For those who fear going to camp, or even camping, there are plenty of camp movies that allow you to watch other people deal with beehives, bears and sleepless nights without actually having to go yourself.
With camp flicks you can avoid the outdoors but still get the same effect by doing what we all do best: pretending. The following are some popular titles.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS (1988)
This is more of a camping movie compared to a movie about camp, but it is still a classic by any means. The movie follows well-to-do Chicago father Chet Ripley (John Candy) who hopes for a peaceful family vacation. His world is quickly turned upside-down when his yuppie in-laws (including Dan Aykroyd) decide, uninvited, to tag along. It's Candy and Aykroyd in their prime.
MEATBALLS (1979)
Meatballs features Bill Murray in his first feature film as Tripper, a summer camp counsellor who tries to take a less-than-average camp and make it a good time. He also takes a young camper under his wing, who has self-esteem issues. This movie has all the clichés we expect, because it helped invent them.
THE PARENT TRAP (1961 & 1998)
The Parent Trap originally starred Hayley Mills playing both roles as a pair of twins separated at birth who later meet by chance at a summer camp. Re-made in 1998 starring a very young Lindsay Lohan, both films follow the same plot as the girls swap places in a scheme to reunite their parents. I have to admit I enjoyed the Lindsay Lohan version growing up, but having been properly educated now the original certainly takes the cake. This is one of Disney's many heart-warming, family oriented movies, which is a nice watch once the weather starts to warm up.
SPACE CAMP (1986)
This movie stars a very young Joaquin Phoenix (going by the name of Leaf at the time) as part of a group of kids attending space camp who find themselves actually in space when their shuttle accidentally launches into orbit. Each character has their own reason for going to camp (good-intentioned or not), but the group must find common ground as they have to work together to make it back home.
DIRTY DANCING (1987)
Patrick Swayze plays the hip, too-cool-for-school Johnny Castle, the summer camp's dance instructor who Frances "Baby" Houseman (Jennifer Grey) swoons for. Apparently there's dancing, and I hear it's dirty. This is a classic that has survived the times.
POISON IVY (1985)
British Columbia's own Michael J. Fox plays Dennis Baxter, a new camp counsellor in this made-for-TV movie about a group of young campers suffering from what high school already showed us: adolescence sucks. But this movie survives the times because it has it all: romance, comedy, drama.
HEAVY WEIGHTS (1995)
Before Ben Stiller bled his own blood in Dodgeball, he nailed a similar character years earlier in Heavy Weights, a story of overweight kids sent to fat camp who learn the importance of positive self-image while dealing with their insane new camp leader (Stiller). Shenanigans ensue.
FRIDAY THE 13TH
This movie has a camp in it but is definitely not a feel-good summer camp movie. It is a horror flick not for the faint of heart. It may provoke nightmares or hockey mask dreams. Watch at your own risk.
