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Cheerleader Camp

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Give me a K
Give me an I
Give me an L
Give me an L

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Back of Box:  Welcome to Camp Hurrah, where a psycho killer is slaughtering high school cheerleaders on the eve of the all-state finals.  Drive-in goddesses Betsy Russell (PRIVATE SCHOOL, AVENGING ANGEL) and Lucinda Dickey (BREAKIN' 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO) star with former teen idol Leif Garrett in this bouncing, bleeding bonanza of B-movie goodness featuring graphic violence, gratuitous nudity, bad rapping and more from the glory days of late '80s splatter.  This is CHEERLEADER CAMP!
 
Playboy centerfold Rebecca Ferratti, Penthouse Pet Krista Pflanza and Playboy centerfold-turned-hardcore-porn queen Teri Weigel co-star in this slasher fan favorite also known as BLOODY POM POMS.  CHEERLEADER CAMP has been newly transferred from the original negative and is now presented completely uncut and uncensored!
 
Plot:  Plot, shmot, let's talk premise.  Someone's killing cheerleaders at a cheerleading camp/competition.  Okay, now pause and think about that.  Guaranteed cheesy fun, and even better, it's from the '80s.  It ranges from fun to lame, but never looses it's charm.
 
Acting:  Well, what can one say?  Nothing truly spectacular, but a few notables.  Betsy Russell does a nice job as the mentally deteriorating head cheerleader, Alison.  Leif Garrett doesn't do that bad playing Brent and Lucinda Dickey gets a shout out for her portrayal of Cory.  Of course, what would an '80s slasher be without crazy over-the-top characters.  Honorable mentions go to:  Miss Dee Dee Tipton (Vickie Benson) and Sheriff Poucher (Jeff Prettyman).
 
GoreBody Count (9)  There's enough gory tid-bits to keep even the most unschooled slasher fan occupied.  Shears through the head, scythe to the stomach, clever to the back, and, my personal favorite, bear trap to the face.  Effects looked great and the onscreen gore blended very well with the bloody aftermaths.
 
Suspense:  The "rap" performance in this film is pretty frightening, and that's about it.  Most of the scenes where suspense could've been achieved are overshadowed by the outlandish cheese induced soundtrack.  However, the fact that this film does not hold one ounce of suspense, doesn't really hurt anything.  In fact, to me, the inability to achieve suspense only heightens this films charm. 
 
Directing:  Nicely done, for a film of this kind.  Brilliant use of the camp's imagery.  Interestingly set up shots along with sharp camera angles and fun P.O.V.  Hats off.
 
Tech:  The lighting, for the most part, is very soft and effective.  Some scenes, however, were lit way too darkly and it's hard to tell what's going on.  This minor detail is forgiven, though, because I have a soft spot for the lighting crew (I don't think they get enough credit).  The soundtrack, as I mentioned before, really doesn't do much, but works to a microscopic degree.
 
Other:  One thing that always caught my attention in this film was how they used fades to red throughout.  You don't see that too much.  This may sound weird, but I also like the fact that they never showed more than the hands of the killer.  It added a sort of mystique, I guess.  Finally, I like how this film ends.  Even though it was a little rushed, I think it's a very satisfying turn of events.  Plus, I'm always a sucker for a good final shot, and this film does it right.
 
Final Word:  Ah, yes.  This is the kind of film that makes me wish I was around during the drive-in days.  The kind of film you'd actually want to sneak in for.  Yes, sir, a good time all around.  A slasher must, I say, and an excellent addition to the "camp slasher" genre. 

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Don't Move, Don't Breathe, and Whatever You Do...DON'T LOOK BEHIND YOU!