SLEEPAWAY CAMP Screening
Presented by Fangoria
May 19, 2014 at Cinema Village, NY, NY
“Hi, I’m Chad. And I love Sapporo.”
One of the joys of managing a Japanese restaurant is that I’ve come to love Sapporo. About 15 months ago, I had never even heard of this Japanese beer, which is a damn shame for twofold reasons: It has a nice, crisp taste to it, and it comes in 20.3 oz. bottles. When I first found out I’d won tickets to a theatrical showing of SLEEPAWAY CAMP with its director and two of its actors, I took it as an opportunity to visit my old haunting grounds in the city, where I used to be a server at the flagship restaurant for my company. I have good relations with the management team I came up under there, and I revere them for helping me get to where I am today. I make sure that any trip to their restaurant involves conversing with them, as they’re kind enough to take time from their work for me. Oh, and Sapporo. There’s got to be Sapporo.
Which of course presents a problem. Not that I’ll get sloppy drunk and do and say things to humiliate myself. Quite the opposite. I have this insane tolerance, so I never get drunk. Not that I wanted to sit through SLEEPAWAY CAMP smashed (ok, given my feelings on the flick, it might have improved the show), especially with teetotaler X Chris sitting next to me. But knowing I never get drunk, it’s hard for me to cap myself off. Five beers and a boatload of hibachi seafood later, I was bloated out. Even though I spent more time talking with my former manager Steven, by the time I left I knew I was in for a long night.
A long night as Chadworth E. Young, as it turned out.
Perhaps I’d better start from the beginning. Back in April at Chiller, I interviewed Heather Langenkamp, star of Chad favorite A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET. Sure, I love the first flick and NEW NIGHTMARE, but of the big 80s slasher franchises, NOES is my least favorite. Chad should have been running that interview, but I was conducting it, so I felt as if I’d been replaced in my own body. Less than a month later, here I was going to a screening of SLEEPAWAY CAMP, with hopes of interviewing its director, Robert Hiltzik, and its tight short star Ronnie, Paul DeAngelo. If you read my SLEEPAWAY CAMP review from a few months back, you know I don’t even like the flick. Chad, however, actually likes it better than ELM STREET. I know I love INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, but this was all a little too weird. Had my landlord snuck a Chad pod under my bed? Would I later run across 7th Avenue, weaving through traffic, screaming, “THEY’RE ALREADY HERE! YOU’RE NEXT!” Had I drunk too many Sapporos? X chuckled as I explained this to him on our walk from Penn Station… but then, X liked SLEEPAWAY CAMP less than I do, so why exactly had he joined me? Clearly, they’d gotten to X with an X pod.
We arrived at the theatre about 20 minutes before starting time to find a line of less than 25 people. X grabbed us a slot in line as I talked to the cashier, who explained there was no list of winners, and it was first come first serve (…so why exactly did I email Fangoria to “win” tickets?). As I joined X in line, DeAngelo arrived and started signing stuff for fans. I got out Chad’s prized possession, his SC Survival Kit box set, for him to sign, and then a man who could only have been Hiltzik appeared. He thanked us all for coming, and apologized that the screening had been cancelled. Ok, well that was a wasted trip to NYC. A few minutes late, Hiltzik reemerged from the theatre and announced that Cinema Village had swung a bigger hall for us. I had no idea what exactly was going on, but hey, take life as it comes.
A few minutes later, on our way into the theatre we saw former Fangoria head man and human horror encyclopedia Tony Timpone. X and Tony go a long way back, and Tony remembers X every time they meet. X and I decided that Timpone would actually make for the most interesting interview of all the people there. As we settled in, X said he’d try to hook it up later.
The film began, and everybody who’s seen it already knows whether they like it or not. This isn’t a movie review, but as an experience it was fun. Clearly everybody else there was a big fan of the flick. I’m dead set that Hiltzik wrote and made the film as a serious slasher, but the fans over the years play it up for the unintended comedy. They laughed at the 80s dialogue, and had a field day with the film’s gay text. Outside of its shocking ending, I’d never before understood why people revere this flick. I get it now, and I appreciate its fans.
The credits rolled over the shocking freeze frame, and Timpone announced Hiltzik, DeAngelo and the kid who played Peter, Frank Sorrentino, who was filming this for some reality show about his family. This should’ve been the highlight of the night, but instead it was like all the life went out of the place. Hiltzik and DeAngelo weren’t really so talkative, and their stories were dull. Meanwhile, Sorrentino tried to turn the proceedings into a blurb for his reality gig. He even tried to make a dramatic point about legally changing his name… to something other than “Angela.” Even though I’m not a fan, this could’ve been an interesting session; but like all the interviews I’ve done, the discussion is only as good as the answers the people have to give.
On a personal note, it was sad to see Timpone reduced to announcing Fango’s June showing of WITCHING AND BITCHING. What a miscarriage of justice that Fango doesn’t give him more to do.
At least the Q and A was merely bland. The signing portion of the night was total chaos. Theatre employees rushed us all out to the street again, and set up a table in the cramped lobby with the three men behind it, so we could all go back in. There was no discernible line, no great opportunity for photo ops, and certainly no chance to request interviews, nor any real space to conduct one anyway. Huddled in shoulder to shoulder, X and I got out our stuff for the men to sign (he had his Survival Kit, signed by Felissa Rose back in 2005). Remember my allusion to the Chad pod? In the midst of this crammed mess, I knew someone would accidently sign “Phil” to Chad’s box set if I weren’t crafty. So I introduced myself the wisest way possible: “Can you sign that ‘To Chad,’ please?” I know it’s unlikely that Hiltzik will ever remember me, but it would amuse me greatly if he and I ever met again and he said, “Hey Chad!”
Soon enough, the night was over as X and I walked back to Penn Station. I’m still not quite sure why either of us went, but I know I enjoy Sapporo and the company of good friends, whether they’re my former managers or X. As for good friends, I mailed Chad his box set today. I hope when he gets it in the mail a few days from now, he puts it right next to his Phil pod… I mean, Freddy Krueger collection. Right, Chadworth?
-Phil Fasso
