DVD Review: Camp Dread

By Brad Henderson

Oh look! Danielle Harris is in a new movie! . . . not. I’m getting pissed that filmmakers cast people like Danielle Harris, Kane Hodder, Tony Todd, Tiffany Shepis, and many others to act for five minutes and then kill them off or turn them into needless characters just so they can put their name on the front cover.

Camp Dread is a new movie that does not star Danielle Harris. It does star Felissa Rose (Sleepaway Camp) but they, of course, don’t put that on the cover. Felissa Rose is iconic and deserves a shout out on the cover of the film she is in. This isn’t the first time (and it won’t be the last) that a production company and distributor have done this. It’s a cheap selling point and it’s disgusting and insulting to everyone. I understand that the director can’t afford these actors and actresses during the whole production but it is still a cheap move and tiresome to see over and over.

Now, Camp Dread isn’t bad and I dig the direction they were going with it. The film is about a fictional series of films known as the Summer Camp horror trilogy that was a major success at the box office. Instead of rebooting the franchise, they have the idea to redo it through a reality series with a couple of the old actors that were previously in the films. The show is kind of set up like Clue; while they’re trying to find out who the killer is, a real killer is actually on the loose at the camp.

Camp Dread has its moments. There is bloodshed and a teensy weensy hint of a throwback in it but not enough to keep the audience interested. Making a slasher film is difficult because there are some key components you need in order to make it successful. Most of these direct-to-video slashers don’t have them. Every once in a while you will get a gem, but you have to sit through a lot to get something memorable.

Camp Dread is a film that tries hard but doesn’t quite get there. Eric Roberts and Felissa Rose are pretty excellent in this flick but that’s not enough to keep the movie afloat. I would say Danielle Harris is excellent as well, even though she is barely in the film. As always, she makes the screen brighten up a little bit.

If you enjoy DTV slashers then Camp Dread is one of the better ones out there, but if you’re looking for something with a little quality then I suggest you put this on the back burner.

Camp Dread will be released on DVD by Image Entertainment on April 15.