This week ECHG writer Adam Holtzapfel takes a look at the not so classic 1981 slasher flick Don’t Go In The Woods.

 

 

by Adam Holtzapfel

 

Back in the 80’s horror was filled with a plethora of Don’t titles, today we’re focusing on Don’t Go In The Woods. If you mix the bumbling cops from Smokey And The Bandit, one cannibal from The Hills Have Eyes, and every location from a Friday The 13th film you end up with Don’t Go In The Woods.

 

This film clocks in at around 80 minutes, which is a bonus. Following a group on a camping expedition/wilderness survival training we see several campers in the area murdered by an unseen maniac with a spear and a cabin full of bodies. 

 

While this isn’t the best film, it’s a fun throwback to the heyday of slasher films and is worth a watch. Filmed in Utah the location is definitely one of the pluses of the film. The cast hasn’t really done anything outside of this with the exception of Mary Gail Artz (Ingrid) who is now a casting director and has worked on films like Halloween II (1981), The Gate, Star Wars Episode IX and many others.

 

 

 

 

At times it seems super dubbed and corny, but it works. The FX are the very definition of practical with the blood looking like tomato paste.

 

Overall I enjoyed the film, it’s not quite good, not quite bad, but it hit all the right notes. This is a perfect watch with any slasher of your choice or any “so bad it’s good” film you can think of.