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The Burning | 
 enlarge | Director: Tony Maylam
Actor: Brian Matthews
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.98
Buy New: $8.24
You Save: $6.74 (45%)
New (39) Used (14) Collectible (1) from $7.96
Rating:  106 reviews
Sales Rank: 6030
Format: Color, Ntsc, Mono, Anamorphic
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 91 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: DM108553D
UPC: 027616085535
EAN: 0027616085535
ASIN: B000UDGO9S
Theatrical Release Date: May 8, 1981
Release Date: September 11, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: BRAND NEW, Factory Sealed items direct from the Studios. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. Quick International Airmail!
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Oh, those crazy days of slasher films, when every summer camp became a potential slaughterhouse. The Burning was one of the flood of movies that followed the success of Friday the 13th, and it's more notable today for an unexpected roster of talent than for its success as a horror movie. You will note that the opening titles feature the unusual credit of "Created and Produced by Harvey Weinstein," and sure enough, this is the first feature film bearing the name of the future Hollywood mogul. Let's acknowledge that Weinstein's instincts were shrewd, since this junky thing fit right into the kill-the-teenagers trend after Friday the 13th, and thus a safe way to get a return on investment. We're at Camp Blackstone, where a disfigured loony, still sizzling after getting burned by unhappy campers years earlier, exacts his revenge on the empty-headed current crop. Among the campers are future Seinfeld star Jason Alexander, Fisher Stevens, and (in a smaller part) Holly Hunter. There's a vintage early-'80s synthesizer score by Rick Wakeman, but the real star of the movie is effects whiz Tom Savini (Dawn of the Dead), who does his bloody best with the murders. We don't care much about the teenagers, but students of gore will savor the throat-cuttings and the finger-loppings. --Robert Horton
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| Customer Reviews: Read 101 more reviews...
Arts, crafts, rafting and gardening with Cropsy December 30, 2008
N. P. Stathoulopoulos (Brooklyn, NY)
Though the economy has since tanked, throwing us into a global recession, in 2007 the prayers of the crazed and few Burning fans were finally answered, when this thing finally got a US DVD release after being released everywhere except its country of origin (naturally).
The Burning is a 1980 slasher, part of the crop of 'classics' now being remade (and this will will be remade). It's not dissimilar to Friday the 13th, mega-hit of the same year. Seems that some dastardly kids want to play a prank on nasty old coot Cropsy, the alcoholic caretaker of a summer camp. The prank ends up with Cropsy doing the walk of fire, toasted and left for dead.
Five years later, Cropsy unofficially takes up his old job of camp caretaker and begins bumping off a new crew of camp counselors, including Holly Hunter, Jason 'Costanza' Alexander, and Fisher Stevens. It's an oddly semi-celebrity early reunion going on here in between Tom Savini's very bloody work. And that work is left intact in this version, including the infamous raft massacre where Cropsy works those trademark hedge clippers with fury.
Some good effects, one or two creepy uses of the woods, but overall...for all of its 1980-ness and 'classic' slasher elements, this actually could have been much, much better. They don't really show much of Cropsy, and not that they should...but still, they really don't do anything with him. Not enough to warrant a sequel then, either. And the fiery ending, there's something strange about it, like the director forgot to tell them he was actually filming that scene---it's a muted slasher climax. And isn't 'Cropsy' an old legend told at every summer camp? They don't play that angle up, either...there's nothing supernatural going on here, just Cropsy, really irate, with a pretty nasty face (how can he see to wield those blades?) knocking off fools. I can definitely see a remake...in 3D, maybe depending on the success of My Bloody Valentine 3D.
But for this price, and the fact that they finally, finally released the damn thing in the US, it's certainly recommended to genre fans. And Costanza is still Costanza, thought he is spared Cropsy's shears.
ALSO of note---in a sure sign that the world may soon end, not only did they finally release this on DVD, but around the same time, the Rick Wakeman soundtrack finally appeared on CD (which is probably still available). Sought by fanatics and hedge clipper fans, it was out of print since the original vinyl. Eventually, someone listens in the Burning archives. If Anchor Bay is not preparing a box set, complete with mini hedge clippers for the 30th anniversary release, they're crazy.
 Some genuinely creepy moments, but not a lost classic... December 26, 2008
Grigory's Girl (NYC)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
The IFC Channel, with its twisted sense of humour, decided to show slasher films on Christmas in 2008. They showed this one, and having heard about it for years (it was made/released during the 80's slasher craze), I decided to check it out finally. It wasn't as awful as I thought it would be, but it's not great either.
The film takes place in a summer camp, but the location (I'm thinking somwhere in the Northwest) is quite striking and the abandoned mine and the forest really lend itself well to the film. It has some genuinely creepy atmosphere. However, the dialogue is quite awful, and most of the performances are pretty lame too. The film is paced quite poorly as well. It is cool to see Jason Alexander in one of his first roles (possibly his first). Aside from being bald now and slightly pudgier, he has aged rather well. He gives a decent performance despite the extremely limited material. This film was lumped together with the other slasher films of its day, and kind of got lost in that shuffle. Seeing it today, it's not that bad of a film. Not a lost classic, but has some very effective moments.
Good Classic Movie November 19, 2008
Oliver Gordon Jr. (Brentwood, MD USA)
Great Classic Movie, I never seen it at all in the 80's, the first time I saw is on cable and I decided to buy it!
 Hot! Hot! Hot! November 10, 2008
Daniel S. Rosita
If only for the "raft" scene and to see Jason Alexander "pre-Seinfeld", you must watch this 80's Horror Classic. This is not "Sophie's Choice" folks. The acting is cheesy, the camera work is cheesier, but the pure joy of 80's low budget Horror is worth the price of purchase/admission!!
The definition of a good 80's slasher November 5, 2008
Robin Solsjö Höglund (Skellefteå, Sweden)
The Burning is about as good as an 80's slasher film gets. The story is simple but hits the nail on the head, following in the footsteps of films like Black Christmas and Friday the 13th. The caretaker Cropsy is horribly burnt and disfigured in a camp prank gone wrong, and returns after several years and many failed skin grafts to take his burning revenge on the councellors inhabiting the camp.
The Burning is not only violent, it's also stylish. The synth-theme makes the film stand out, and it utilizes the camera and environments very well to tell a straightforward story about regular teenagers caught in the vendetta of a madman. It's rare that the teenagers aren't obnoxious or unlikable, and since there is some good time spent with the bunch before the real horror strikes, I came to somewhat like them when they are finally dispatched in the legendary raft massacre sequence.
The Burning is up there with Black Christmas, Halloween, Friday the 13th and similar slashers that need to be seen if you're a horror fan. It comes highly recommended, and this edition is a good one, with an absolutely great remastered picture quality, a surprisingly sturdy mono track, and at least decent extras including an audio commentary and a segment with the effects wizard responsible for the memorable gore, Tom Savini.
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