sleepawaycamp3

Director Michael Simpson does a respectable job with this third installment in the slasher series. Filmed back to back with Sleepaway Camp II, this is admittadly the weaker of the pair. That isn't to say that this isn't any good though, in fact it's one of the motr enjoyable slashers to come out of the late 80s. The main problems come from the hasty feeling that looms over the production values and the lack of build up to the climax. The gore is a bit light but that is more the fault of the MPAA, according to Simpson. On the plus side we have an entertaining group of campers here who are all portrayed well, the actors all do well to give this film a sense of 'fun'. Standouts include the returning Springsteen, Cliff Brand as the councelor/cop, Tracy Griffith as the good girl from Ohio, Daryl Wilcher as the keeper of one of the meanest attitudes in camp history, and of course the ubiquitous Michael J. Pollard as the dirty old man. Being filmed directly after the second installment gave this one an interesting feel, allowing for some interesting evolution in Angela's character and an interesting subplot involving the father of one of the murder victims from part 2. While this one isn't as strong as the excellent second entry, Simpson does a great job at keeping the movies similar in tone while helping them retain their own identity (instead of filming a slightly longer than feature length film and cutting it in half, throwing in some stock footage for good measure - please take note Charles Band).

The story avoids being completely repetative with a new gimmick for drawing the kids into camp. This time we have two cheapskate entrepreneurs with some cockamamie idea to bring rich kids and poor kids closer together through and experiment in sharing. There's a couple of nice kids on each side of the table, but they're no fun! What brings this movie to life is the black guy and mexican getting in a fist fight in the first ten minutes (because one of them wouldn't stop burping!). Throw in the in the ever psychotic Angela into the mix and you've got a recipe for a good ride. The plan is that the kids are going to all divide into three small groups for the first three days and all meet together to discuss what they've learned on the last two days. Quickly enough (the movie is only 80 minutes after all) we get a few bared breasts (unfortunately, Valeri Hartman didn't make it into ths installment) and a whole bunch of creative murder sequences. Angela makes use of such past favorites as a big stick and an axe as well as breaking new ground for herself with a jeep, firecrackers, flagploles, laundy detergent (!), and of course the infamous lawnmower scene.

While all the ingrediants are certainly present, they don't gel together as well as they did with the previous entry. Most of the potential gore has been exised from the movie, the lawnmower scene is remarkably lacking in the expected grue. I am hesitant to blame either Simpson or Bill 'Splat' Johnson for this one though, Simpson voiced his opinion on the ever moody MPAA in an entertaining interview found on Jeff's official Sleepaway Camp site. Some faults in the film though, aren't quite as forgivable. Lacking is the overall 'camp feel' found in the second film. The flashback, while it's a relatively interesting scene, screams filler material. The structure of the film also seems a bit off; in the end it just doesn't feel like a complete movie. There are very few night scenes, and the ones that are present are almost too dark, making in difficult to see things. That brings me to the biggest problem, the quick onset of a dissappointing climax. It really comes out of nowhere and almost absent mindedly dispatches a couple of forgetable characters. It seems like they needed to wrap up the film quickly, and this ending was the best they could do with the time they had.

I don't want to give anyone the wrong idea, I did like this movie quite a bit. Unfortunately it just comes off as a bit disappointing after the superb second entry. Looking at the period when it was released it still stands on its own as a strong genre entry. Compared to most of the Slumber Party Massacre and Sorority House Massacre films of the era, Sleepaway Camp III seems like an epic masterpeice. Not to trash those movies completely either though, they accomplish what they set out to do very well. It just takes a very specific audience to enjoy them. Sleepaway Camp III is similarly in that vain but just a more accomplished film.