BODY COUNT (1987)
aka Camping del terrore
Directed by Ruggero Deodato
Magna Pacifica DVD
THE FILM
Can I entice you to this movie with three words? Naked Fat Guy.
What's to review? This thing writes itself. How can you review a movie that features a scene with a naked fat guy running into a couple's kitchen thinking that they're having an orgy? He's nude. He's big. The couple seem only mildly peeved and I, frankly, couldn't stop watching Sid's Pickle flap around. Too much information? Of course. Too little might make you ignore this fun, but strangely standard, second half of the 80s slasher from Mr. Ruggero Deodato.
It does seem odd that when Italians try to replicate an American slasher their biggest innovation is in the Dongs of Fat Men. You'd think there'd be more going on. You think I would have watched it and yelled "That's how you make a slasher." But, it's generally pretty straightforward, which, in the land of BS, is certainly a recommendation. It's got some cool music, some lovely shots of the woods (and, indeed, some lovely woods) and a series of interchangeable characters that are so wonderfully annoying that I thought "Boy, Americans are a bunch of assholes...Hey! Wait a minute!" I did keep mixing up which woman was which and the guys don't help much, except the larger ones. The opening sequence is good but gives us too much extraneous info, which, in some ways, was intriguing. (I realize that that last sentence could be construed as "intriguing". But, I'll say no more.)
We're in the woods. David Hess is there. An "Indian Shaman" may or may not be killing two groups of campers. There is a Fat Nude Man. It took four writers to assemble this. Why? I don't know. You'd think one would have sufficed. I'd love to know what everyone's contributions were. 1: "Shaman". 2: "Filthy bathhouse with killer hiding." 3: "Fat Nude Guy" 4: "Fat Nude Guy" Maybe it did take two of them to come up with that?
I'd put this one in the realm of Berserker or Memorial Valley Massacre. Competently made, fun to watch but not absolutely superb. Which is strange, considering its lineage or it seems completely correct if you imagine that they're replicating a slasher from the start of the 80s. I just don't want anyone seeing Deodato's name on it and thinking that this is the Cannibal Holocaust of slashers. It's not. It's a well-made, only slightly loopy, slasher from the late 80s. It won't change your worldview and some of the stupidity of the characters might annoy you but, if you like a slasher, this is a slasher to like.
AUDIO AND VIDEO
Audio was fine. Claudio Simonetti's soundtrack cruises across the speakers. Love the piano! This DVD was a little dark. I wish I knew where it came from. If I knew, I'd ask them "Why is this so dark?"
EXTRAS
A story...
Back in college, I briefly dated a lovely gal who was a nudist. I went to the colony where she lived one afternoon. A chilly Saturday in October. It was a fun place. A lot of pumpkins being carved, which seemed like something they might want to have had another group of people do for them but they seemed secure with the long knives.
We had lunch at a small restaurant on the premises. Inside, it was chillier than I would have thought but I'm not a nudist. I ordered a bowl of lentil soup. The nude waiter brought us our food. My friend knew him and they chatted and chatted about life. It was a little odd at first, what with all the nudity, but I was getting used to it. Until, I had a look down at my bowl of soup...The bowl was sitting on the edge of the table. And, the waiter was leant up against the table...
"Steve?"
"Yeah, Dan."
"Would you get that out of my soup?"
All three of us had a look.
"Don't worry. It makes a great marinate. Just let them sit for a couple minutes...It's sort of meaty."
"Steve?"
"Yeah, Dan."
"I don't believe you. I think you're just trying to keep warm."
"Dammit, Dan. You caught me."
He raised himself up and lifted himself out and everyone kept talking. Surprisingly, he was right about the marinate. Body Count made me remember that story. Thank you, Body Count.
FINAL THOUGHTS
It's an entertaining slasher. No more, no less. Again, I don't know what I expected precisely but this isn't what I didn't know what to expect. (Yes, I understand.) Throw expectation out the window and enjoy.
— Dan Budnik, 03.17.11 |
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