don’t respect slasher films, the jokes are going to come off as nasty with no sense of fun. These films
aren’t made for slasher fans; they’re made for cinema snobs. Sleepaway Camp 2 and Scream represent the polar
opposites in this respect. I’m sure you can guess where my preference lies.
So, I still haven’t figured out why I keep coming back for more. The recent slasher boom has certainly showed its true
colors. Every once in a while though, I get the crazy idea that someone else out there must love the same things about
slasher films that I do. It was a pleasant surprise then to come across a flawed but fun short called Camp Blood: The
Musical.
I’ve been suckered in by the promise of entertaining camp mayhem many a times. Such recent efforts as Crinoline Head
and Camp Slaughter have left a sour taste in my mouth. It was quite a surprise then, that a film description whose
description and preview sounded terrible annoying would be one of the better slasher efforts in recent memory. Many of
the common pratfalls of these films are avoided; some are not, but what shows through more than anything is a love of a
good old-fashioned slasher film.
is respect. If you don’t respect slasher films, the jokes are going to come off as nasty with no sense of fun. These films
aren’t made for slasher fans; they’re made for cinema snobs. Sleepaway Camp 2 and Scream represent the polar
opposites in this respect. I’m sure you can guess where my preference lies.
So, I still haven’t figured out why I keep coming back for more. The recent slasher boom has certainly showed its true
colors. Every once in a while though, I get the crazy idea that someone else out there must love the same things about
slasher films that I do. It was a pleasant surprise then to come across a flawed but fun short called Camp Blood: The
Musical.
I’ve been suckered in by the promise of entertaining camp mayhem many a times. Such recent efforts as Crinoline Head
and Camp Slaughter have left a sour taste in my mouth. It was quite a surprise then, that a film description whose
description and preview sounded terrible annoying would be one of the better slasher efforts in recent memory. Many of
the common pratfalls of these films are avoided; some are not, but what shows through more than anything is a love of a
good old-fashioned slasher film.
The plot only needs (and warrants) the briefest description. A bunch of typical horror movie characters arrive at Camp
Blood to begin work as counselors. We run through the horror scenarios like a checklist and get a song and dance
number about the biggies (skinny dipping, the final chase etc.). The setting alternates from a woodsy (Vermont?) camp
to what looks like a high school theater stage filled with cardboard backgrounds and props. The characters all isolate
themselves long enough to sing a song and get murdered.
While the good outweighs the bad here, I do still have some gripes I’d like to get off my chest. The homages are
typically heavy-handed at times; naming characters after other slasher characters is just plain tired by now. It should be
noted though that the names Simon Scuddamore and Marty are far less played out than any combination of Myers and
Loomis. Some of the humor also seems forced. People tend to have the misconception that a druggie character is
funny regardless of the situation. Jacob Wolf isn’t funny - sticking a bag of dope in his hand isn’t going to fix that. The
killer and the murders are a bit of a let down also. There is very little creativity shown in either. The murders only serve
to show the limitations of the budget, and not in a good way (with the exception of one nifty double murder). As for the
killer, it wasn’t terrible, but I was just hoping for something a little more memorable than a ski mask.
Blood to begin work as counselors. We run through the horror scenarios like a checklist and get a song and dance
number about the biggies (skinny dipping, the final chase etc.). The setting alternates from a woodsy (Vermont?) camp
to what looks like a high school theater stage filled with cardboard backgrounds and props. The characters all isolate
themselves long enough to sing a song and get murdered.
While the good outweighs the bad here, I do still have some gripes I’d like to get off my chest. The homages are
typically heavy-handed at times; naming characters after other slasher characters is just plain tired by now. It should be
noted though that the names Simon Scuddamore and Marty are far less played out than any combination of Myers and
Loomis. Some of the humor also seems forced. People tend to have the misconception that a druggie character is
funny regardless of the situation. Jacob Wolf isn’t funny - sticking a bag of dope in his hand isn’t going to fix that. The
killer and the murders are a bit of a let down also. There is very little creativity shown in either. The murders only serve
to show the limitations of the budget, and not in a good way (with the exception of one nifty double murder). As for the
killer, it wasn’t terrible, but I was just hoping for something a little more memorable than a ski mask.
Now that that’s out of the way, these guys deserve some credit. They obviously enjoy slasher films, and value many of
the same things I do. There are some very subtle and clever references that could easily slide by without notice: a
Sleepaway Camp sequel reference around a campfire among others. Most importantly, all the self-referential material is
held in check in the musical numbers (where the fourth wall is traditionally broken anyway). This gives the film a feeling
of respect that is so desperately missing from the recent crop of duds.
Even those that champion the newer slasher films will acknowledge the 80s as a sort of golden age of empty-headed
fun. Many recent films have tried to recapture that magic in one way or another. Camp Slaughter is the most obvious
misfire, despite an interesting premise. Camp Blood: The Musical succeeds where the other movie faltered. It takes
more than dated fashion and language to recapture part of an era. Camp Blood scores points for featuring both
needless nudity and a killer’s motivation revealed through clipped newspaper articles.
So, when all is said and done, Camp Blood: The Musical isn’t going to save our beloved subgenre…nor does is try to.
All it does is succeed in doing is bringing a smile to the face a jaded and cynical slasher fan of days gone by. I think of it
as a nice diversion from the fact that I continually feel more and more detached from what I once considered my favorite
kind of film.
the same things I do. There are some very subtle and clever references that could easily slide by without notice: a
Sleepaway Camp sequel reference around a campfire among others. Most importantly, all the self-referential material is
held in check in the musical numbers (where the fourth wall is traditionally broken anyway). This gives the film a feeling
of respect that is so desperately missing from the recent crop of duds.
Even those that champion the newer slasher films will acknowledge the 80s as a sort of golden age of empty-headed
fun. Many recent films have tried to recapture that magic in one way or another. Camp Slaughter is the most obvious
misfire, despite an interesting premise. Camp Blood: The Musical succeeds where the other movie faltered. It takes
more than dated fashion and language to recapture part of an era. Camp Blood scores points for featuring both
needless nudity and a killer’s motivation revealed through clipped newspaper articles.
So, when all is said and done, Camp Blood: The Musical isn’t going to save our beloved subgenre…nor does is try to.
All it does is succeed in doing is bringing a smile to the face a jaded and cynical slasher fan of days gone by. I think of it
as a nice diversion from the fact that I continually feel more and more detached from what I once considered my favorite
kind of film.
3.75 A-Cups out of 5
Dr. Spector - 11.05.2006
Dr. Spector - 11.05.2006
Images originally published at Horror Talk