General News

THE BURNING Screens at The Hi-Pointe Midnights this Weekend!

By Tom Stockman | July 28, 2013

“They never found his body, but they say his spirit lives in the forest. This forest. A maniac, a thing no longer human. They say he lives on whatever he can catch. Eats them raw, alive maybe. And every year he picks on a summer camp and seeks his revenge for the terrible things those kids did to him. Every year he kills. Right now he’s out there. Watching. Waiting. So don’t look; he’ll see you. Don’t breathe; he’ll hear you. Don’t move; you’re dead!”

The guys at Destroy the Brain.com are bringing the best summer camp slasher film of the 1980s to the Hi-Pointe this weekend. It’s the 1981 shocker THE BURNING which captures every element of the decade’s obsession with movies like FRIDAY THE 13TH and MEATBALLS and puts them in one bloody package. I’m very excited to check out THE BURNING in its uncut gory glory and St. Louis-area slasher fans will have the opportunity when it’s screened midnights at St. Louis’ fabulous Hi-Pointe Theater (1005 McCausland Avenue) this Friday and Saturday (August 2nd and 3rd). The pre-show begins at 11:30.

THE BURNING tells the tale of Cropsy, the caretaker of a summer camp who is burned alive and left deformed after a prank goes wrong. Years later, he’s released from the hospital and returns to the area where the accident occurred. A new group of campers have arrived for the summer and he has horrific plans for them. Hedge clippers in hand, the caretaker begins his reign of terror on the counselors and attendees.

A lot of big names are attached to THE BURNING. Harvey Weinstein created and co-wrote the story. Bob Weinstein co-wrote the screenplay. Special Make-up Artist Tom Savini returns to camp for a second time after his classic work on FRIDAY THE 13TH and his unequaled handiwork keeps the blood flowing efficiently. Brian Backer plays a character even more annoying than the one he did in FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH and Fisher Stevens is always just annoying. Jason Alexander (yes, George Costanza himself) portrays a sporty and popular high schooler. He has a full head of hair and doesn’t wear glasses. Holly Hunter can be seen briefly as a camper. She looks like about 14 years old and Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman supplies an effectively shivery’n’spooky synthesizer score. Director Tony Maylam creates a substantial amount of tension, keeps the pace moving along at a steady, speedy clip, and stages the gruesome kill scenes with considerable brio (one bravura terrifying sequence shows Cropsy viciously butchering five kids on a raft in broad daylight). Don’t miss THE BURNING!