Sleepaway Camp III: Teenage Wasteland (1989) reviews and overview

Sleepaway-Camp-III

Sleepaway Camp III: Teenage Wasteland is a 1989 American slasher horror feature film directed by Michael A. Simpson from a screenplay by Fritz Gordon. It is the second sequel to Sleepaway Camp and was shot back-to-back over a tight six-week schedule with Sleepaway Camp II. It is also known as Nightmare Vacation III

The Double Helix Films production stars Pamela Springsteen (Sleepaway Camp II), Tracy Griffith, Michael J. Pollard (American Gothic; Night Visitor; 1989; Heartstopper), Mark Oliver (Dance of the Dead; The Crazies), Haynes Brooke and Sandra Dorsey (1976: Grizzly; 2004 TV Frankenstein).

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Plot:

Maria (Kashina Kessler) is heading to camp. However, she is chased into an alleyway by a large truck, driven by serial killer Angela Baker (Pamela Springsteen), before being run over. Angela disposes of the body in a trash compactor, before posing as Maria and boarding the bus to Camp New Horizon, which was once Camp Rolling Hills where Angela massacred campers the year before…

Reviews [click links to read more]:

“Once again, there’s simply a series of vignettes where Angela takes advantage of the camp splitting into smaller “focus” groups, visiting each of them one by one and simply paring down the population victim by victim. There’s actually an honest to goodness goal for Angela this time out, too, but even that’s unnecessary—this is one absurd killing spree that is all about the journey, not the destination.” Blu-ray.com

“A returning Pamela Springsteen tries her darndest despite a limiting script, but the majority of the acting is sadly woeful. Much like its predecessor, Sleepaway Camp III: Teenage Wasteland is notable for featuring a female killer who we follow from the very beginning, which results in a lack of suspense but a fairly enjoyable time.” Flickering Myth

“It’s just not believable that Angela could get away with what she does in this film let down the previous two. There is no imagination involved with everything feeling toned down & cheaper. Sleepaway Camp III: Teenage Wasteland is one to avoid. It’s a pointless & mentally draining watch.” Games, Brrraaains & A Head-Banging Life

“The best part about Sleepaway Camp III: Teenage Wasteland (besides Jill Terashita) is when I hit “eject” on my remote control. Skip this turd and skip Part 2 also. The original is a wonderful, off-kilter 80’s slasher classic, but these two sequels both blow dead dogs.” Happyotter

“There are a few bright spots, such as a snotty bigoted rich bitch being flown up a flagpole, and the torching of a nylon tent is equally novel in watching just how quickly it all goes up. But on the whole, Bill “Splat” Johnson isn’t given as much leeway and/or time to make the executions as memorably juicy this time around (and what grue he did strew was clipped by an overeager MPAA).” Horror 101

“If you’re looking for a plot or even coherent ideas then you’re going to be disappointed, but anyone who enjoys comic films about mass murder should have fun […] It’s not as deliberately weird as the first Sleepaway Camp, but it could have been a lot worse.” Jim Harper, Legacy of Blood: A Comprehensive Guide to Slasher Movies

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“It simultaneously confirms and resists the frequent, superficial criticism that this genre is full of trashy Xeroxes: yes, Sleepaway Camp III is more of the same, but it’s also a lesser, second-generation copy that proves capturing lightning in a bottle isn’t as easy as it looks in this genre.” Oh, the Horror!

“Don’t watch Sleepaway Camp 3 expecting too much in the way of story or production value though. Just take this in the cheesiness and try not to think too much when you watch it. Like the previous entry […] this one just exists for pure fun and it should be viewed that way – just a stupidly fun movie. Ronnie Angel, Slashed Dreams: The Ultimate Guide to Slasher Films

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“The plot was actually quite clever, bringing rich and poor together to try and create a harmonious atmosphere between them. Ultimately it doesn’t work and the owners aren’t the nice people they portray themselves to be […] The death scenes are highly original and it features a high body count to keep you entertained…” SomewhatNerdy.com

“Watch Sleepaway Camp II first. If you enjoyed it and you want more of the same, then you know what to do. If it wasn’t your mug of joe, stay away from the third film because there’s nothing new here (other than the odd racist jibe) that will change your mind.” That Was a Bit Mental

“While Springsteen is her usual appealing self (albeit with a sorrowful blow-out), it looks as if Unhappy Campers took the lion’s share of the budget, and FX work this time has borne the brunt of the cutbacks: Several victims are killed with a stick, and large parts of the grislier murders were either cut or occurred off-camera, leaving the film barren of its predecessor’s gory humour.” Vegan Voorhees

“Sleepaway Camp 3: Teenage Wasteland just isn’t good. Simpson and Gordon delivered a really entertaining time with part two but seem to have forgotten what made that one work. It’s missing the wacky perversions and decent deaths of the first flick and the self-aware satire of the second. It’s just a vapid, unimaginative follow-up and a useless one at that.” The Video Graveyard

” …pretty much a waste of a third installment due to its rush into production. Pamela Springsteen is perhaps the film’s saving grace as she does her best to once again give it her all, but the rushed script and production is the issue that plagued this and some uninventive kill scenes that cannot top either of its predecessors.” World Film Geek

Choice dialogue:

Snowboy: “What a dildo!”

Snowboy: “He’s trying to get into that rich skank’s pants.”

Release:

Sleepaway Camp III was released on VHS in the United States by Nelson Entertainment on December 15, 1989. The film has been released twice on DVD in the United States by Anchor Bay Entertainment; first in 2002 as a single DVD, as well as in the Sleepaway Camp Survival Kit. Scream Factory released the film and Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers on Blu-ray disc on June 9th, 2015.

Cast and characters:

• Pamela Springsteen … Angela
• Tracy Griffith … Marcia
• Michael J. Pollard … Herman
• Mark Oliver … Tony
• Haynes Brooke … Bobby
• Sandra Dorsey … Lilly
• Daryl Wilcher … Riff
• Kim Wall … Cindy
• Kyle Holman … Snowboy
• Cliff Brand … Barney
• Kashina Kessler … Maria
• Randi Layne … Tawny
• Chung Yen Tsay … Greg
• Jarrett Ellis Beal … Peter (as Jarrett Beal)
• Sonya Maddox … Anita
• Jill Terashita … Arab
• Stacie Lambert … Jan
• Charles Lawlor … Paramedic
• Jerry Griffin … Policeman
• Mike Nagel … Ambulance Driver
• Richard Crabbe … TV News Cameraman (uncredited)