Manhattan Hunter-Gatherers Newspaper 

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Sleepaway Camp, written and directed by Robert Hiltzik, was released in 1983. It begins with two kids, Angela and Peter, and their father, John, on a small sailboat out in a lake near a camp. In the distance are a group of teenagers who are water skiing. One of the teenagers takes the wheel to start driving, but doesn't see the kids in the water and runs them over. The last scene of the opening is a blood soaked life jacket floating in the lake. There is a sudden time jump of eight years. Angela, her cousin Ricky, and her aunt Martha are going to summer camp. Martha is speaking in a very odd way, which creates an eerie tone. Ricky and Angela arrive at the camp and head to their bunks. Everyone there acts in a very strange way, even Angela. She doesn't speak and only stares at people. There is a cut to the mess hall, and Angela is being escorted to the kitchen because she hasn’t eaten yet. At this point, the audience is introduced to Artie, the head chef who is quite creepy, especially towards the girls at camp. Artie takes Angela into the walk-in freezer and attempts to assault her, but Ricky is able to save her. Later in the evening, an unknown person hiding in the kitchen murders Artie. As this is just a sneak peek of the movie, in order to find out who the killer is and what happens to the kids, you’ll have to go watch Sleepaway Camp for yourself!

This is a great classic slasher movie with a lot of feel-good moments, alongside a murder mystery. It is a perfect movie for Halloween when it’s late and you’re cozied up in bed looking for another movie to watch. I really like this movie because the characters are enjoyable and the jokes are funny. Another thing I like about it is the eerie vibe you get from the adults in the movie. Besides Artie, all the adults act as if they are possessed or know something that the kids don’t. The movie jumps straight into the action packed bits and doesn't have suspense building moments where you know something is gonna happen. The killings were all unexpected and took place at random moments, which kept me on my toes. I recommend this movie to anyone who likes classic slasher films or 80s movies. IMDb gives this movie a 6.2/10, but I say it deserves a 7.5/10.