Sleepaway Camp
Short description
A traumatic accident on a lake leaves a young girl, Angela, without her father and brother. Years later she is sent to a summer camp with her cousin Ricky, and once she arrives, people around the camp begin dying in what look like accidents but are in fact deliberate killings. Angela, withdrawn and unable to fit in, becomes the target of pranks and hostility from the other campers before those who treat her badly start to fall victim to a hidden killer.
The film is a 1983 American horror picture written and directed by Robert Hiltzik, who also produced it with Jerry Silva and Michele Tatosian. It was his first feature, and he returned to the same material much later with a second film. The sizable credited cast of forty is led by Felissa Rose as Angela, with Jonathan Tiersten as Ricky, Mike Kellin as Mel, Katherine Kamhi as Meg, Paul DeAngelo as Ronnie and Karen Fields as Judy.
Released in November 1983 and running eighty-five minutes, it earned about 11 million dollars worldwide, a strong return for an independently made slasher film of its era. On IMDb it holds 6.2 out of 10 from roughly 37,000 votes, and on TMDB 6.3 from just over 800. A critics' rating of 6.5 from 27 reviews places it slightly above what general audiences give it.
What's left behind the scenes
- Originally, Jane Krakowski was supposed to play Judy.
- Lorisa Sallahian was 19 years old during the filming period, and filming nude was difficult for him for several reasons. First, filming took place at a time of year when it was already cold at night. Second, Sallahian was very shy. He and the others had to stand with their backs to the camera, but they were all completely naked. Furthermore, it was assumed that no outsiders would be within sight, but the locals had forgotten to be warned, and many of them had settled on the lakeshore for a picnic. At one point, Sallahian couldn't take it anymore and left the set, and the director had a hard time persuading him to return.
- Jonathan Tirsten landed the role of Ricky after the director and screenwriter, Robert Hiltzik, told him to insult him during the audition.
- While filming the scene in which the rowboat capsizes on the lake, John E. Dunn hit his head on a rock at the bottom and had to be rushed to the hospital.
- In the United Kingdom, the film was released under the title "Nightmare Vacation" ("Koshmarnye kanikuly").
- Will Kuskina, one of the main character's bullies at the camp, was bullied by other cast members during filming. Frank Trent Saladino, who played the counselor, occasionally had to step in and defend him.
- Another Russian-language title for the film is "Lagery vechnykh snov" ("Camp of Eternal Dreams").
- Felissa Rose's mother did not want her daughter to play a killer, as she felt she was too young for such a role. During the murder scenes, Rose was doubled by Jonathan Tiersten, who played the role of Ricky. He even wore a wig for the filming of Judy's murder scene.
- Some of the vacationers exiting the bus at the beginning of the film are relatives of the actors and crew members.
- For the scene where Artie, played by Owen Hughes, is on fire, the actor was placed on a false floor, and liquid gelatin was pumped in from below.
- Director Robert Hiltzik dedicated the film to his mother.
- The film was shot in early autumn. According to the script, the action took place in mid-summer, so the creative team had to occasionally touch up the color of the leaves on the trees and the grass.
- Robert Hiltzik himself spent time as a child at the camp where the filming took place.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
