Summer is almost here and that can only mean one thing: teenagers are going to get axed by some maniac in the woods. It’s an annual tradition in horror films, when summer rolls around, the heads begin to roll too. It has become something of a cliché these days, the summer camp stalked by a deranged murderer on the hunt for some reckless teenagers neglecting their campers for cheap thrills.
There are a lot of cheap horror movies that explore this setting, some certainly better than others. Regardless of quality, the summer camp setting invokes an '80s aesthetic that can’t be beaten, and more often than not, these films are a hoot to watch for fans of horror cinema.
7 Camp North Pines (Summer Camp Nightmare)
One of the more wild summer camp horror movies, Summer Camp Nightmare’s Camp North Pines is not home to a serial killer or unstoppable monster, but rather the raging hormones of teenage treachery. When Camp North Pines, the boy’s side of a summer camp, is overtaken by a tyrannical and over-zealous owner, the campers revolt and begin a savage descent into animalistic behaviors.
Camp North Pines might not be the scariest camp in horror movies, but it is certainly one of the most dangerous. This film didn't make much of a splash when it came out in 1987 and has been largely forgotten, but it is a decent way to spend 90 minutes for people who enjoy low-budget campy horror flicks.
6 Pinehurst Halfway House (Friday the 13th: Part V)
Equal parts summer camp and halfway house for troubled kids, Friday the 13th: Part V steered away from Camp Crystal Lake for this unsuspecting locale. It’s a quieter and less bloody summer camp, at least until Tommy Jarvis, the lead of the fourth film, arrives and brings with him all the baggage someone who fought Jason Voorhees carries.
Not many of the campers make it to the end as a copycat killer of Jason chops his way through each of them. Maybe Tommy should have actually stayed in Camp Crystal Lake.
5 Happy Day Bible Camp (Bloody Bloody Bible Camp)
In the horror/comedy film, Bloody Bloody Bible Camp, not even a religious-themed summer camp is safe from the bloodshed. Several years after a nun went crazy and axed a bunch of campers who were doing some serious sinning, the murders start back up again and the gruesome sister is back on the prowl for more teenage sinners.
It’s tongue in cheek, but this summer camp is seriously deranged and dangerous. Released in 2012, Bloody Bloody Bible Camp is a throwback to classic horror movies from the '80s, and it compares favorably with quite a few releases from that era.
4 Pleasure Island (Club Dread)
Pleasure Island from Club Dread is more of an adult summer camp than any kind of actual destination vacation. The film is a clever spoof of the campy summer camp slasher films of the '80s, set against the backdrop of an island resort for young adults looking to party.
The hilarious film’s setting is a gruesome combination of paradise and evil, as the unknown killer stalks each guest and finishes them off in a macabre fashion. Every pool, party favor, and joke weapon can be used for bloody intentions, making this more of a mental asylum than a relaxing vacation.
3 Camp Arawak (Sleepaway Camp)
A freaky camp for a freaky film, Camp Arawak from Sleepaway Camp is notorious among horror cinema connoisseurs. When a young girl arrives at the camp, things get pretty heinous – namely in the area of murder.
It seems as though everyone who crosses paths with the quiet young girl meets an unseemly end, from campers to staff and counselors. The ending is quite a twist, but the real shock comes from just how heinous all the murders are. Camp Arawak isn’t just a dangerous movie summer camp, it’s a total battleground.
2 Camp Stonewater (The Burning)
An infamously freaky summer camp from the '80s, The Burning’s Camp Stonewater is home to the terrifying killer, Cropsey. This maniac is actually based on a real-life serial killer from New York who existed as an urban legend before being confirmed as stone-cold truth.
The legend of Cropsey persists in Camp Stonewater, where counselors are meticulously hunted and killed off by the unseen murderer. The film is now seen as a cult classic, but when it first came out in 1981, it was seen as a sordid exploitation of murder and bloodshed.
1 Camp Crystal Lake (Friday The 13th)
The summer camp that started it all. No other camp in the United States has seen so much murder, vengeance, and over-the-top violence. Home to one of the most infamous movie serial killers of all time; Jason Voorhees is evil incarnate – an unstoppable killing machine who seems to kill without rhyme or reason.
An incredibly dangerous summer camp; it is a surprise that they manage to staff it with willing counselors year after year. And who is sending their kids here? With that said, Camp Crystal Lake is a staple in horror cinema, as arguably the most iconic horror movie setting ever. Friday the 13th is a legendary franchise, and essentially jump-started the craze of '80s horror flicks that took place at summer camps.