Plot
Five young adults in an RV find themselves in the pristine Oregon wilderness, hoping to enjoy an unforgettable camping vacation. The local forest ranger warns them in no uncertain terms not to venture up the misty mountain, and then they encounter a crazed man in the woods warning them of “demons”, but the group forges on, finally making their way on foot to the summit where they make camp.
They barely have time for some hiking, sitting by the campfire, drinking beer, and skinny dipping before they start getting picked off one by one by a savage pair of hulking, inbred, maniacal butchers who apparently hate trespassers. Hardly anyone makes it to the closing credits…
Maybe it was a bear or something, maybe it was Bigfoot.
Critique
6Decent slasher movie from the early 1980s, “Just Before Dawn” features amazing cinematography that masterfully immortalizes the breathtaking landscape of Oregon’s Silver Falls State Park (waterfalls, rock formations, lush green forest), turning Mother Nature’s glory into the film’s main character.
Other than that, the story doesn’t offer much of particular interest, although the ecological subtext is an element this particular genre doesn’t normally touch on (Jeff Lieberman is something of an exception, though, considering his work such as “Squirm” from 1976). Everything is suffused with a healthy dose of suspense in addition to a steady erotic frisson. On the other hand, the splatter component turns out to be quite restrained.
The two menacing hillbillies that pop up panting and laughing are truly disconcerting, but the real fan-favorite scene is the incredible final confrontation between Connie and the monstrous redneck.
More Info
Quotes
- It ain't just poison ivy I'm talking about, son. At least tell me where you're going so that when you don't come back I'll know how to fill out the report. [...] I ain't just singing a tune. I warned you and I ain't coming after you. You hear me?
- Nothing out there but God's little creatures. More scared of you than you are of them.
- Maybe it was a bear or something, maybe it was Bigfoot.
Trivia
- Director Rob Schmidt reprises situations and ambience from this movie in his “Wrong Turn” (2003).
Products
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| Product name | Price |
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| Nome del prodotto | Prezzo |
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| Product name | Price | |
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 | Just Before Dawn (Region 2) |
| Nombre del producto | Precio | |
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![Just Before Dawn [USA] [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81BInrPfN0L._SL75_.jpg) | Just Before Dawn [USA] [DVD] |
| Produktname | Preis | |
|---|---|---|
 | Blutige Dämmerung |
| Nom du produit | Prix | |
|---|---|---|
 | Survivance |
| Product name | Price | |
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 | Just Before Dawn Movie Poster Print (11 x 17) |