Sleepaway Camp 3: Teenage Wasteland (1989)

   

Produced & Directed by: Michael A. Simpson

Written by:
Fritz Gordon

Starring:

Pamela Springsteen .... Angela Baker
Tracy Griffith .... Marcia Holland
Mark Oliver .... Tony DeRaro
Cliff Brand .... Barney Whitmore
Sonya Maddox .... Anita Bircham
Chung Yen Tsay .... Greg Nakishima
Sandra Dorsey .... Lily Miranda
Daryl Wilcher .... Riff
Haynes Brooke .... Bobby Stark
Kim Wall .... Cindy Hammersmith
Kyle Holman .... Snowboy
Jarrett Beal .... Peter Doyle
Michael J. Pollard ... Herman Miranda
Stacie Lambert .... Jan Hernandez
Jill Terashita .... Arab


Release Date:
Direct-to-Video: November 16, 1989

 

 

Rating:

 

Angela Baker (Pamela Springsteen) returns to the campground that she once slaughtered almost everyone disguised as a teenage camper in which is owned by new management and retitled Camp New Horizons in which it's about teenagers all over the province from the rich and the poor having understandings with one another and sharing too.
The campers are divided by 3 different camp counsellors Officer Barney Whitmore (Cliff Brand), Lily Miranda (Sandra Dorsey) and her husband Herman (Michael J. Pollard) in which they camp outdoors and catching fish for mealtimes.
Angela is still being encountered by dysfunctional counsellors and immoral teens in which she kills them off one by one and tells the other counsellor that she was told to switch.
Meanwhile, Barney tries to make camping fun for his team in order to make up his absense from his son that was killed there a year before and is still on the verge for finding Angela. One of his campers Marcia Holland (Tracy Griffith) who comes from a wealthy family finds romance with a troubled one Tony DeRaro (Mark Oliver) in which they share their secrets with but are intimidated by the area and will be in for a shocking surprise sooner than they think.

 

I was wondering on what happened to Molly from the previous film but it doesn't explain that at all showing a year has gone by and a girl Maria getting up first thing in the morning in her rough apartment or hotel in the mean streets of New York which seems to be necessary since the first one was shot in NY. The film is off to a good start and I loved a scene with a garbage truck roaming around the streets as well as trying to run over Maria. In a busy place like this the public doesn't seem to pay attention to this in which this is the stereotypical judgements on a typical day in NY. However the city looks like a local town of Georgia due to a low budget not making it more convincing but oh well. What's really exciting is that before the opening credits there's a graffiti spray painiting saying that "Angela is back" which is a perfect start for another sequel. Then the opening credits are in white with bloody red spray painting it into red which seemed cool too.
I enjoyed the lines with the newsreporter after interviewing everyone discussing about what happened there last year as well as the killer being responsible for killing at Camp Arawak in which Fritz Gordon definetely tried his best to convince everyone that his sequels took place after the first one.
There's a death scene involving the newsreporter as she snorts laundry soap that Angela tricks her into believing that it's cocaine. You do wonder to youself if you can die from something like that.
There is good going ons at the canteen especially by Bobby Stark asking permission from roughnecks if he can sit at a table in which I was thinking to myself "OMG what a loser! He should just sit wherever he pleases but he is such a male bimbo totally!"
There's some good moments like Angela putting on her sunglasses to disguise herself when Officer Barney Whitmore enters the place as it's a nice clue knowing that he was somewhat responsible for Angela's arrest 7 years prior. Also there's an annoying moment with Riff constantly burping when he reveals he's a cop in which made me think to myself "Where is this all going??? But of course he was meant to be a shit disturber. Yet it was funny when someone named Tony asks Riff if he has a problem and Riff changes his mode to tell him off. Then a brawl happens which I loved it when Tony punches him in the head since this Riff guy is such a dickhead reminding you of running into these types of delinquents during your school years.
The fun starts big time when the campers are divided into 3 different groups of counsellors and one of them named Herman seems to have eyes for the rich skank Jan as you know the dysfunctional moments are going to start too since this is what we need for a horror film when things don't look right. However you can tell that summer is way over and it looks very cold since they shot this during autumn. But at the same time the place looks a little gloomier with the trees having not many leafs. Kinda has that Friday the 13th type of sequel feel in the environment here.
A nice moment is when Barney discusses about his son killed here like he was towards close to the end of part 2 since he was one of the good characters and deserved to be remembered as it was very touching when this was going on.
There's good one liners with Marcia and Tony in the dark woods discussuing about that moment and not ever coming to the camp which seems to be an effective spot for the film as well leaving a more of a Friday the 13th feel to all of this too.
There's alot of cheesy writing when Angela is fishing with two campers named Snowboy and Peter and find a hockey mask washed up which was used in part 2 and an inline joke to the plot when one of them asks what the date is and say it's Saturday the 14th. I was like ho hum! At the same time it wasn't all that bad and seemed to work well.
There's other moments like Snowboy spraypainting Angela's tent or Peter throwing firecrackers at her and made me think to myself they're heading to their deathbed for doing all of this.
There's quite a disturbing moment with Angela putting a firecracker in Peter's noce while sleeping and lighting it. The results don't look pretty at all. Also Angela whacks Snowboy with a log and he is still alive but in pain which you think to yourself OUCH! The best yet she burns all of them in a tent with gasoline and roasts marshmellows. The humor was supposed to come in when she does this but yet it wasn't too funny.
There is a moment with Angela talking to Arab when she tricks her into a death trap but yet Arab seems to be a bit friendlier this time which is a nice change. I like dthat side of her but at the same time she is still a bad ass.
There's also interesting one liners when Angela asks what her favourite colour is and she says blood red which we all knew something like that was gonna come in speaking from a psychotic killer. Plus there's Riff listening to rap music on his ghetto which you can tell sounded phony but this was again due to the filmmakers budget on what they can afford to throw in.
There's some goone one liners like Angela asking about a closed down cabin to Lily if that's where the dead bodies were found for the reason it was torn down and Lily just getting shocked asking how she knew and not to tell the others. This definetely breaks the silence on a peaceful summer camp like she wants it to be on the history on it becoming a bloodbath.
The best writing that Gordon did was a scene with Marcia and Tony having a nice deep conversation with one another which looked very romantic since we need something like this in a slasher film.
One of my favourite scene's is when Riff is listening to his rap tapes in his tent and Angela tries to talk to him and he acts ignorant and then points a gun at her which is a bad mistake to do. However Riff certainly looks like one of those characters you see in gangster movies like Boyz in the Hood, New Jack City or even Candyman.
Gordon is quite cheesy with a moment when Angela pushes Lily into a hole filled with garbage bags while she fills dirt in and Lily could escape if she really wanted to in which there was a big hole in this scenrio itself. But yet there's a perfect killing here as Angela uses a lawnmower on her head. I was thinking that this was a fairly original killing indeed.
There's even a tape Angela throws in Riff's tent in which she does wher own rap to him about him about to die and what he does which seems to suit him well and having a good imagination on having someone who caused you trouble in your life about to be killed.
More good suspenseful moments when Barney and Marcia discover a murder outside of a canteen area in the back yard and Barney tells her to get out of the since Angela is a dangerous person as this works very well to assure her safety while he has to meet face to face with Angela which is a deadly task.
There is an unexplained moment when Angela tells Tony she had a crush on him and if you saw the ending of the first film you'd think to yourself "WHAAAAT????"
The film even had a bit of a better ending to it with a great cat fight on Marcia getting revenge which was my favourite scene of all. Yet it does leave a door open for another one. A part 4 was in the works around 1992 but financing fell through. A good thing it didn't as it looked terrible with the found footage of it.
Bottom line is this film was more fun to watch than part 2 although fans may differ for my tastes since there was more of a romance with a tough city kid trying to get out of things in his homelife falling in love with a wholesome rich girl. The chemistry worked well on this but the killings weren't as creative in this one like part 2. Yet it was time to put this to sleep since these two sequels weren't as effective like Hiltzik's work in the first film and made a direct sequel titled Return to Sleepaway Camp.

Pamela Springsteen (Angela Baker) still knows her stuff to play a blood thirsty camp killer in which she shows a good charming behacvior at first before doing someone in. She also shows good energy while she screams when firecrakers explode near her too. We spot her in a scene by grabbing and axe and lifts it in the air plunging it down which looked nicely shot and energetic. Plus she knows on how to get firm when necessary. Also she shows alot of energy whenever she performs a killing not letting the viewers watching down at all.
Tracy Griffith
(Marcia Holland) was the best actress in this film I found and is Melanie's half sister who is talented too. She brings on a nice girl next door type of attitude with her innocent and outgoing behavior. She studied this role inside out as you can tell which is a nice start to her acting career which wasn't surprising that she continued for a while. She also was a natural by acting flirtatious or having a freaked out behavior when the terror starts. Shows off a great rage while attacking her onscreen killer with an axe and knife. Bringing all of this to life big time.
Mark Oliver
(Tony DeRaro) was the best actor in this film so it was a good call for him being cast as a Mexican gang member from Los Angeles. He certainly showed a good stand offish atttitude in the beginning of the film as well as getting to be a nicer person as he was very believeable with his outgoing behavior along with being humoress too. He was a born character actor as you can tell in which I found he could've gone far in life but in his hometown of Georgia acting gigs are scarce. Yet he has a good drive to do what he did showing alot of great energy and attitude.
Cliff Brand
(Officer Barney Whitmore) had a perfect seriousness in his role and also showed a nice warm attitude in which he did perfectly well. There's a nice serious attitude when others ask him about what happened to Angela as he really brought out alot by doing this. Does a good job whacking things over with a board getting demanding and stern towards the onscreen killer. He was another fine character actor even if he was a virtual unknown but watching him perform you do wonder if he's done other gigs since he had that look and the right characteristics to do other stuff. He was a perfect key role to the story.
Sandra Dorsey
(Lily Miranda) seems to try too hard by acting comedic in her role as another camp counsellor and was at times too over the top. Plus her Georgian accent really showed big time since the story was supposed to take place in New York like the original one did. But yet she tries her best in her role and can prove to be a character actress in other spots too and gets into the mode too. A nice upsetting reaction when an onscreen news reporter discusses what has happened at the camp grabbing the microphone and getting anxious which showed some good energy as well as her getting upset about discussing the murders. Does well with a shocked reaction after someone asks her about a cabin that was torn down due to finding dead bodies as this looked good and natural.
Daryl Wilcher
(Riff) Oh yeah this guy's got it. He portrayed a perfect bad ass in the film making you remind you as one of those gangsters you see in action flicks. He brought on a good tough speaking personality coming across as intimidating. He shows alot of energy by just acting obnoxious too. Shows a perfect bad ass atttiude in his tent while pointing a gun at someone. He studied this part inside out and you'd think that he was really like this in person. He was one of the best actors in this film.
Haynes Brooke
(Bobby Stark) did his part playing one of those geeky airheaded preppy types. Yet his Georgian accent shows too. However he did come across as someone who is quite annoying and incredibly outspoken. He really took the bull by it's horns and did what he had to do by someone who is a typical clean cut idiot. Does a good job tied up next to his fellow actress while fishing with him coming on strong as this looked well done.
Kim Wall
(Cindy Hammersmith) certainly does well as a ditsy stuck up rich girl. She really brought on a good prissy behavior who lacks intelligence. She came across well as someone who is annoying and acting like a total goody goody. Plus was good with her sarcastic attitude too.
Kyle Holman
(Snowboy) definetely had the hyped personality to play a goofball from Chicago with his high pitched voice and had the perfect looks to be in a slasher film like this one as an immoral partying dorky type teenager causing trouble and not taking anything seriously. Does well getting hyper spray painting a tent with his hyped words which looked energised. He stood out very well in his role and can be well remembered to fans for this. Offers a nice hyped scream after spotting a deadly incident with a good wide eyed expression. He studied this part impressively well and looked like a well trained character actor.
Michael J. Pollard (Herman Miranda) is of course a well known fringe celebrity actor and gets to play a wild type of sleazy camp counsellor in which he does well portraying these kinds of roles. He shows off some good energy and humor too. He knows on how to act like someone who doesn't take his work seriously at all and is after teenage girls.
Stacie Lambert (Jan Hernandez) was by far the worst actress ever in this film. I don't know how she got cast but mainly for her lustful looks. She acted as if she has had experience in a modelling business or worst yet pornography. She did act slutty though which was her motive as a loose rich girl. But yet her looks did all the talking and that's it. Not surprising that she didn't do anything else.
Jill Terashita (Arab) had a nice brief supporting role in which she brings a good bad ass attitude towards others like a typical punk kid. She looked great in her role too along with bringing nice nasty sarcasm too. Basically she does it well enough that you know she will be one of the first one's to be killed off.

Kashina Kessler takes off her top exposing her breasts.
Stacie Lambert appears topless in a cabin about to put on a shirt.
Jill Terashita takes off her shirt to put on a Camp New Horizons shirt boobs fully exposed.
Stacie Lambert appears topless once again by making out with a camp counsellor in her tent.

Maria Nacastro gets runs over by a garbage truck and her face is bloodied.
Tawny Richards has blood pouring out of her motuh and nostrils after snorting laundry soap which was supposed to be cocaine.
Jan Hernandez' head is bloodied after being whacked by a stick.
Peter Doyle's face explodes after a firecracker blows up in his nostril and Snowboy's head is bloodied after being whacked in the head by a log.
Arab's head is chopped off by an axe.
Lily's head is briefly exposed by being run over by a lawnmower.
Bobby Stark's arms are briefly revelaed being torn off while tied to a tree.
Lily's headless body is exposed outside in a back alley of a cafeteria cabin.
Barney Whitmore drools out blood while being bloodily shot.
Anita Bircham and Greg
Nakishima had an axe in their chest's while tied up.
Marica Holland whacks Angela in the chest with an axe and repeatedly boodily stabs Angela.
Angela stabs a paramedic in the stomach as well as stabbing on officer in the eye with a big needle.

There's a perfect bonging sound during the very beginning of the film with the credits presenting the film which sounded perfect. There's also low beat keyboard tapping sounds when a garbage truck is rolling on the streets of Ney York and charging after Maria herself which I loved too. There's some of the same types of music like in the previous sequel such as some screeching synthesizer music and fast paced sounds too which was of course used in Funland. All brought together by James Oliviero

There's still a great bitching heavy metal songtracks even if not alot of it was noticed too much like in the previous sequel:
During the beginning of the film with Maria waking up during her alarm clock radio we do hear Anvil doing a cover tune of "Wild Eyes" which sounds insanely great with great raging vocalising by the frontman Lips as well as terrific metal guitar playing.
Then while a shuttle comes to pick up Angela after she kills Maria with a garbage truck you hear in the background of the music playing in the shuttle of Agent Orange with "Voices in the Night" as there's terrific echoey vocalising. This song is also played during a scene when Snowboy goofs around by spray painting Angela's tent listening to his ghetto blaster. All in all the song was fine for both of these scene's.
In the opening credits there's Obsession with their song "Methods of Madness" in which sounds very similar to something that a metal group like Iron Maiden or Judas Priest would perform with the insane like vocalising and fast paced great guitar riffs too which really suits the opening credits.
There's another song by Obsession while the news reporter Tawny Richards is driving in her car titled "Killer Elite" in which you do hear headbanging music while she's driving but the song itself isn't too well noticeable so you have to listen really carefully. I kinda wondered if they should've used this for that scene since she didn't seem like the headbanging type but again
it seemed cool regardless.
Then during the closing credits John Altyn comes on board again to write the metal stomping song "Sleepaway" in which this time he sounded good belting out his vocals as well as great powerful guitar riffs. There's also some synthesizer playing blending in with the guitar riffs which also sounded really cool and made the closing credits sound very effective.
All in all the songtracks were very well done and blended in with the story which gives it that extra punch.

Arab: Arab! San Francisco.
Toni Richards: Do you have a last name Arab?
Arab: No! Do I need one?

Marcia Holland: Oh God that Tony guy is so cute.
Cindy: He's Mexican
[Laughs]

Toni Richards: You Look a little older than the rest
Angela: Massive Drugs
Toni Richards: Drugs huh? I had a real shit of a day, you wouldn't know where where I can score some coke?
Angela: Yeah, there's a machine in the dining hall.

[making cleaning powder up to look like cocaine]
Angela: One of the major risks of being a drug addict is not knowing whether or not the stuff is pure.

[Angela has handed the "cocaine" over]
Toni Richards: Good stuff?
Angela: It'll really clean your pipes.

Angela: Have a good life.
[the car drives away, pause]
Angela: What's left of it.

Bobby Stark: Hi, I'm Bobby Stark. You don't mind if I sit here?
Arab: Drop dead fag!

Bobby Stark: Hi, I'm Bobby Stark. You don't mind if I sit here? (Riff Pulls out a switchblade towards him) That's not real is it?? (Riff stabs the knife onto the table where he's sitting)

Bobby Stark: Hi, I'm Bobby Stark. You don't mind if I sit here?
Angela: Sure.
[he takes a seat. Pause]
Bobby Stark: You're Maria Nacastro
Angela: How'd you know that?
Bobby Stark: I'm really great with names, that's how I got elected for student council
Angela: That's nice
Bobby Stark: So... you're underpriviliged.

Arab: (Notices Angela's big bra) How do you get that thing off with a can opener?

Herman Miranda: Where'd you learn to chop wood like that?
Angela: I've never chopped wood before. But I've chopped other things.

Angela: Good thing you're dead 'cause in a couple of years your breasts would have been sagging something terrible!

Snowboy: Party all night! Teenage Wasteland!

Angela: Why did I think this year would be any different?

Arab: You scared the shit out of me!!!
Angela: Sorry, just an old habit

Cindy: I like movies with really good acting. Like Gone with the wind or Care Bears.

Lily Miranda: What's your favourite type of movie Bobby?
Bobby Stark: Ones that make America look great, like... Rambo 3

Lily Miranda: What's your favourite type of movie?
Riff: Ones with tits and blood.

Lily Miranda: What's your favourite colour?
Angela: Blood red.

Bobby Stark: Looks like we're part...
Riff: Shut up!
Bobby Stark: Sure man. Cool man. Right on.

Angela: Are you a cheerleader?
Cindy: Yeah.
Angela: Are you a virgin?
Cindy: No?
Angela: You take drugs?
Cindy: Doesn't everybody?
Angela: Strike three.

Cindy: Why are you doing this to me?
Angela: Because you're a cheerleader, a fornicator, a drug taker, a nasty snotty bigot, and besides that... you're real nice!

Angela: So why did you come here?
Bobby Stark: It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, plus it would look REALLY good on my resume.

Riff: Fuck that shit!

[as Angela is burying Lily in a garbage pit]
Lily Miranda: Get me out of here! There's rats in here! They'll eat me alive!
Angela: Don't worry, they'll be suffocated soon.

[after killing Bobby]
Angela: Thank God there'll be one less idiot in politics.

[Riff plays a tape on his boom-box]
Angela: Angels are pretty ;Angels can fly, and here is the angel that'll make you die! You got no style and, you got no cares all ya do is fight and swear. So say your prayers and make a mends, cause ya life story is about to end.
Riff: [pause] What the fuck?

Angela: It seems every year I'm at camp someone loses their head.

Angela: You look just like your son when you get mad.
Officer Barney Whitmore: How many people have you killed this time?
Angela: I dunno. A lot.
Officer Barney Whitmore: You gonna kill me too?
[she nods]
Officer Barney Whitmore: How?A knife,A drill or A chainsaw?Fire,Battery acid or are you just gonna cut my head off like you did my son's? Well Angela... what's it gonna be?
Angela: A gun.
[she fires]

Paramedic: She's still alive.
Policeman: We should just finish it now. We should kill her.
Paramedic: It would be easy.
Policeman: It would put an end to it, once and for all.
Paramedic: Where are we?
Policeman: I'll check.
[Angela grabs a needle and stabs the two men]
Ambulance driver: What's going on back there?
Angela: Just taking care of business.