TeenapeGoestoCamp

Teenape Goes to Camp (2008)

So I always have to start the reviews I do for LBP (Low Budget Pictures) movies with some sort of explanation. See these movies aren’t for everyone and might offend many people. But I’ve found that most of them, especially their recent outings, have been a blast. The dialogue is filled with all sorts of twisted sexual references and is generally in bad taste. Which is of course why these movies are so damn funny and entertaining! And make no mistake about it Teenape Goes to Camp is a hilarious movie filled with returning characters from the LBP universe, including the titular Teenape. For the uninitiated Teenape is well a teenage ape that is offensive, treats everyone around him like garbage, and has appeared in several other LBP movies. This time around he is coerced into being the head counselor at a summer camp, spending the weekend training the other counselors, many of whom are also returning characters from other LBP movies. The big twist is that this isn’t a summer camp at all, but is in fact a trap. Fed up with him the other counselors have decided to hunt Teenape Most Dangerous Game style! The rest of the movie is them chasing Teenape thru the woods and him taking them out 80s style with all your favorite lines like, “You’re the disease and I’m the cure.”

If you are in the mood for an entertaining piece of independent cinema then you will dig Teenape Goes to Camp. The movie is about an hour long and flies by. The story is filled with the typical LBP comedy, as I’ve already described above. Additionally there is quite a bit of 80s inspired pop culture references as well, which as a child of the 80s myself I found really funny. Hell the movie has a couple of creepy female LARPers (Live action Role Players) and a Mexican Samurai! Could it get any better than that? I think not. Even the ending captures that absurd double twist sort of ending that was overly used in so many bad 80s action movies. The cast is made up of LBP regulars, who by now have gotten pretty damn good in front of the camera. Plus they have chemistry and comedic timing that puts this movie heads and shoulders above the majority of low budget comedies.

The technical bits are pretty good. The editing on the movie is nicely done and the story flows along much better than most independent movies I’ve seen. I was also impressed with how great the movie looked for a shot on digital project. Both of these facts are obvious testaments to the skills that director Chris Seaver and his crew have picked up after making so many movies for LBP.

Teenape Goes to Camp is rude, crude, offensive, and a hell of a good time. It isn’t for everyone, but I like this movie a lot. So if you are a fan of Seaver and LBP, or think you could be one, kick back and pop this one in your DVD player for a good time. For more information about this and the other great DVDs available from Tempe go to their website at www.tempevideo.com/

3 out of 4

reviewed by John Shatzer