Fans can be vicious. Especially fans of the "Sleepaway Camp" series. It's been expressed in reviews, retrospectives, and on forums. The debate has caused arguments amongst fans, and the deterioration of possible friendships. Which is better? "Sleepaway Camp" or the sequels?

Every fan has their own opinion. Some love the entire series, while others prefer the original over the sequels, and many prefer the sequels over the original. But regardless of who's a fan of which movie, it seems that everyone is a fan of pitting the movies against each other.

There are three types of "Sleepaway Camp" fans. Original fans, Sequels fans, and Series fans. Original fans consist of a group of people who love "Sleepaway Camp", but hate the sequels. Usually they will have seen the original "Sleepaway Camp" before watching the sequels. Sequels fans consist of a group of people who love the sequels but hate the original. And like the beforementioned group, they will have probably seen the sequels before watching the original. Series fans have seen the entire series in no particular order, and love them all equally. Then you have a potpourri of fans who don't fall into one of these categories.

Original fans tend to have already made up their mind about the sequels before they even watch the sequels. I speak from personal experiance when I say that this is a big mistake. After watching "Sleepaway Camp" I had no idea that a sequel even existed, much less two. When I was told, I was so excited. I was full of anticipation. I assumed that the sequels were written and directed by Robert Hiltzik, like the original. I assumed that the characters were the same, and that they were played by the same cast. My biggest assumption? That "Angela" would be played by Felissa Rose. If I've learned anything from this experience, it's that one must never assume anything.

The anticipation of watching the sequels was nothing like I'd ever experienced before, or since. I was fixated on finding these movies, and when I finally did, I had set my hopes to high, and my expectations were above and beyond what they should have been. I expected to much. I expected what I had gotten out of "Sleepaway Camp".

So, it was inevitable that when I finally sat down to watch these movies, I was dissapointed. My advice to anyone who doesn't enjoy the sequels is to not watch them as sequels. Someone once told me that to watch "Sleepaway Camp 2: Unhappy Campers", and "Sleepaway Camp 3: Teenage Wasteland" as sequels, you will be dissapointed because they won't live up to the original "Sleepaway Camp". But to watch them as seperate pieces of work, apart from "Sleepaway Camp", they will be more enjoyable, and you might actually like them.

I've never been shy about my initial feelings towards the sequels. I hated them. However, years later, when I decided to give them a second chance, I loved them. Not as much as "Sleepaway Camp", but nevertheless, I loved them. All it took was recognizing that they were two entirely different entities, apart from their predeccessor, and not an extension of "Sleepaway Camp".

Does this work when talking about Sequels fans? Not exactly. Just as Original fans have seen the original before the sequels, Sequels fans have seen the sequels before the original.

Unlike most horror movie series, the "Sleepaway Camp" series has a five year gap of time between them. The original was released in 1983 and the sequels were released back to back in 1988, and 1989. It was five years before "Angela" resurfaced to the fans, and when she did, she had an entirely different face!

Perhaps Sequels fans prefer the sequels over the original because of how closely related they are to each other. Both movies were written by Fritz Gordon, and both were directed by Michael A Simpson. And "Angela" was portrayed by the same actress, Pamela Springsteen. What the sequels offered was continuity, and familiarity. To Sequels fans, the original "Sleepaway Camp" simply doesn't fit the mold. It just doesn't belong. A lot of Sequels fans are to young to remember when "Sleepaway Camp" was even released, much less having watched it. To most Sequels fans, the original "Sleepaway Camp" has no significance.

Series fans are just that. Fans of the entire series. They love all three movies. They usually stay neutral when fights break out about what movie is better. They have no reason to argue, because to them, all three movies are worthy of praise. They don't have beef with anyone, except maybe people who hate the "Sleepaway Camp" series altogether.

Uncategorizable fans didn't start crawling out the woodwork until 2001, when all site war hell broke loose. These are the most obnoxious fans in the "Sleepaway Camp" community. These people have either seen "Sleepaway Camp" and loved it but now claim to hate it, or have never seen "Sleepaway Camp" and have vowed to never watch it because of how terrible they've heard it is. These are the worst types of fans because they have no legitimate reasons behind their opinions. They agree with what other fans have to say, and can't think for themselves. Because of the site war politics, past fans or would be fans have taken a personal stand against "Sleepaway Camp", despite the fact that the site wars had nothing to do with them or with "Sleepaway Camp" for that matter. Perhaps they feel if they were to show any sign of appreciation towards the original "Sleepaway Camp", they would also be showing appreciation towards the individuals involved in the site wars (Hiltzik, Rose, and Hayes). That's ridiculous. They may also believe in by lashing out at "Sleepaway Camp" citing it's because of Hiltzik, Rose, and Hayes, that they will get on Klyza's good side. That's even more ridiculous. Nothing makes me more hostile than a "Sleepaway Camp" fan kissing ass to a webmaster.

However, it is true, for some, that the viewing of "Sleepaway Camp" has been soured by the site war events. And that truly saddens me.

Suprisingly enough, the fanbase for the "Sleepaway Camp" series is in fact quite large. And what's the glue that holds us fans together? Maybe it's that we're all connected through the movies, whether we are fans of the original, the sequels or all three. Because whether we like it or not, we are connected because the movies are connected. Or perhaps it's the constant question that we'll never have an answer for.. Which is better? "Sleepaway Camp" or the sequels?

signed.