5 Iconic Horror Movies Set at Summer Camp, Including One That Does It Better Than Friday the 13th
It seems summer camp has become just as synonymous with murdered teens as it has toasting marshmallows. Of course, the Friday the 13th series has a lot to do with this, popularizing the idea of a killer stalking teenage counselors. In a strange way, it makes sense. Between the atmosphere of the wilderness and a lack of contact with the outside world, the setting is ripe for horror, allowing its victims to be completely isolated.
It’s no wonder then that many films would follow in the footsteps of Friday the 13th. As for these 5 movies, they took what worked with Friday and built on it, taking full advantage of their summer camp setting. Though some of them may be low-budget by today’s standards, they make up for it in atmosphere and memorable kills, building horror through the isolation of their victims. If Friday the 13th made viewers afraid to go to camp, then these films only confirmed their fears, and one would do it even better.
5. Cheerleader Camp
Okay, maybe this one is cheating, as it’s not your traditional “summer camp,” but Cheerleader Camp (1988) does enough to earn its spot on the list. This late ’80s slasher by John Quinn is a strange, sleazy movie. It stars Betsy Russel as Alison, a cheerleader plagued by nightmares about an upcoming competition. When she arrives at cheerleader camp, the campers begin to die off in mysterious ways. Really, there’s not much of a plot beyond that, but Cheerleader Camp is interesting for just how surreal it gets at times. There are some disorienting dream sequences in this film, such as one in which the whole cast is waving pom-poms, the camera zoomed in all the way into their faces as they do a cheer.
Scenes like this help Cheerleader Camp avoid feeling like a substandard slasher. Its setting helps too, having all the woodsy atmosphere and isolated teens you can hope for in a horror movie set at camp. And then you have the film’s ending; the killer reveal is as cruel as it is fun. Sorry, Alison.
4. Madman
Madman (1981) is based on the urban legend of Cropsey, a boogeyman-type figure who scared many a New York child in the ’70s and ’80s. As such, Madman feels like a campfire story gone wrong. The film begins with a group of counselors telling the tale of Madman Marz, who murdered his wife and daughter with an axe before the town killed him in retaliation. According to legend, if you say his name, this summons Madman Marz, which is exactly what ends up happening as the killer proceeds to kill off the cast.
Though the pacing may be slow for some, Madman makes up for it in atmosphere. Long shots of the cast walking through dimly lit wilderness make this an eerie watch. As for the hulking Madman Marz, he’s a terrifying antagonist, acting as a precursor to many “brute” slasher villains, including Jason Voorhees himself. It’s folklore-themes that serve Madman at its strongest, however, with a vibe that makes you feel as if you’re sitting around a campfire while watching it.
3. Fear Street Part Two: 1978
Leigh Janiak’s Fear Street trilogy took audiences by surprise when it dropped on Netflix in the summer of 2021. Filmed back-to-back and released over three weeks, Fear Street centered around Shadyside, Ohio, a town with a long history of murder, and said to be cursed by a witch named Sarah Fier. Spanning multiple generations, the Fear Street trilogy begins in 1994, where a group of teens attempt to end the curse once and for all. This second part of the trilogy, set in 1978, acts primarily as a flashback for those teens to learn more about Shadyside’s past. Make no mistake, however, as Fear Street Part Two is just as strong a slasher as any other film on this list.
The film brings us to Camp Nightwing, where two sisters find themselves in the midst of a massacre when one of the counselors is possessed by Sarah Fier. As the most recent film on this list, Fear Street Part Two acts as a homage to films like Friday the 13th, but it carves out its own story too, with likable characters and a fascinating mystery. The only thing which holds it back is its existence as the middle chapter of a trilogy, but it can still be watched on its own with little confusion.
2. The Burning
Like Madman, The Burning (1981) draws inspiration from the Cropsey legend, but in a much more direct way, as the killer here is Cropsey. Framed as the abusive caretaker of Camp Blackfoot, The Burning begins with Cropsey being severely burned by a group of campers in a prank gone wrong. Years later, he seeks revenge on the teens, now counselors themselves, killing them off in gruesome ways.
With visual effects by Tom Savini, you already know The Burning is going to deliver great scene such as the iconic raft massacre; however, The Burning is also just a genuinely good slasher. Released the same year as Friday the 13th Part 2, it’s true the film shares many similarities with that film and its predecessor, but The Burning’s subsequent cult following proves there’s much more to the movie than being a simple Jason clone. When you finally see Cropsey’s burned visage, it’s chilling, and more than worth the watch to get there.
1. Sleepaway Camp
Sleepaway Camp (1983) is remembered primarily for its shocking twist ending, but the movie as a whole deserves talking about too. The film sees cousins Angela and Ricky being sent to Camp Arawak, where a killer starts offing the campers and staff. Sleepaway Camp is one of those rare movies which manages to be both campy yet genuinely unsettling. Maybe it’s the quiet shots of nature, or the vicious kills, but the movie gets under your skin in a way unlike any other on this list. It’s also worth mentioning how the film utilizes its summer camp setting, especially compared to Friday the 13th.
Although Friday the 13th is known for being set at Camp Crystal Lake, it’s a misconception that every film is about counselors being killed. Really, only the first two, and the sixth entry, feature counselors, with the rest being primarily partying teens who find themselves camping in the area. Even then, only Jason Lives sees Camp Crystal Lake as an active summer camp for kids. Sleepaway Camp, in contrast, features a lively camp full of faculty and campers. As a result, the killings feel even more disturbing. It’s in this way Sleepaway Camp is able to fully capture the horror of a summer camp turned horrific, and it does it better than Friday the 13th.
