One of the most frequent questions I am always asked being the host of the greatest movie podcast ever (opinions may vary) is “What’s your favorite movie?” That answer has been the same since I was 11 years old. But it also isn’t as easy to explain why I love some movies more than others.
As an art form, movies are by their nature interpretative. Some people will point to a film’s box office total as a barometer for a film’s quality, this might not be true again because although it might be popular to the masses it might not appeal to you. I am looking at you Avatar, which is not one of my favorite films, not by a longshot.
Also, if the film wins an Academy Award for Best Picture, that hardly means it’s one of my favorite films, looking at you The English Patient, in fact I hardly agree with the Academy. Having said that, I am sure that some people love Avatar and The English Patient. And that’s what makes movies so great.
I, also am not a professional critic. I love film. I try and find merit in all film. As a host of a podcast that attempts to give every movie a chance, I believe that is the best way to approach movies, let the lights go out and try and enjoy yourself. You might find a “diamond in the rough.”
When thinking of my favorite movies to share with you, my loyal listeners, I thought 100 wasn’t going to be enough. So, I am proud to present my 150 Favorite Films, right now. These will change, I know they will.
See you at the movies!
***Spoilers Ahead!***
121. Sleepaway Camp (1983) Directed by Robert Hiltzik
The Movie: It’s a beautiful day at the lake, John (Dan Tursi) and his boyfriend Lenny (James Paradise) are taking John’s children, Angela and Peter out for a boating trip. When the boat capsizes, John and his children try to swim to shore. But they never make it. They swim right into the path of a speeding boat. The accident kills John and Peter, leaving Angela (Felissa Rose) to leave with her eccentric Aunt Martha (Desiree Gould).
Several years have passed and Angela and her foul mouthed cousin Ricky (Jonathan Tiersten) are sent to summer camp at Camp Arawak. There Angela is the victim of bullying, especially by fellow camper Judy (Karen Fields). Not to be outdone, the camp consolers also tease Angela, lead by Meg (Katherine Kamhi).
A lot is wrong at Camp Arawak, the head cook Artie (Owen Hughes) sets his sights on Angela. Artie attempts to sexually assault Angela and is attacked by an unknown assailant. The camp owner Mel (Mike Kellin) doesn’t seemed to worried and deems Artie’s scalding by boiling water an accident.
Angela continues to be the subject of bullying, this time it’s Kenny (John E. Dunn) and Mike (Thomas E. Van Dell). Ricky has had enough and along with his friend Paul (Christopher Collet) get into a fight with Kenny and Mike. Paul befriends Angela and asks her to a movie. Kenny doesn’t make to the movie as he drowned, also ruled an accident by Mel.
At the movie Paul puts the moves on Angela and kisses her. Angela is teased by Billy (Loris Diran), who meets his end by being stung to death by bees. Finally, Mel thinks that there might be a killer at the camp.
After being kissed by Paul again, Angela struggles with emotions from her childhood. She flashes back to seeing her father in bed with another man. This leads to Meg seducing Paul and them kissing, only to be found by Angela. Paul attempts to explain himself to Angela, but Meg and Judy intervene and throw Angela into the lake. To add insult to injury, Angela also has sand thrown at her by the children at the camp. When she tells Ricky, he vows revenge. Meg takes a shower and meets her end by the point of a knife.
Paul tries to explain himself to Angela at the camp dance and tells Angela to meet him by the water. Mel soon finds a mutilated Meg and four children literally hacked to pieces. The night of terror does not end there as Judy is murdered by a curling iron in the um lady parts…
Mel believes that Ricky is the killer. Mel tracks Ricky down and starts to wail on him. Mel takes an arrow to the throat for his effort, meaning Ricky is not the killer.
Police arrive at the camp at start searching for the missing campers. Paul and Angela are near the lake and Paul asks Angela to go for a swim. Ricky is found unconscious by police and fellow campers have found Angela.
Angela is naked, holding Paul’s decapitated head. We soon learn that Angela died in the boating accident, and Peter has been forced to grown up as a girl after Aunt Martha got custody of Peter. Since Martha already had a son, she raised Peter as Angela, the girl she always wanted.
Why I Love Sleepaway Camp (1983): The slasher phase had many knockoffs and cheapies made in the early to mid 80’s. To stand out, not only did the movie need a hook, but also the body count we as audience members craved.
Like a bolt of lightning Sleepaway Camp struck me when I first saw it. Another Blockbuster Video favorite, I immediately latched onto the weirdness of the whole picture. And the ending is without a doubt one of the most shocking you will see in film.
The tone of the film is hard to pin down at first. It almost plays as if John Waters were to make a slasher film. The over the top acting by some of the actors, especially Desiree Gould, Aunt Martha gave the film a surreal quality. But there is more to Sleepaway Camp. First and foremost, the two leads Felissa Rose and Jonathan Tiersten elevate the script into something special.
Rose’s shy and timid “Angela” makes her reveal at the end that more shocking. And Tiersten is an all-star and hilarious. His intensity he brings to Ricky is palpable, but what makes him a fan favorite is his line delivery, never over the top, always on point. Maybe his most memorable line from the film;
Billy: Eat shit and die, Ricky!
Ricky: Eat shit and live, Bill!
Sleepaway Camp lures you in with a promise of another summer camp slasher flick. And while it does deliver the goods, its unconventional approach to storytelling and a shocking ending make it an all time classic slasher.
Bonus! Tales from Behind the Scenes of The Reel Nerds Podcast:
I can say unequivocally too that Jonathan Tiersten is a great dude. If you allow me to reach back into my Reel Nerds memories for just a moment to tell you a story.
At Mile High Horror 2012, we were given a small booth in a corner with an opportunity to interview the celebrities there. Being really new to the scene, we The Nerds kinda just sat back and interviewed the film fans.
That changed when a funny, and sweet man approached our booth and asked us what we do. I told him and as I was talking to him, it hit me. This is cousin Ricky from Sleepaway Camp! Not only did Jonathan sit down for a long interview, he also introduced to other celebrities there. Like Jeffrey Reddick, writer and creator of Final Destination. Jonathan also became a real friend. No joke or name dropping going on here. He is a genuinely nice person. He made us legitimate at the Horror Show and gave me confidence to talk to other celebrities, Jonathan told me, “what’s the worst they can say, no?” He was right of course, and I learned that most will sit down with us.
Also, Jonathan agreed to be in our silly “Podshow”. Not only that but playing a version of himself where he is a killer. He invited us to his home. Let us film with him all day and made us ribs when we were done. That’s not the end either. When we debuted the short at a film festival, Jonathan agreed to make an appearance not only as the star of the short film, but as a judge as well. I am not sure how many of my listeners and readers are privy to how much Jonathan helped us in the beginning, but I am forever in his debt because he did.