As we reach the end of June, we are firmly in the middle of most American summer vacations. That means there are thousands of kids heading off to all sorts of summer camps. Virtually everyone reading this either attended a camp as a kid or wanted to and that was not lost on Hollywood. Movies ranging from horror to comedy to science fiction have been set at camps over the years and brought the look and feel of those memories to life. Here is our ranking of the ten best summer camps featured on the big screen. See if your favorite is here and, if not, let us know in the comments below.
When you think of summer camp movies, you likely think of horror films and that is really thanks to FRIDAY THE 13TH. Despite the myriad sequels, Camp Crystal Lake is synonymous with slasher horror and even serves as a tourist attraction for the brave willing to risk their lives for a good photo. I would never attend a camp like this without hearing the trademark film score in my head.
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With both a prequel and sequel Netflix series, WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER has become a cult classic spoof of 70s and 80s teen sex comedies with an all-star cast willing to act like idiots and have fun. From a talking can to drug induced murder sprees and plain old hilarious non sequitirs, WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER's Camp Firewood is the go to place for funny camp memories.
MEATBALLS is the first starring role for Bill Murray and the film that eventually gave us GHOSTBUSTERS and STRIPES. Murray plays Tripper, a counselor at a crappy summer camp whose atttitude and demeanor are equal parts Peter Venkman and Carl Spackler. While none of the sequels hold a candle to the first movie, they are all fun in their own right. But, MEATBALLS is a formulaic camp movie elevated by the genius that is Bill Murray.
If you have not seen this movie, shame on you. Written by Judd Apatow and featuring a young Paul Feig as well as the character that Ben Stiller clearly based his DODGEBALL role on, HEAVYWEIGHTS is classic live action Disney fare but with some really fun geek vs bully storylines. A fun comedy and appropriate for all ages, this is essentially MEATBALLS for kids. Minus the sex.
While FRIDAY THE 13TH may be the most memorable horror movie set at a summer camp, this movie remains the most shocking. Most of the film works as a similar slasher story as Jason's tale but the cast of characters here are all a little off. But, it is that shot at the very end of the film when the killer is revealed to be….well, I won't spoil it if you have not seen it. Needless to say, once you finish SLEEPAWAY CAMP, you will never forget it.
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Ernest P. Worrell is a character that probably doesn't hold up well today, but when Jim Varney's trademark performance hit the big screen after being a commercial shill, kids around the country had a new favorite. The camp entry in the Ernest franchise takes all of the fun, wholesome elements of camp stories and melds it with the silly humor we came to love from Varney. ERNEST GOES TO CAMP may not be the best in the series, but it is one of the most memorable camp movies of the 1980s.
The most recent addition to the list, this Netflix film recently debuted and harkens back to the days of Amblin adventure movies. The titular camp setting is key to the story and brings some 21st century sensibilities but all of the trademarks types of kid characters and counselors are on display. A fun movie you can stream any time and a nice addition to this list.
When I was a kid, I thought SPACECAMP was the most epic and amazing film I had seen. Despite the Challenger disaster happening five months before release, the hot cast including Kate Capshaw, Kelly Preston, Larry B. Scott, Lea Thompson, Tate Donovan, and Joaquin Phoenix getting trapped in a real life outer space adventure felt realistic and possible to my young eyes. While the film may not have aged all that well, it still represents an adventure any kid would love to have.
While this sequel isn't quite as charming as the first film, ADDAMS' FAMILY VALUES benefits from a hilarious subplot featuring Wednesday and Pugsley at summer camp. It comes to a head when Christina Ricci's hilarious Wednesday takes the camp play a little too seriously. A great moment in an otherwise mediocre movie.
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Boy Scout camp is very different than your typical summer camp, but no film has captured it better than Wes Anderson's MOONRISE KINGDOM. While one of my least favorite of his films, Anderson definitely evokes the hierarchy and style of a Scout camp while still imbuing it with a retro look and feel. We may not all be old enough to remember camp before the 1980s, but MOONRISE KINGDOM gives us a taste of what it was like.