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The Burning

Play trailer Poster for The Burning R 1981 1h 31m Horror Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
86% Tomatometer 14 Reviews 60% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
At summer camp, some teenagers pull a prank on the camp's caretaker, Cropsy (Lou David). But the joke goes terribly wrong, and the teens leave Cropsy for dead after setting him on fire. But no one keeps Cropsy down. A few years later, the burned and disfigured caretaker returns to camp equipped with his trusty shears, ready to unleash his particular brand of vengeance on a whole new group of teens. The murderous Cropsy stalks the campers in the woods, one by one.
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The Burning

Critics Reviews

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Richard Freedman Newark Star-Ledger Jan 6, 2026
It's rather better than the "Friday the 13th" horrors. Go to Full Review Patrick Cavanaugh The Wolfman Cometh Sep 11, 2025
3/5
A perfectly serviceable summer-camp slasher that hits all the expected beats, even if it never really reinvents anything. Go to Full Review Kevin Carr Fat Guys at the Movies Jul 21, 2023
2.5/4
A notable early installment in the campground slasher genre that at times is overwritten and shallow, but it still delivers on all the classic tropes. Go to Full Review Jorge Loser Espinof May 15, 2023
4.5/5
If the kills aren't particularly ingenious, they are abundant, bloody, and effective. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Alan Jones Starburst Jul 28, 2022
The Burning has some shock value if you are prepared to fall for all the well-worn tricks of the trade and put out of your mind every film you've seen in the last three years. Go to Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins Aug 31, 2020
5/10
For every effective brutality there's an equivalently unsuccessful bit of editing, acting, a musical riff, or interchange, which numbs the execution. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Alex B @AlexBioni Oct 22, 2026 A Big Mac That was the craziest prank I've ever seen! Fellow Pittsburgher Tom Savini handled the makeup and effects, and he's one of the best in horror. The scene with the campers on a makeshift boat is wild! The blood and gore are awesome, way better than Sleepaway Camp. This movie also taught me they used to sell unlubricated rubbers. While it's another Friday the 13th style slasher, I like how it takes a different approach with a canoe trip instead of staying at camp. The campers have great chemistry and are fun to watch. They're always messing with each other, and their quirks make them feel like real people. The garden shears are an original weapon that works perfectly. I love the camp, the woods, the ruins, and the river. The effects and atmosphere make this stand out from similar movies. I also like the killer's backstory and the final confrontation in the mine. The ending is predictable, but still fun! See more Robert P @Superbad Oct 10, 2026 The Burning is a *3* star Movie! See more B P @Bradster69 Sep 2, 2026 Not Bad, but Not My Favorite See more Curtis D @RT00699311 Aug 30, 2026 Savini's special effects make this one stand out. It's a fun addition to the 80's camp slashers. See more Derek C @aquickone May 14, 2026 The Burning is lean, mean, and incredibly effective. It doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel; it just builds a better wheel and then uses it to run over your nerves. If you want top-tier practical effects, a genuinely creepy villain, and a slasher that actually has some personality, put this at the top of your watchlist. See more zaika - @Zaika Apr 5, 2026 The Burning is one of the slasher genre's best. It hasn't got that cheapness which oozed in back in the 1980s, no, The Burning is different, something special. It is still filled with the typical slasher fare; nudity, violence and a foreboding killer but unlike your Friday the 13th's or Halloween's, this shows that the slasher genre CAN have those masterpieces that every other genre has and this certainly proves that point. It's a shame Harvey Weinstein's name is written all over it though. See more Read all reviews
The Burning

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Tony Maylam

Director

Brian Matthews

Todd

Leah Ayres

Michelle

Brian Backer

Alfred

Lou David

Cropsy

Larry Joshua

Glazer

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The Burning

The Burning (1981) The Burning (1981) The Burning (1981) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis At summer camp, some teenagers pull a prank on the camp's caretaker, Cropsy (Lou David). But the joke goes terribly wrong, and the teens leave Cropsy for dead after setting him on fire. But no one keeps Cropsy down. A few years later, the burned and disfigured caretaker returns to camp equipped with his trusty shears, ready to unleash his particular brand of vengeance on a whole new group of teens. The murderous Cropsy stalks the campers in the woods, one by one.
Director
Tony Maylam
Producer
Harvey Weinstein
Screenwriter
Harvey Weinstein, Tony Maylam, Brad Grey, Peter Lawrence, Bob Weinstein
Production Co
Miramax Films
Rating
R
Genre
Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 6, 2018
Runtime
1h 31m
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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