SimilarScreen
The Burning

The Burning

A legend of terror isn't a campfire story anymore!

19816.21h 31m

Overview

A caretaker at a summer camp is burned when a prank goes tragically wrong. After several years of intensive treatment at hospital, he is released back into society, albeit missing some social skills. What follows is a bloody killing spree with the caretaker making his way back to his old stomping ground to confront one of the youths that accidentally burned him.

Directed by Tony Maylam
Written by Brad Grey, Tony Maylam, Bob Weinstein
Produced by Harvey Weinstein
Box OfficeBudget: $1.5M0

Top Cast

B

Brian Matthews

Todd

Leah Ayres

Leah Ayres

Michelle

Brian Backer

Brian Backer

Alfred

Larry Joshua

Larry Joshua

Glazer

Jason Alexander

Jason Alexander

Dave

Ned Eisenberg

Ned Eisenberg

Eddy

Carrick Glenn

Carrick Glenn

Sally

C

Carolyn Houlihan

Karen

Fisher Stevens

Fisher Stevens

Woodstock

Lou David

Lou David

Cropsy

Themes & Keywords

summer campwoodsrevengeburned alivemurdercampslashermaniacdeathcampfirepsycho killercampfire storyvoyeurismvideo nastyprank gone wrong

About The Burning

The Burning is a horror film released in 1981 exploring themes of summer camp, woods, revenge, burned alive, murder, camp. Directed by Tony Maylam, it stars Brian Matthews, Leah Ayres, Brian Backer. A caretaker at a summer camp is burned when a prank goes tragically wrong. After several years of intensive treatment at hospital, he is released back into society, albeit missing some social skills. What follows is a bloody killing spree with the caretaker making his way back to his old stomping ground to confront one of the youths that accidentally burned him.

Movies Similar to The Burning

Discover titles like The Burning — ranked by similarity and community votes

We found 15 movies similar to The Burning

If you enjoyed The Burning, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, director filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of The Burning.

Sleepaway Camp
29% Match

Years after a terrible boating accident, Angela is sent to Camp Arawak where a series of bizarre and violent "accidents" begin to claim the lives of various campers.

Rituals
28% Match

Rituals(1977)

Movie6.1/10

Five doctors go camping in the remote woods of Northern Ontario. When their boots are stolen they begin to suspect they are being stalked.

Friday the 13th Part III
27% Match

An idyllic summer turns into a nightmare of unspeakable terror for yet another group of naïve friends. Ignoring Camp Crystal Lake's bloody legacy, one by one they fall victim to the maniacal Jason, who stalks them at every turn...

Return to Sleepaway Camp
27% Match

When campers and staff at Camp Manabe mysteriously begin disappearing and turning into gruesome corpses, paranoid Ronnie can't shake the memory of a series of grisly murders that took place at Camp Arawak two decades earlier.

Pay the Ghost
24% Match

One year after his young son disappeared during a Halloween carnival, Mike Cole is haunted by eerie images and terrifying messages he can’t explain. Together with his estranged wife, he will stop at nothing to unravel the mystery and find their son—and, in doing so, he unearths a legend that refuses to remain buried in the past.

Black Phone 2
23% Match

Four years after defeating The Grabber, Finney Blake is struggling with life after captivity. When his younger sister Gwen begins receiving calls in her dreams from the Black Phone and seeing disturbing visions of three boys being stalked at a winter camp, the siblings become determined to solve the mystery and confront a killer who has grown more powerful in death and more significant to them than either could imagine.

The Mutilator
23% Match

As a child, Ed was cleaning his father’s hunting rifles - a surprise birthday treat for the old man - when one of them went off, hitting and killing his mother. On seeing the bloodshed, his father flew into a murderous rage - Ed just barely escaped with his life. Now in his teens, he returns home; he doesn’t expect to find his father, still there, waiting for a chance to settle the score . . .

Bad Dreams
23% Match

Bad Dreams(1988)

Movie5.7/10

Unity Field, a "free love" cult from the '70s, is mostly remembered for its notorious mass suicide led by Harris, its charismatic leader. While all members are supposed to burn in a fire together, young Cynthia is spared by chance. Years later, the nightmare of Unity Field remains buried in her mind. But when those around Cynthia start killing themselves, and she begins having visions of Harris, she may be forced to confront the past -- before it confronts her.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
22% Match

Five friends head out to rural Texas to visit the grave of a grandfather. On the way, they stumble across what appears to be a deserted house, only to discover something sinister within. Something armed with a chainsaw.