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The Burning [1981] (REGION 1) (NTSC)


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A CLONE SLASHER FILM THAT SURPASSES THE ORIGINAL
Review date: 2008-04-12 Rating: 10 out of 10

I LOVE this movie- I was lucky enough to see the film when it first came out as a kid. Full uncut. Before it was added to the Banned list in the U.K and taken off the shelves. I have enjoyed it ever since- It is better than most of the Friday the 13th series if not all (personal opinion of course). The story is excellent- (remember this was still quite original at the time) 1981!! and the acting is top notch.The opening burning scene is cool as the caretaker already looks creepy without being burnt, then when he is released from hospital after failed surgery months later,(see pic to right!--->) the gore starts- Tom Savini's (surely i don't need to introduce him?!) FX work on this film is some of his best, and the scissors pushed into the prostitutes stomach skin is great- especially as you can see him twisting it in as the blood spurts. Yummy. It then gives you time to get to know the Characters at camp blackfoot, this is still entertaining in a Porky's (old school American Pie kids!) kind of way. Then Cropsy (the caretaker- starts to 'take care' of business- see what i did there! lol) - usual (now cliched) midnight swims at the lake- shower scenes etc- but with attractive babes- bullying hunks and dweeby nerd type (still likeable) mix with the camp staff for a trip down river for some camping in tents- this is when the real guts hit the fan so to speak. awesome gore slasher attack, throat slits, impalings, shears in throat (Cropsy's cool weapon of choice) fingers cut off, head chops, picked up by shears in throat and pinned to a tree.- (now) obligatory death whilst having sex in a sleeping bag scene. Axe in face- shears in back- this movie has it (especially the shocking raft scene which is difficult to beat)- and if you haven't ever seen it- you have missed out on a real classic- it still stands the test of time to this day. And one of my favorite all time slasher movies. (as you may have noticed) But don't trust me- go out and see it yourself- i'll be surprised if you don't enjoy it. You can get the uncut version easily now a days- also has a young Jason Alexander (Sienfeld) in it. for you comedy fans- also Holly Hunters first role-- . .no disguising the fact that 'The Burning' is a rip off of 'Friday the 13th' so I won't bother arguing about it. The most important thing is that 'The Burning' has more likeable characters and they are killed off in gorier and more flamboyant ways. This makes it one of the few knock offs that I can think of that surpasses the original.


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over-rated
Review date: 2008-04-05 Rating: 4 out of 10

i love horror films and i was really looking forward to watching this!but it is sooooo slow and nothing much happens for the first hour or so

however i have to give credit for the gory 'raft scene' and just the general tom savini gore-it is brill,and the camera never cuts away from the blood and guts

maybe it is just me that didnt like this movie?

Uncut and in widescreen - cheap price too
Review date: 2007-11-15 Rating: 10 out of 10

At last one of the best of the so called "video nasties" gets released on dvd. You will be relieved to know that the print is uncut with the notorious finger cut shot intact. The print is excellent and is in 1.85 widescreen and puts the fullscreen UK Vipco dvd release to shame. There is also a very insightfull audio commentry by the directer and a short featurette on Tom Savini who did the special effects.

The film was originally released on Thorn EMI video back in the 1980's, but the print they released was accidently uncut. As a result they had to withdraw all videos and get them replaced with the BBFC certified version. This didn't stop is being banned. As a result the uncut video release is highly collectable nowdays.

The plot is not the most original - a vengefull caretaker who was badly burned kills a number of campers in various graphic ways. It's rather like Friday The 13th with all the gore effects intact. This shows why Tom Savini is number 1 for special effects. No CGI in those days.

This is an excellent release and is very cheap on Amazon. So what are you waiting for ? Buy this dvd now is you enjoy a good slasher film.

A DECENT SLASHER FILM
Review date: 2006-05-19 Rating: 8 out of 10

Finally after twenty years The Burning has been given the great respect and restoration treatment it finally deserved. These days, all the moaning about cutting violence and sex means nothing, since obviously uncut editions appear on DVD within months of a theatrical release of any film.

The Burning is one that is sneaking its way back and by word of mouth is most likely going to be an extremely prized part of a horror fans collection just like the excitement over the long awaited re release of Killer Klowns From Outer Space or even the extras filled The Boneyard. Someone at Vipcos Vaults Of Horror is very clever, releasing many cult horror films in uncut editions (though still putting 18 ratings on the cover), but in most cases by not mentioning these changes on the cover a less informed viewer will not bother in some cases.

Well lets just say the film didn't live up to all my expectations, but it wasn't terrible. The story is fairly generic, complete with rehashed about Cropsy being burned to near death by some mischevious campers. After five years in the hospital he's finally released. The first thing he does is murder a prostitute with gory results. Eventually, he makes his way to a summer camp, armed with some gardening shears to do some dirty work as only a slasher film villain can.

The real deal doesn't start until some counselors and campers head off on a canoeing trip down the river. Cropsy comes along, and then only then manages to do away with some of our unlucky characters. So who are these people - well, there is Todd, the brown haired counselor who wants everyone to get along, Michelle, his likable co counselor and girlfriend, Alfred, the weird outcast who seems to eternally annoy Glazer, the bully character. Rounding off the main characters are Karen and her slimy boyfriend Eddy, prankster Dave, Glazer's girlfriend Shelly and Woodstock who is plain weird.

Anyway most of these people are all killed before the credits roll, and only the ones you really end up liking survive. As for who survives is a bit predictable earlier on in the film. It took me a while to figure out who was playing who. I thought Karen was the "final girl" as first, and Michelle was the slutty friend. In the end though, there is no final girl, at least not in the conventional manner. Sure, there's a female character left standing but most of the climatic action is left to two male characters, which while unique to the genre, did not work for me. I realize that Alfred's character was supposed to be sympathetic and we were supposed to worry about him during that never ending run through the woods, but the job is better performed by a token heroine. I don't mind a male hero but when all the heroines is given one scene of peril and, then some dull scenes on a boat, the tension all but dies away for me.

Speaking of all the carnage, the gore n this film is unbelievable. I definitely winched a few times and I would expect nothing less from Tom Savini and that leads me to the raft scene. It was a letdown for me. The suspense that builds as you realize what is going to happen in the scene, is really well established and I was on the end on my seat but then.... its over in a few seconds. The scene is extremely rushed and while somewhat gory, it didn't really seem like a whole lot of carnage. I was hoping the scene would live up to its reputation and it didn't (to my dismay).

As far as the music, there is an excellent score that works well with the film, and always adds a little edge to things. Acting wise everyone does pretty well. Leah Ayres was a little uneven. Whilst at some points she was excellent, and her delivery was right on, at others, like when she was angry, she got a little melodramatic. Jason Alexander shines, and its no surprise he went on to be something big. Holly Hunter the movie's other star, is barely in the film. You see her a few times once they go on the rafting trip, but she has very little dialogue and not much to do. Everyone else is decent to say the least. There's quite a bit of nudity in this film, more then I expected.

Anyway, The Burning isn't a bad film but it isn't great either. There isn't many genuine scares, and towards the end things begin to loose a lot of suspense. I suggest you see it and its required viewing for slasher fans.

Thank you for reading my review.

ONE OF THE BEST SLASHERS EVER MADE !! !! !!
Review date: 2006-01-27 Rating: 10 out of 10

When i baught the burning i was expecting an average horror film in the 'Vipcos Vaults of Horror' collection. (not that i dont like these films, i love them!). Instead i got a master piece! The acting isnt that bad, there is no out of time dubbing, the special effects are great, it has a great ending!!!
I love the Vipco' films but dare i say this, The Burning doesnt deserve to be in a collection of films that are famed for bieng cheap B-movies! And although it is almost a complete rip-off of Friday the 13th i still loved it!
On the subject of Friday the 13th, im a huge fan of the series and have watched all the films hundreds of times, but i must admit. The Burning is just as good as some of the Friday the 13th films, if better! Obviously it is no-where near as good as the origonal Friday the 13th or part 4 but is certanly better that Friday the 13th part 2 or part 8!!!!
Tom Savini had done the blood and gore special effects for Friday the 13th and carried on to do it for many of the other sequels too! But not part 2, because he was working on this film! This is probably one of the main reasons why the special effects on The Burning were so good! Tom Savini done a great job on this film!
So as youd expect, this film is violent and some scenes are very gory! The story is mainly about a man who goes crazy and massacres a bunch od kids at a summer camp so the only break between the killings is just after the first death scene, so the violence is pretty much non-stop! Unlike the Friday the 13th films there isnt really a variation of weapons used in the murders, eccept from a pair of cissors at the start and an axe at the end all the victims are disposed of with some hedje trimmers! But dont worry, they are used in a veriaty of different ways!
Another thing i liked about this film, and one of the main reasons why this is different from most of the other slashers of its kind, is that it does actually have some good acting! Obviously some of the characters may not be award winners but most of the main characters are way above avarage!
And the film on avarage is of a decent quality! The picture doesnt have many flikers or bits of dust on it almost all the way through the film!
And last but not least this film has a good ending! (again, copying off Friday the 13th!) Just when you thought that the killer was dead he jumps up from behind the main characters, and has an axe whaked into his face!!!!!
So overall this is one of the best slashers ive ever seen! And i find it amazing how such a fabulose film has kept so quiet, Id expect this to be one of the main films slasher fans would talk about but now you are pushed to find a copy!
If you like this type of film then you should buy this film right now!!!!!!

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Brian Matthews
Leah Ayres
Larry Joshua
Brian Backer
Jason Alexander

Creators:
Brian Matthews (Primary Contributor)
Leah Ayres (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: MGM
Manufacturer: MGM
EAN: 0027616085535
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Colour, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSC,
Release date: 2007-09-11
Universal product code (UPC): 027616085535
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Region code: 1
Running time: 91 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1981-05-08
Language: English (Original Language)

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