Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Summer Camp Horror...With A Twist!, April 22, 2000
Sleepaway Camp is first and foremost, another summer camp slasher film. A very popular slasher subgenre originated with the 1980 classic Friday the 13th. Angela and Ricky are young teenagers off to camp Arawak for the summer, Ricky the likable popular type, and Angela, the quiet and 'different' type. When all kinds of scuzzy camp regulars begin to give Angela a hard time, they start dying rather brutally...much to the dismay of the camp's burnt out owner Mel (Mike Kellin). Sleepaway Camp is a slasher film, however, it goes a bit deeper than that, what gives Sleepaway Camp its distinction, is the bizarre homosexual themes running throughout the film. Why they are there are anybody's guess,but from the strange transvestite (?) Aunt Martha, to Angela's gay father, the truly shocking and disturbing final shot and more, Sleepaway Camp is sick, grisily, twisted, yet always fascinating. Of course, its not always great, many scenes in this film are just laughable, like the melodramatic boating accident at the film's start, or the character that wears a shirt with her name on it, and even the scenes with Chef Artie, the local camp sleazeball. Sleepaway Camp however, always manages to be charming, despite its warped themes and lurid subject matter, this one certainly isn't for everybody, but those with a taste for something not quite the norm will find much to savor here with Sleepaway Camp, a truly strange film that stands in a tired subgenre, but stands out as a unique achievement-even if partially a fluke.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
 
|
|
|
|
|
|
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Legacy's Uncut Version and the Anchor Bay Editing Details., September 6, 2007
As others have pointed out, this Legacy Entertainment (VHS-copy-quality) pan & scan edition is otherwise uncut (if not widescreen), unlike the Starz/Anchor Bay (clean & sharp) widescreen edition of which most customers purchase.
This is classic low-budget horror with the most memorable ending of any such film in it's genre, whether you care for it or not. Instead of elaborating on my opinion of the film, I thought some would be interested in knowing what makes this edition 'uncut.'
In the Anchor Bay edition, there are five (5) missing scenes which can only be found on this uncut Legacy Entertainment edition. The total cut is only 23 seconds, but they are interesting if not odd omissions. They are as follows:
1. The 'skinny dipping' scene, where the boys are shown running and jumping in to the water, is cut by seven (7) seconds. The uncut version shows them naked from behind as they were running.
2. The first death scene of the boy found under the overturned boat on shore is cut by six (6) seconds. The edited version has two (2) shots of the boy with the snake, this uncut version has four (4) shots of the boy. The first (boy only) and fourth (boy with snake almost completely out of mouth) shots are identical in both editions. In the uncut version, you see the snake as it first exits the mouth as well as an additional shot.
3. The 'water-balloon attack' scene was cut by four (4) seconds. In the uncut version, there is a shot of the boys making obscene gestures towards Angela after she is helped up from the ground.
4. During the 'kissing' scene in the woods, Judy's response ["Same to you"] following Ricky's middle finger gesture, is cut for no apparent reason.
5. In the strangest and most complicated cut, a mere two (2) seconds were cut and altered from the shot of Mel finding Meg dead in the shower. In the uncut version, Mel didn't only say "He did it" after finding her, he also said "to get back at me." Furthermore, he twice says "I had him", but one was cut. And finally, the shot of Meg on the floor is one second longer.
In total, only 23 seconds were cut from this apparently-complete Legacy edition. However, there are two notable differences not mentioned above. One regards the credits, which begin rolling 2 seconds sooner in this edition. The other is very interesting but I have not heard another mention it.
Regarding the final scene (frontal nude shot) and just prior (when Angela is sitting, turned away from the camera) there is a rumor that this famous scene was edited (post-production) in 1.33:1 aspect ratio, unlike the rest of the motion picture which remained with a 1.85:1 ratio. Being that it was the most complicated shot, it is easy to understand the mix-up. However, the Starz/Anchor Bay edition purports to be fully widescreen. How so?
If you carefully watch the scene in which Angela is seated on the beach, back turned, in each edition you will notice that the image from left to right are in sync. This should not be the case, as anyone will tell you. A widescreen edition shows more to these sides than in a pan & scan. Carefully watching again, you will also notice that top and bottom appear to be cropped in the so-called widescreen edition. This is to account for the fact that the scene was edited in 1.33:1 ratio as mentioned above. The 'widescreen' would force the top and bottom to be trimmed.
This information would likely only interest videophiles, but if you have any strong interest in this motion picture, you may want to know these details. If not long-winded, I hope some will find this information helpful.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Full version of the film!, July 10, 2005
This is the fully uncut version of the film! The Anchor Bay dvd has a few slight cuts to some of the death scenes. The picture and sound on this version are that of an old vhs but still watchable. If you have the box set get this one too just so you can see what has been cut from the Anchor Bay version. You cant beat a dvd for $5!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
DVD ~ Vincent Pastore
DVD ~ Jamie Lee Curtis
DVD ~ Elizabeth Berridge
DVD ~ Pamela Springsteen
DVD ~ Brian Matthews
on 
