4.4
A business man plans to dump toxic waste on a state park, but it doesn't go according to plan.
Kim Myers
Eve
Isabelle Mejias
Marsha
James Wilder
Truckie
Jennifer Inch
Linnie
Brian Dooley
Smite
Walter Massey
Rancewell
Christopher Bolton
Trailor
Peter Virgile
Johnny
Louis Tucci
Louis
Andrew Jackson
Corky
Lance Van Der Kolk
Mando
Catherine Gallant
Olive
Henderson Walcott
Brian
Carol Ann Francis
McDermott
Rummy Bishop
Ray
Jessica Booker
Ethel
Penny Mancuso
Jane
Daniel Stamatovic
Dick
Hamish McEwan
Eddie
David Gow
Bird Watcher
Todd Haak
Rob
Crisstyn Dante
Blond in Net
Shana Golden
Blond in Shower
Ted Nugent
Self
Director
Rafal Zielinski
Writer
Darrell Fetty
April 1, 2021
7
_**As clichéd as it sounds, a GOOD bad movie**_
Several youths converge on a State Park in Michigan, which is threatened by a mogul who wants to usurp the land of a family that does business with the swimmers & campers, not to mention dump toxic waste nearby. James Wilder and Kim Myers play the main protagonists.
"State Park" (1988) was also known as “Heavy Metal Summer” on video. It’s a goofy B comedy focusing on summer camp, just not in the usual sense of youths going to camp together as an organized group à la “Meatballs” (1979). While this is a low-budget production and technically a “bad movie,” it’s superior in all-around entertainment. And entertainment is the name of the game. Yes, it’s sometimes over-the-top silly, but it has a good cast, a picturesque setting, a compelling story, a quality 80’s soundtrack and a famous hard rock musician makes a surprise appearance.
On the female front, Myer as Eve is super-cute, even stunning in a young Meryl Streep kind of way; you might remember her from “A Nightmare on Elm Street 2” (1985) or, more likely, as Pam on the 1996 Seinfeld episode “The Soul Mate.” Meanwhile Isabelle Mejias plays Marsha and I like her story arc with the punk-metal dude. Then there’s Jennifer Inch as Linnie; she’s winsome and has a notable soft feminine voice. On the other side of the gender spectrum, James Wilder has the ‘cool’ factor of Peter Fonda, albeit a little shorter.
I can’t fail to mention the entertaining subplot about the two metal rockers. The drummer (Louis Tucci) is reminiscent of Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue. It’s amusing when they finally perform live because (1) they’re not very heavy or extreme at all and (2) the singer sounds like a woman; of course the reason is because it was Rachel Sweet singing the song on the soundtrack (it’s just part of the joke, I guess). “Love is Like a Chainsaw” is one of the songs. The female vocal lines and spirit reminded me of “Living in America” by The Sounds, released 14 years later. I guess everything old is new again, huh?
Besides Rachel Sweet, the soundtrack includes the likes of Ted Nugent and TT Quick amongst others.
This is just a fun flick that captures the magic of the mid/late 80s (because that’s when it was shot); turn off your brain and enjoy.
The film runs 1 hour, 27 minutes, and was shot at Mont-Tremblant National Park & the corresponding Lac Monroe, Québec, which are located a little over an hour’s drive northwest of Montreal.
GRADE: B
Status:
Released
Original Language:
English
Budget:
$0.00
Revenue:
$0.00