They Came From Atlanta: A Retrospective

SLEEPAWAY CAMP 2: UNHAPPY CAMPERS & SLEEPAWAY CAMP 3: TEENAGE WASTELAND, released in 1988 & 1989 respectively, have been enjoyed the world over for their time capsule of late 1980s fun, sun, and chuckle-inducing slashing. A lot of that is due to Michael A. Simpson’s capable and quirky direction, as well as the cast and crew used from his homebase of Atlanta, Georgia.

What if I told you there were more movies like them? Not SLEEPAWAY CAMP sequels or horror movies, mind you, but other 80s movies directed by the man that while crossing various genres seem to inhabit the same “world” due to their several shared qualities. Allow me to explain further by doing a rundown of these titles, all produced and/or released by Double Helix Films – the company that made the SLEEPAWAY CAMP sequels possible.

IMPURE THOUGHTS (1986)

They were the golden days of school, when the morning started with the Pledge of Allegiance and dirty jokes were a sin that could cause thunder to roll and lightning to flash. You obeyed your teachers, or else, and always left room for the Holy Ghost between dancing partners. IMPURE THOUGHTS takes us back to those rituals and bugaboos: collections to ransom pagan babies, cheat sheets, litanies of rules and provocative questions to adults who don’t have answers.

Ed Blank, of The Pittsburgh Press, says “IMPURE THOUGHTS.. will keep parochial school graduates from Maine to Mexico nodding in affirmation, chuckling and occasionally howling…” With comic seriousness and universal philosophy, this is a film that will hit everyone where they live. Directed by the fresh new talent of Michael A. Simpson, it features strong performances by Brad Dourif (ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST), Lane Davies, Terry Beaver and John Putch.

Simpson’s IMPURE THOUGHTS is an oddity than can only be described by smashing together other movies and genres that normally would go together like oil and water. It’s a character-based drama, and a fantasy with heavy sentimental and philosophical tones. Simpson seems to really get a kick out of the purgatory scenes, where we get our first glimpse of the starkly black humor that made the SLEEPAWAY CAMP sequels stand out.

With this movie, Simpson begins building a loose stock company of creatives – some of whom will carry through to camp. Present are Benji Wilhoite (rest in peace), the actor who played Anthony the comedic faux-Freddy Krueger in UNHAPPY CAMPERS, and Randi Layne and Sandra Dorsey, whom you’ll both later see in TEENAGE WASTELAND as Tawny the newscaster and Lily the campmaster respectively. James Oliverio composes the music score for this and Simpson’s next four features – including UNHAPPY CAMPERS & TEENAGE WASTELAND.

Interestingly, IMPURE THOUGHTS is the first role of AMERICAN PIE’s Alyson Hannigan. Double Helix/SLEEPAWAY CAMP sequels executive Stan Wakefield cameos as a football coach, commanding the attention of none other than Chucky the Doll himself – Brad Dourif. Among several adult football players in the film, squint and you just may find Jerry Silva, founder of Double Helix and the enigmatic producer of the very first SLEEPAWAY CAMP from 1983!

FUNLAND (1986)

Join the fun with David “Squiggy” Lander (LAVERNE & SHIRLEY), William Windom (MURDER SHE WROTE), Jan Hooks (SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE), Bruce Mahler (POLICE ACADEMY) and Mike McManus (POLTERGEIST). Critically hailed as “unique, off-beat and very funny,” FUNLAND was written by Bonnie and Terry Turner, writers of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.

David Lander isn’t joking around in his role as Bruce Burger, crazed corporate clown for Brewster’s Pizzeria Palace. When crime kingpins take over operations at FUNLAND, the battle lines are drawn between the loyal employees and the new mobster owners. FUNLAND isn’t too much fun now, but it’s about to become the wildest abusement park on earth! Burger is one clown with a frown who’s got a plan to get mad – and get even! So if you like your comedy dark with as many twists as a roller coaster, come on down to FUNLAND, where the fun never stops.

This offering written by Simpson teaming with the writers later known for WAYNE’S WORLD starts us moving toward darker, kooky antihero territory later explored in the SLEEPAWAY CAMP films. Bruce Burger, a riff on Ronald McDonald, is a kind-hearted but troubled man, whose frequent flights into mental fantasy-land recall the afterlife scenes of IMPURE THOUGHTS. It’s no stretch to imagine these scenes pairing well with Angela’s surreal, dreamy nightmares and memory trips seen playing out in UNHAPPY CAMPERS and TEENAGE WASTELAND. And while Bruce Burger is no slasher, the movie keeps us guessing if he’s going to end up in a mental ward, or commit a full-fledged massacre. The truth is somewhere in the middle… but you’ll have to see for yourself.

Tawny herself Randi Layne is back in this one, so is James Oliverio on the musical score. Bob Phillips formerly joins as coordinating producer, and he will carry on through to be associate producer on the SLEEPAWAYS. Jerry Silva marks his first producing of Simpson’s work which will lead to their successful teaming for the SLEEPAWAYS.

DEAD AIM (1987)

DEAD AIM is the intriguing action-packed thriller straight from the mean streets starring Ed Marinaro (HILL STREET BLUES), Corbin Bernsen (MAJOR LEAGUE, LA LAW), William Sanderson (Larry on NEWHART), Darrell Larson (FRANCES), Isaac Hayes (ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK) and screen veteran WILLIAM WINDOM. Marinaro is Malcolm “Mace” Douglas, a street-tough detective who’s out for justice – no matter what the cost. While investigating the mysterious suicidal heroin overdoses of four beautiful exotic dancers, Mace puts together the pieces of a deadly puzzle. Infiltrating a violent ring of shadowy drug and weapon dealers, Mace methodically tracks a series killer with murderous ties to a ruthless foreign diplomat. Mace won’t stop until he gets some answers. The FBI and the KGB have them, but now they’re talking back with bullets.

Shot under the decidedly more dynamic title of MACE, Simson wrote and produced this one but handed over directorial reigns to William VanDerKloot, who had produced his two previous films. Now, that may make this movie the odd-duck of the quartet but we enjoy it just the same and Simpson’s fingerprints are all over it. It’s a gritty cop affair with a serial killer plotline that touches ever so closer into slasher territory.

Casting wise, a lot of dependable character actors are on board including Corbin Bernsen, a big name at the time due to a show that absolutely dominated the second half of the 80s, L.A. LAW. Trivia time: a scene from DEAD AIM featuring Bernsen later appeared in the theatrical feature KISS KISS BANG BANG (2005) starring Robert Downey Jr! Isaac Hayes may have been known at the time for his work on ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK and other flicks, but you and I know he’ll later end up as Chef in both SOUTH PARK and RETURN TO SLEEPAWAY CAMP! We’ve also got Carol Chambers in a small role, who will later portray Brooke Shote in UNHAPPY CAMPERS, one of the infamous “Shit Sisters” who will go up in flames with her sister Jodi.

This film brings Lonnie Smith on board for stunts, and he will later do the same on both SLEEPAWAY CAMP flicks. Shay Griffin joins this one, casting for Atlanta local actors. She will later do both SLEEPAWAY CAMP entries, and years later – SCREAM 2! Shay recently worked for Simpson again on his company’s production of the Netflix movie CANDY JAR (2018). Now that’s loyalty. Exec producer Jerry Silva rejoins Double Helix’s Stan Wakefield in cameo roles, leading us to wish we knew more of the only person to work on all three SLEEPAWAY CAMP movies! Stay tuned on that one, friends.

 

FAST FOOD (1989)

When fast food maverick Wrangler Bob (Jim Varney) chooses a struggling gas station for his next location, the kids of Hopkins College figure it must be a prime spot and beat him to it. Turning a gas station into the Burger Station was easy, but competing with Wrangler Bob wasn’t. until con-man Auggie (Clark Brandon) spikes the secret sauce with an ingredient that does more than spice the burgers. It makes the student body of Hopkins College do things with their student bodies they never dreamed they would do! Wrangler Bob can’t stand the small-time competition and sends Dixie Love (Traci Lords), a sexy spy, to uncover the secret of their sauces. Join the fast fun with the ultimate battle of the burger.

We now arrive at the last entry, shot after TEENAGE WASTELAND but released 6 months before it, making 1988-1989 Simpson’s most prolific directorial period – going out with a firecracker, before turning towards a consistent body of producing work afterward. If Simpson’s first three movies became progressively darker, UNHAPPY CAMPERS, TEENAGE WASTELAND and now FAST FOOD represent the second half of his filmography where things become progressively lighter. Resulting in this one, which goes all the way into PORKY’S style comedy. And we really do mean “goes all the way” in every sense of the term! FAST FOOD is a lot of fun, and I don’t think anyone involved would slap me (hard) for calling the humor “corny” – hey, it was 1989. And look, if it’s 1989, you’re at the height of that goofy, charming decade of excess so you throw everything at the screen! Why not? Part of that attitude also makes this movie a veritable goldmine of SLEEPAWAY CAMP cast. Due to being made after both sequels, Simpson plucks a whole lot of cast members from them in keeping with his “stock company” approach to filmmaking.

First off, I can’t contain my excitement about the presence of Angela herself: Pamela Springsteen! As Mary Beth Bensen, she begins straight-laced only to become a wild amorous-minded maniac! It’s an eyebrow-raising flipside to the type of maniac she played in SLEEPAWAY land… and let me tell you, seeing her prowling around with maniacal eyes certainly brings on the camp vibes.

Returning from TEENAGE WASTELAND are Tracy Griffith the heroine of that entry and now this movie, and Michael J. Pollard – Herman the dirty old man in a less-perverted role this time. Simpson perennial Randi Layne also returns hot off portraying newscaster Tawny. From the UNHAPPY CAMPERS roster of, well, dead campers come Benji Wilhoite & Walter Franks, “Freddy and Jason” reunited. Stan Wakefield takes on his third cameo. Terry Hobbs (Rest in Peace), who played Ally’s temporary boyfriend Rob here plays the not-subtle satirically-named Donald Frump III. In darkly humorous fashion, “Angela” faux-kills his character much in the same way she did the actual deed to Rob in UNHAPPY CAMPERS. It’s a blink-and-you-miss-it moment.

It should be mentioned the cast also boasts Jim Varney in the plot (ERNEST GOES TO CAMP is essential viewing too). On the crew side, FAST FOOD swipes several reliable names from the SLEEPAWAY set: Bill Mills on cinematography, John D. Allen as film editor, Shad Leach on art direction and Jerry Pece as assistant director. FAST FOOD was co-written by Lanny Horn and the young male lead Clark Brandon, who played a similar role in FUNLAND. The film also showcases the comedic acting range of Randal Patrick, having been present in Simpson’s IMPURE THOUGHTS, FUNLAND and DEAD AIM… phew! Patrick was also a writer, and after this wrote a prospective SLEEPAWAY CAMP 4 for Simpson to direct, titled SUMMER STALK. What could have been – right?

This is by no means an exhaustive account of SLEEPAWAY CAMP connections in Simpson’s movies – there are more to explore. Hopefully, this acts as a primer to chase down this quartet. Which, admittedly, is not an easy task. Despite all being theatrical releases, since they hit home video in their respective decade they have hardly progressed into more accessible modern formats. FUNLAND and FAST FOOD received very limited DVD releases in the 2000s from an equally briefly-existing distributor, DEAD AIM reached a limited edition bluray release from Code Red within the past decade, but IMPURE THOUGHTS has languished in purgatory since the VHS days – much like the characters of the film’s plot. Hopefully, with just a little luck and a lot of magic, things will be remedied for all four movies in due time… thankfully, we do at least have some fantastic releases of SLEEPAWAY CAMP 2 & 3 these days!

-John Klyza