SUMMER CAMP NIGHTMARE

US, 1986, 89 minutes, Colour.
Chuck Connors, Charles Stratton.
Directed by Penelope Spheeris.

Summer Camp Nightmare is a brief thriller, a variation on the American dream. It was directed and co-written by Bert Dagin with Penelope Spheeris (Dudes, The Decline of American Civilisation).

It is a variation on Lord of the Flies. An ordinary group of children go to their annual summer camp. There are the young teenage counsellors. The new person in charge is played with manic determination by Chuck Connors. The children rebel against his strictness and eventually he is killed. A young revolutionary takes over and rules the camp in fascist manner. Eventually, the police arrived and order is restored. The film would make more impact for American audiences, used as they are to summer camps. The material shows the lack of restraint in teenagers and their breaking out, wanting to do what they like - not only in areas of obedience and freedom, brutality towards others, but also sexual relationships and rape.

Quite well done of its kind - in a disturbing way.

1. Drama of youth? Variation on the nice comedies? The American dream and nightmare?

2. The summer camp setting? The woods and the forest? The huts and the style? The use of the landscapes in the happy times and in the oppression times? Musical score?

3. The title, expectations? The nature of the nightmare? The parallel with Lord of the Flies and the breaking of all restraints? Fascist rule?

4. Mr Warren, head of the camp, new, his strictness with the rules, his presence at the concert and his disapproval, the single television set? His restraining orders? The reports going around of his having abused a boy? Stanley and the confrontation, his death?

5. The children, the youngsters arriving, the style of the summer camp, playing and swimming, in the dormitories? The teenage counsellors and their various reactions? The neighbouring girls' camp? All seeming normal?

6. Franklin, his intellectual and revolutionary reading? His attitudes towards the children, saving Donald's life? His attitudes towards the other counsellors? The staff? The opportunity for taking over, Mr Warren and his severity, Franklin and the organising of the revolution, the violence? Setting himself up as a military general, his style, underlings? The rules? Liberating the girls' camp? His attitude towards Chris, the clash and the differences? Mason and the rape, the trial, the ordeal and Mason succeeding? The growing dictatorship, the restriction of freedoms, the wildness of the children? The eventual coming of the police? The character of Franklin and the change into dictator?

7. The contrast with Chris, genial, helping in the camp, his girlfriend? Not wanting to go along with the revolution? On the outer? Trying to help the kids? Donald? The dangers? The restoration of order?

8. Mason, tough, Debbie, the rape, his violence, their bringing it to trial, the behaviour in the court, his insolence, the sentence, getting through the ordeal?

9. Donald, his diary, his interest in technology, fixing the television, not being able to swim, rescued, helping in the revolution, going too far, made to do the ordeal? His sending the message and the restoration of order?

10. Stanley, around the camp, tough, his brutality, the death of Mr Warren?

11. The portrait of the girls' camp, the happy socials, the authorities, the revolution, the girls participating?

12. The plausibility of the plot and the boys and the girls taking over, aspects of their behaviour, criteria for their behaviour? Violence and running amok.

13. The arrival of the police, the subduing of the kids? The aftermath and the realisation of what had happened?

14. A parable about contemporary society, restraints and freedoms, the inner drives to revolution and breaking out?