The Burning Delivers the Goods on a Worn 80s Slasher Theme
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The Burning is an underrated slasher gem with great gore, and interesting story, brutal slayings and genuine scares.
Written by BHM Contributor Ronnie Angel
June 9, 2009
Release: May 8, 1981
Directed by: Tony Maylam
Written by: Tony Maylam, Harvey Weinstein, Brad Grey and Peter Lawrence
Starring:
Brian Matthews as Todd
Leah Ayres as Michelle
Brian Backer as Alfred
Larry Joshua as Glazer
Jason Alexander as Dave
Fisher Stevens as Woodstock
Lou David as Cropsy
Have you ever wondered how many ways you can kill somebody with garden shears? Have you ever wanted to see what Seinfeld's Jason Alexander looked like before he started going bald or see a young, barely clothed Holly Hunter? How about a blatant Friday The 13th Rip-off that just may be better than the original flick? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then get off your ass and go get one of the better, yet most underrated slasher flicks of the 80’s, The Burning!
We start out with a story that we have all seen played out so many times before with varying results: A nut-job seeks revenge on
teens at summer camp for some past wrongdoing, murdering and maiming happily along the way and getting his just desserts in the end - with plenty of nudity, sex, booze, drugs, and partying thrown into the mix. Blah, blah Blah… you know the rest. The list of movies that follow this simple premise goes on and on.
It is difficult to pinpoint the specific reasons�why, but The Burning actually turns out to be one of the best shasher- horror films�of the whole sub-genre, even without having much originality. Maybe it’s the creepy�music score, or the great Tom Savini special effects, or the brutal death scenes or maybe the fact that 
there are some genuine scares throughout the film. Hell, maybe its just so interesting that sets itself apart from the rest of the pack.
The Burning is about an old drunk caretaker at a summer camp lovingly called Cropsy (feel free to roll on the floor laughing at the ridiculous name. I sure did) who gets a cruel prank played on him by some camp teens which ends up setting him on fire and horribly disfiguring him. Naturally, after years in a hospital, the first thing he wants when he gets out is bloody revenge. Just like anyone else would do after such an injustice,
he offs a hooker before heading back to camp with his trusty ol' garden shears! He arrives just in time for the annual end- of- year canoe trip and quickly starts to slash and chop his way through all the "teens". In particular, watch for the infamous raft scene. Completely brutal!
The Burning is definitely one of the better movies in the slasher genre and hey, nothing passes the time like a good ol cheesy slasher flick? This film is definitely worth a watch. Questions or comments about The Burning? Discuss it on The Ossuary Forums!
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