Camp Hell

Last updated
Camp Hell
Camp Hell (2010 film).jpg
Directed byGeorge VanBuskirk
Written byGeorge VanBuskirk
Starring Bruce Davison
Dana Delany
Will Denton
Jesse Eisenberg
Andrew McCarthy
Connor Paolo
CinematographyMichael McDonough
Edited byDavid Leonard, Misako Shimzu
Music byGary DeMichele
Production
company
Holedigger Films
Distributed by Lionsgate
Release date
  • August 13, 2010 (2010-08-13)
Running time
99 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Camp Hell is a 2010 American horror film starring Will Denton, Dana Delany, Andrew McCarthy, Bruce Davison and Jesse Eisenberg. The film was previously titled Camp Hope. [1] It was released August 13, 2010 in the United States.

Contents

Plot

By the end of each summer, children from the fundamentalist Catholic community in the suburbs of New Jersey visited Camp Hope. Deep in the woods, away from civilization, the children are taught the ways of cult-like Christianity, the temptations of the flesh, and the horror of Satan. The head priest, who teaches the children these doctrines of fundamentalist Catholicism, has unknowingly brought evil with him by solely focusing on sin instead of salvation. The priest fills these young minds with the belief that everything they do is an occasion of sin. He delves deep into their psyche asking them things like whether or not they masturbate, because masturbation, according to the Catholic Church, is the same as premarital sex and gives the devil a foothold in their hearts and minds. The priest also goes so far as to call a girl at the camp a whore simply because she was talking to a male member of the camp. These psychological attacks take their toll, and the presence of a demon starts to creep into the minds of the children, especially the main character, Tommy Leary.

Tommy's grandfather had recently died and the afterlife is very much on his mind. At the same time, his innocent relationship with his childhood crush slowly becomes more physical until the two escape into the woods for a sexual encounter. Melissa, his crush, is caught and sent home, allowing the priest to focus on Tommy. The priest takes Tommy down a psychological and spiritual path that makes the presence of the demon real to him, and it begins to haunt him.

The movie ends with Tommy, after a confrontation with the priest and a near suicide attempt, denouncing his faith in the God he was being taught about and goes on a different path. The priest, after his emotionally brutal encounter with Tommy in his cabin, suffers a stroke. The members of the community struggle over whether to pull the plug, hoping for a miracle, while the priest spends the rest of his life in a persistent vegetative state, eyes wide open, with a look of horror on his face.

On the way home from the hospital, Tommy finds a note given to him earlier by Melissa telling him when he can to find her and be with her. As the car drives on, he opens the window and throws out the copy of Dante's Inferno, which falls open on the road to a picture of a demon.

Cast

Release

The film was released in the United States on August 13, 2010. Lionsgate released the film on DVD in the United States in 2011. [2]

Lawsuit

Jesse Eisenberg filed a lawsuit against Lionsgate Entertainment and Grindstone Entertainment for trying to fraudulently capitalize on his fame by using his name and face to promote a movie in which he was largely absent. Legal documents state: [3]

"Eisenberg is bringing this lawsuit in order to warn his fans and public that, contrary to the manner in which the defendants are advertising the film, Eisenberg is not the star of and does not appear in a prominent role in Camp Hell, but instead has a cameo role in Camp Hell."

Eisenberg asked for damages of at least US$3 million. [3] In June 2012 he won a preliminary in the case with the judge stating: "The content of the materials was commercial, by virtue of proposing a commercial transaction, despite perhaps falsely leading the consumer to believe that [Eisenberg] is the star of the film. (...) The court thus finds that the speech at issue in this case constitutes commercial speech, which is not subject to protection under [the anti-SLAPP law]." [4]

Reception

Nigel Floyd, writing for Time Out said that "budgetary limitations, a plodding script, ropey visual effects and an excruciating score undercut a heartfelt cautionary tale about a confused teenager wrestling with his religious faith and the dogmatism of his overzealous elders." [5]

Rich Cline, in a review for Shadows on the Wall said that "the grounded approach and honest performances are provocative and unsettling. As is the fact that it's based on a true story." [6]

Related Research Articles

<i>Rescue Me</i> (American TV series) American firefighter comedy-drama TV series

Rescue Me is an American comedy-drama television series that aired on FX from July 21, 2004, to September 7, 2011. The series focuses on the professional and personal lives of a group of New York City firefighters.

<i>Wide Awake</i> (1998 film) 1998 film directed by M. Night Shyamalan

Wide Awake is a 1998 American comedy-drama film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan and produced by Cathy Konrad and Cary Woods. The film stars Denis Leary, Dana Delany, Joseph Cross, and Rosie O'Donnell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jesse Eisenberg</span> American actor (born 1983)

Jesse Adam Eisenberg is an American actor and writer. He has received numerous accolades, including nominations for an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards, and a Golden Globe Award.

Pinhead (<i>Hellraiser</i>) Fictional character in the Hellraiser franchise

Pinhead is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the Hellraiser franchise. The character first appeared as an unnamed figure in the 1986 Clive Barker novella The Hellbound Heart. When Clive Barker adapted the novella into the 1987 film Hellraiser, he referred to the character in early drafts as "the Priest" but the final film gave no name. The production and make-up crew nicknamed the character "Pinhead"—derived from his bald head studded with nails—and fans accepted the sobriquet. The name was then used in press materials, tie-in media, and on-screen in some of the film's sequels, although Barker himself despises the moniker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tommy Jarvis</span> Fictional character

Tommy Jarvis is a fictional character in the Friday the 13th franchise. He first appears in Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984) as a child interested in special effects who encounters a seemingly unstoppable slasher—Jason Voorhees. In his debut, he is portrayed by Corey Feldman. A teen and adult version of the character is portrayed by John Shepherd and Thom Mathews in the consecutive films Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985) and Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986), respectively.

Ghoulies is an American comedy horror film series that consists of four films released from 1985 to 1994. The films center on a group of small demonic creatures that have a wide range of twisted appearances.

<i>Night of the Demons 2</i> 1994 American horror film directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith

Night of the Demons 2 is a 1994 American horror film directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith and starring Amelia Kinkade, Cristi Harris, Rick Peters, Jennifer Rhodes and Christine Taylor. It is the sequel to Night of the Demons and was released on home video in 1994 by Republic Pictures Home Video. Lionsgate released it on DVD in 2007; Olive Films released a widescreen DVD and a first time Blu-ray release on February 19, 2013. The film was followed by the 1997 sequel Night of the Demons 3.

Will Denton is an American film and television actor.

<i>Beyond Darkness</i> Film

Beyond Darkness is an Italian horror film written and directed by Claudio Fragasso.

<i>The Scarlet Gospels</i> Novel by Clive Barker

The Scarlet Gospels is a 2015 horror novel by author Clive Barker which acts as a continuation to both his previous novella The Hellbound Heart and his canon of Harry D'Amour stories. The book concerns the Hell Priest, the demonic Cenobite nicknamed "Pinhead", and his efforts to gain power. Occult detective Harry D'Amour must journey into Hell to rescue his friend and stop the Hell Priest's plans. The book was the first in which the Hell Priest was officially given a name by Clive Barker, who disliked the nickname 'Pinhead' given his character by others.

Pazuzu (<i>The Exorcist</i>) Fictional character in The Exorcist horror novels and film series

Pazuzu is a fictional character who is the main antagonist in The Exorcist horror novels and film series, created by William Peter Blatty. Blatty derived the character from Assyrian and Babylonian mythology, where the mythic Pazuzu was considered the king of the demons of the wind, and the son of the god Hanbi. In The Exorcist, Pazuzu appears as a demon who possesses Regan MacNeil.

<i>The Unholy</i> (1988 film) 1988 American film

The Unholy is a 1988 American horror film directed by Camilo Vila and starring Ben Cross, Ned Beatty, Hal Holbrook, and Trevor Howard in his final role. The film follows a Roman Catholic priest in New Orleans who finds himself battling a demonic force after being appointed to a new parish.

<i>Citadel</i> (film) 2012 film by Ciaran Foy

Citadel is a 2012 Irish psychological horror film written and directed by Ciarán Foy, in his feature film debut. It was filmed in Glasgow, Scotland. The film stars Aneurin Barnard as Tommy, a widower who must raise his baby alone after an attack by a gang leaves his wife dead and him suffering from agoraphobia. It is an example of "hoodie horror".

<i>Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox</i> 2013 animated film directed by Jay Oliva

Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox is a 2013 direct-to-video animated superhero film directed by Jay Oliva and written by Jim Krieg. It is the adaptation of the 2011 comic book crossover "Flashpoint" by Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert. The film stars Justin Chambers as Barry Allen / Flash, C. Thomas Howell as Eobard Thawne / Professor Zoom, Michael B. Jordan as Victor Stone / Cyborg, and Kevin McKidd as Thomas Wayne / Batman. The film also sees actors reprising roles from other DC animated series, including Kevin Conroy as Bruce Wayne / Batman, Nathan Fillion as Hal Jordan / Green Lantern, Ron Perlman as Slade Wilson / Deathstroke, Dana Delany as Lois Lane, Vanessa Marshall as Princess Diana / Wonder Woman and Dee Bradley Baker as Etrigan.

<i>American Ultra</i> 2015 film by Nima Nourizadeh

American Ultra is a 2015 American science fiction stoner action comedy film directed by Nima Nourizadeh and written by Max Landis. The film stars Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Topher Grace, Connie Britton, Walton Goggins, John Leguizamo, Bill Pullman, and Tony Hale. The story is about a stoner who discovers he was part of a secret government program and is a sleeper agent.

<i>Café Society</i> (2016 film) American film directed by Woody Allen

Café Society is a 2016 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Woody Allen. It stars Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Steve Carell, Jeannie Berlin, Blake Lively, Parker Posey, Corey Stoll, and Ken Stott. The plot follows a young man who moves to Hollywood in the 1930s, where he falls in love with the assistant to his uncle, a powerful talent agent.

<i>Insidious: The Last Key</i> 2018 film by Adam Robitel

Insidious: The Last Key is a 2018 American supernatural horror film directed by Adam Robitel and written by Leigh Whannell. It is produced by Jason Blum, Oren Peli, and James Wan. It is the fourth installment in the Insidious franchise, and the second in the chronology of the story running through the series. Starring Lin Shaye, Angus Sampson, Leigh Whannell, Spencer Locke, Caitlin Gerard, and Bruce Davison, the film follows parapsychologist Elise Rainier as she investigates a haunting in her childhood home.

<i>The Kitchen</i> (2019 film) Film by Andrea Berloff

The Kitchen is a 2019 American crime film written and directed by Andrea Berloff in her directorial debut. It is based on the DC/Vertigo Comics limited series of the same name by Ollie Masters and Ming Doyle. The film stars Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish, and Elisabeth Moss as the wives of Irish American mobsters who take over organized crime operations in New York's Hell's Kitchen in the late 1970s, after the FBI arrests their husbands. The film also features Domhnall Gleeson, James Badge Dale, Brian d'Arcy James, Jeremy Bobb, Margo Martindale, Common, and Bill Camp in supporting roles.

<i>Superintelligence</i> (film) 2020 film by Ben Falcone

Superintelligence is a 2020 American romantic action comedy film directed by Ben Falcone and written by Steve Mallory. The film stars Melissa McCarthy in her fourth collaboration with her husband, Falcone.

<i>I Still Believe</i> (film) 2020 American Christian romantic drama film

I Still Believe is a 2020 American Christian romantic drama film directed by the Erwin brothers and starring KJ Apa, Britt Robertson, Shania Twain, Melissa Roxburgh, and Gary Sinise. It is based on the life of American contemporary Christian music singer-songwriter Jeremy Camp and his first wife, Melissa Lynn Henning-Camp, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer shortly before they married. Camp's song "I Still Believe" is the film's namesake.

References

  1. ↑ "Camp Hell (Camp Hope) (2010)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Lionsgate Ready to Take Us to Camp Hell". Dread Central . May 16, 2011. Archived from the original on May 20, 2011. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  3. 1 2 Gardner, Eriq (November 30, 2011). "Jesse Eisenberg Sues Claiming 'Camp Hell' DVD Cover Overplays His Tiny Role". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  4. ↑ "Jesse Eisenberg beats Lionsgate in preliminary 'Camp Hell' court case". Digital Spy. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Camp Haell". Time Out. Archived from the original on September 30, 2020. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Camp Hell". Shadows on the Wall. Archived from the original on January 19, 2020. Retrieved September 11, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.