Q: What does Jennifer Aniston (from Friends), Mötley Crüe, Cliff (from Cheers), DJ Tanner (from Full House), Urkel (from Family Matters) and Winnie Cooper AND Paul (from Wonder Years) have in common?
A: This pile of flaming, camp garbage, Camp Cucamonga!
If you are ever out in the wilderness (of movie watching) and you come across a camp movie that actually describes itself as the “zaniest” (anything), your first natural instinct would be to run… but not cottagemixtape.com. Our dedication to watching every camp, cottage or cabin movie is undaunted. Instead, we stare the beast in the eye, unflinching. When one’s natural reaction would be to overt one’s gaze and slowly back away, we carry on! And continue watching in order to relate how terrible the whole experience was. The last movie we reviewed was about bear attack, but this in many ways is no less brutal. Today, in Rockwood Cinema Review we take a look at 1991’s made-for-tv movie, Camp Cucamongo.
More Camp Movies at Cottagemixtape.com
• Wet Hot American Summer (2001)
• Sleepaway Camp (1983)
Camp Cucamongo plays by the rules when it comes to the conventions of a camp movie and “camp” couldn’t be more appropriate when describing this movie. The jokes are terrible, the cast is clearly plucked out of the NBC roster, and was probably concocted in a board room (bored room). However, I must have missed this one aire as a child. At the time, my 11-year old self probably had better things to do. Watching it as an adult now makes me think about my life decisions: How did I get here? When do I turn this off? And so on…
So, I never saw it when it originally aired, but it stands as a relic, a time capsule of a certain time in entertainment, with cheap gags and even cheaper thrills. Camp Cucamonga features many familiar faces, including Josh Saviano (The Wonder Years), John Ratzenberger (Cheers) and Danica McKellar. It also includes some faces we are about to become familiar with Jennifer Aniston (from Friends), Breckin Meyer (Road Trip, Clueless), Jaleel White (Steve Urkel from Family Matters) and more.
Again, Camp Cucamongo has a very typical Summer camp movie narrative, about kids who come to camp, looking for fun and maybe even some teen hook-ups. They come from different places and different walks of life, with their own set of issues but they learn to pull together as a group to overcome various obstacles. Meanwhile, the owner of the camp, Marvin Schector (played by John Ratzenberger) is overcoming his own obstacles while trying to keep the camp runnning. Marvin confuses a repairman (played by Sherman Hemsley) with an upcoming visit by the camp inspector, who can shut him down. The camp inspector is played by none other than G. Gordon Lilly making his comedic debut. You may know G. Gordon Lilly from such real-life zaniness as Richard Nixon’s campaign, who was responsible for directing the thefts in the Watergate scandal. That’s right its the classic, old-fashioned switcheroo, misunderstanding at the camp too! Hot diggity dog!… and more general “zaniness” ensues.
Some serious 90’s tv-programming in effect here that was never meant to see the theatres, maybe not at all. It clearly was meant to showcase upcoming stars, along side more established actors from NBC roster. Effectively, they were trying to cast a pair of pantyhose to net to some fish, the results, however are more like “steaks ala Max” (which will all make sense when you, if you watch this). The result is some seriously bad tv that is so bad it could have been produced by Tim and Eric, like Beef House but less extreme.
As far as cottagemixtapes rock & roll duty to outdoor movies, there are some Rock & Roll references in this debased movie. That is, besides the generic studio rock used in the segues and scenes like when they are riding around on bikes (“Welcome To The Human Race!“). Most of these Rock & Roll references are mostly through Danica McKellar’s character, who plays the tough rocker chick with the leather jacket and tougher than leather attitude. Sporting Mötley Crüe tees and Cinderella and Metallica posters, Winnie Cooper is still too cool for Kevin. That dude was stuck in the 60’s. Here’s a monologue for you Kevin: “get bent!” (guitar sound).
/ 5
Length: 1h 33m
Rated: G for GARBAGE. Seriously though its a TV movie for kids.
Best time to watch: When you are hungover and slipping in an out of consciousness on the couch.
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