Sleepaway Camp 1983

Sleepaway Camp (Robert Hiltzik, 1983)

The film Sleepaway Camp was a horror film although has a Slasher sub genre and conveys some of the conventions of the Slasher genre and also connects with the target audience in many ways. One of the ways that this film connects to the target audience is by using swearing which is normally associated with young people and in particular boys. Due to the majority of the people being young children within this film and the plot being about a summer camp it also suggests the target audience which is teenagers.
Non Diegetic music is played at the beginning of the first scene which is meant to reflect the scenery which is old, abandoned houses and this creates a eerie feeling due to the sound of children making a variety of sounds although there is no children around which suggests that a lot of children where once there although have been long gone. A medium close up then shows a signing which tells the audience what the place use to be which was a summer camp and that it was closed and this was because of the incident at the beginning of the film. The film is set in a non-linear narrative and this is shown at the beginning with the boat accident where two people die. This is to show the audience why the central protagonist (Angela) is quiet and disturbed character and what lead to it and this is shown through a flashback. Another part within the film when a memory or flashback is used is when Angela is remembering her childhood and discovers her dad in bed with another man. This flashback/ memory is a strange one as it is confusing and doesn’t make much sense although will make the audience think what is happening. I feel the use of flashbacks are interesting as they create a feeling of uneasiness and the audience want to know more about the character and what is wrong with them. There is also a sub title used although throughout the other films I have watched this has not occurred which is something that I have found helpful and will consider when making my own film.
Each of the deaths are different and don’t follow a structure which is similar to all the films as none of the murders where exactly the same and this is something that I will need to consider. This film is interesting as the murders are gruesome and the majority of them apart from the last one are not very well thought through although all the murders take place where people wouldn’t notice them. The first murder happened towards the beginning of the film after Roddie (the head chef) tries to sexually assault Angela and is caught before it takes place and the murder takes places just after. Non diegetic music mixed with whistling coming from Roddie is unnerving for the audience because they know is something is going to happen as this creates a climax. The point of view shot adds to the climax because it shows the killer walking around and finding a place to hide although doesn’t show his/her identify. A close up is used when the killer moves the stool away from his feet although it is more like a game trying to scare him as the killer doesn’t kill him although does scare him. Once he sees who the killer is he recognises the person because his reactions changes and is more calmer he also states that the killer is a kid and saying “get me down and ill get you a nice ice cream sundae”. His emotions then changes and he becomes very angry and as a close up and tracking shot is shown of the killer using both hands to pull the stool from underneath him and will shock the audience. As he falls a tracking shot shows him falling and the scolding water tipping on top of him and then a very short shot showing the door closing as the killer leaves. A medium close up is then used to show how the burns on his skin which will make the audience empathise with him even though he was not a nice character. Later on within the film it is also revealed that the killer is a child which is ironic as children would be the last people expected of murdering someone. As the audience see what is happening to Roddie they will feel both nervous and sickened because the killer is playing with his bait before killing it in some sense which is something that happened in the film `When A Stranger Calls` as he watches the victims and makes them paranoid before killing them.
Some of the conventions used within this film is that all the murders take place in secluded areas where know one is going to walk in which prevents the killer being found. The use of an once abounded place is also interesting as it was once a fun place but something happened to make it close down. There is also a variety of suspects that could be the murderer which is not unusual with Slasher films and the murderer is often the least likely person to be the murderer although in this case it becomes clearer as the film progresses as the victims are all people that offended and bullied the girl Angela who was the killer. For my film I will need to consider both the usual things and usual things and try and use them within my own film.