October Horror Challenge - The Burning (1981)

I've seen quite a few "Summer Camp" slashers, but until tonight I'd never watched 1981's The Burning. If you want to play your own summer camp horror game, you still have a bit of time to back Bloat Games Camp Blood Kickstarter.

Plot

Several campers play a prank of caretaker, Cropsy, and it goes horribly wrong. He is left badly burned and disfigured. A few years later he heads to another camp to get his revenge.

Review

I'd heard of this one, but never took the time to watch it. The movie came out the same years as Friday the 13th Part 2 and received negative comparisons. I can see why some folks would feel that way, but I feel it still has merit on its own. It doesn't hold back from the gore or the aftermath of said killings. I kind of dig the screen fading to red after the deaths. The villainous Cropsy is based on the Cropsey urban legend. While you don't see him often in the film, he looks thoroughly creepy. The acting and characterization is fine. It's not great, but its your standard slasher stuff. It was kind of odd to see Jason Alexander and Fisher Stevens play older campers. I kept seeing George Costanza and The Plague (yes that's a Hackers reference). 

This one is definitely worth checking out if you are in a throwback slasher mood.

In Your Game 

Cropsy (Humanoid)
Armor Class: 13
Hit Dice: 24 (4 HD)
Move: 12
Actions: 2
Attack: Garden Shears (d6)
Special: Fearless, Toughness +2

Bonuses: +3 to melee attacks, +2 to melee damage, +5 to Athletics: Basic, +5 to Stealth, +5 to Intimidation

Alignment: Evil

Morale: 10

Madness: 7 (12)
Terror: 12

HDE: 2

Gear: Garden Shears 

First Time View: 6

Total Watched (Including Non-Challenge Horror Movies): 26