Caesar and Otto's Summer Camp Massacre (2009)

By Lis Fies

I was handed this scrappy-looking DVD with a partial eyeroll and a shoulder shrug. Looking at the rinky-dink website with no salient journalism information (Photos? Runtime?) caused even less excitement. A sequel to 2007's "Caesar and Otto" (No? You haven't heard of it either?), Caesar and Otto's Summer Camp Massacre looked like it was going to be porn without the porn. Imagine my elation on discovering that writer/director/producer/star Dave Campfield is talented and well-versed in the language of film.

Despite the DVD cover and website doing the movie no favors, Caesar and Otto's Summer Camp Massacre is actually a funny broad comedy, with bigger appeal than the niche horror-comedy crowd it is being marketed to. It is directed and edited with such panache that I could see it appealing to many fans of the Jim Carrey and Adam Sandler ilk who wouldn't and don't need to get the horror in-joke of casting Felissa Rose.

There's intelligence behind this satire of 80's camp horror like Sleepaway Camp (itself a satire), and not just in the casting of murderous Sleepaway Camp star Rose, or Martin Sheen's real-life brother Joe Estevez. Stick with the movie past the overlong and bloodless first act, and you'll find a clever, fast-paced, mainstream comedy that had me snorting aloud several times. You'll certainly get more laughs out of renting Caesar and Otto's Summer Camp Massacre than the latest Mike Myers movie. Gorehounds look elsewhere, as the kills are infrequent and played for laughs. Truly, this is a comedy set in a slasher film, not a horror/comedy. There is no fear, shock, or tension generated by any of the kills. This move is more Airplane than Evil Dead II.

The framing of the shots, the editing, the pacing are first-rate. The script is fun, and the directing is commendable. They've done a lot here with a small budget, and with the exception of majorly tightening the first act have made the most of their materials. Dave Campfield is a born filmmaker with both innate and hard-earned talent. It's clear his skillset was born of a true love of and dedication to the language of film.

The women have a great deal of fun with a nice array of roles, and for once they're in on the joke instead of being the joke. Also of note is the care with which the audience is provided a half dozen murder suspects. The red herrings are smart and knowing, and make for an effective Scooby-Doo mystery.

Lighting by Bruce Kiesling is top-notch, and the acting is exactly as it should be. Even the DVD menu is light-hearted and filled with creativity.

What's missing is an effective marketing campaign for Caesar and Otto's Summer Camp Massacre to attract its audience. The DVD cover and website seriously need to be overhauled to match the quality of the movie.

End credits advertise another sequel coming soon (looks like they're going for an Abbot and Costello Meets the Mummy-style-franchise), and by god if I didn't go immediatlely to the website to find out when it would be out. No shocker: no information there on how to rent even the first Caesar and Otto. If these guys get their social media acts together so their audience can find them, they might really have something.