Just Before Dawn (1981 film)
Encyclopedia
Just Before Dawn is a 1981 slasher film
from director Jeff Lieberman
. Though the film came and went quietly upon its theatrical release the film has now developed a devoted cult following
among horror fans. It is praised for its eerie atmosphere, lush cinematography, and above-average cast. Unlike many films of its kind however, Just Before Dawn focuses far more on suspense and atmosphere, rather than upon gruesome violence, which the film features very little of. The film was shot on location in the Silver Falls State Park
in Sublimity, Oregon
. It featured early performances from actors Chris Lemmon
(Jack Lemmon's son) and Gregg Henry
(the star of another horror film Slither), as well as early work from music composer Brad Fiedel
who wrote and performed the films unique, if bizarre, music score. Lieberman cites the 1972 film Deliverance
as the main influence on Just Before Dawn. He also calls Just Before Dawn his personal favorite of his works.
) at his home, followed by a van of five teens looking to go camping, but becoming lost. He warns them not to keep going the way they're going, but they ignore him and keep driving straight, and we are introduced to them: Warren (Gregg Henry) the blonde, body builder, his girlfriend Constance (Deborah Benson), the shy, blonde girl, Jonathon (Chris Lemmon), the goofy, horny partygoer, his provocative girlfriend, Megan (Jamie Rose
), and the nerdy camera operator, Daniel (Ralph Seymour). On their way to the campsite, they almost hit a frantic, dirty Ty who tells them to drive away, but they do not listen, and he goes running off into the trees. They finally find a campsite and begin to set up, drinking beer, eating food, and listening to music, not caring about anything around them. When night falls they go to sleep, all the while being watched by something in the woods. The next morning, they eat breakfast and go to the waterfall, seeing a young girl named Merry Logan (Kati Powell) who runs off into the woods. Meanwhile, Megan and Jonathon have gone skinnydipping in the lake, not knowing someone is under the water with them. Megan does not realize that Jonathon has not gotten out of the water, and feels hands touching her, assuming it's Jonathon, until seeing him on shore, in which she begins to panic and swims to safety.
When the group breaks off to go exploring, Jonathon spots Merry and begins to chase her asking what her name is and telling her he will not hurt her. She thinks this is a game and runs out into a clearing where she sees something horrible, backing up towards the trees. Jonathon figures it's the roped passageway over the river ahead, and begins to go across, but Merry runs and he gives chase, only to be hit in the hand with a machete by a deformed, giggling man in a checkered shirt. Jonathon runs to the other side, only to have the rope break, almost plunging him to his death in the rapids below. As he begins to climb up, he is greeted by the same man, who shoves him off to his death with his boot. Megan and Daniel have gone off to takes pictures of the woods and come across the church and a graveyard. Daniel breaks his glasses and sees a figure coming through the woods, and thinking it's Jonathon tells Megan, who decides to make it look like they're making out. Daniel sees the figure approach, and upon realizing it's not Jonathon, pushes Megan out of the way and is stabbed through the stomach with the machete. Megan sees the checkered shirt killer and runs into the church, where she sees him outside picking up Daniel's camera. She turns around and is greeted by the same man, and realizes that they're identical twins, just as he begins to chop her up with the machete as the other takes pictures through the window. Meanwhile, Warren and Constance have met up back at camp, but cannot find anyone else, until they spot Jonathon's body floating around in the river, and pull him out, knowing it's too late to save him. They go to find the others but cannot find any trace of them, as night approaches, so they go back to get the keys from Jonathon's body which has disappeared. Ty finally meets up with Roy and tells him all about the killer twins at the church, and Roy goes out on his horse to find the teens, and comes across Merry's family, who consist of a crazy father, and silent sister/mother. They tell him that the twins were actually theirs and that their mother died after having them, so he mated with his daughter and had Merry. Warren goes to find Jonathon's body to get the car keys, and leaves Constance at the campfire, where she is attacked by one of the twins who chases her up a tree. Warren finds Jonathon's body along with Daniel's who is wearing sunglasses and gets the keys, running back to camp with the ranger. The twin cuts down the tree Constance is in, and are about to kill her when Roy shoots him in the chest, killing him, and he tells the couple to go pack their things. They go back to camp, as Merry runs through the woods to find them. At camp, the other twin stabs Warren and tries to kill Constance, who instead rams her fist down his throat, choking and killing him. Then she stands up, and makes the same noises as them, noting that she may have gone insane, as Warren questions her and Merry watches from the trees, cut to the sunset view of the forest at the beginning.
said that countless strangers showed up at the filming location on the day that the scene with Jamie Rose swimming topless was to be filmed. Lieberman said that word of this shoot had apparently gotten out among the local forest rangers. While shooting in the woods one evening the lighting went out without explanation leaving the cast and crew in total pitch darkness. After several minutes the producer yelled out 'let there be light!' and sure enough the lights did indeed blare on - again without explanation. According to director Jeff Lieberman
despite the numerous reviews of Just Before Dawn that have implied it was inspired by The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
(1974) or The Hills Have Eyes
(1977), he had not seen either film at the time of making Just Before Dawn.
's music score is a reference to the rescue whistle that Warren carries in the film. According to composer Brad Fiedel
many of the ominous sounds in the music score were actually electronically altered audio clips of himself vocalizing droning noises.
, the movie was released under the title "Survivance", as if to emphasize its thematic connection with John Boorman's Deliverance
.
Slasher film
A slasher film is a type of horror film typically involving a psychopathic killer stalking and killing a sequence of victims in a graphically violent manner, often with a cutting tool such as a knife or axe...
from director Jeff Lieberman
Jeff Lieberman
Jeff Lieberman is an American film director and writer.His films include:*Squirm*Blue Sunshine*Just Before Dawn*The NeverEnding Story III*Satan's Little Helper-External links:...
. Though the film came and went quietly upon its theatrical release the film has now developed a devoted cult following
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
among horror fans. It is praised for its eerie atmosphere, lush cinematography, and above-average cast. Unlike many films of its kind however, Just Before Dawn focuses far more on suspense and atmosphere, rather than upon gruesome violence, which the film features very little of. The film was shot on location in the Silver Falls State Park
Silver Falls State Park
Silver Falls State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of Oregon, located near Silverton, about east-southeast of Salem. It is the largest state park in Oregon with an area of more than , and it includes more than of walking trails, of horse trails, and a bike path...
in Sublimity, Oregon
Sublimity, Oregon
Sublimity is a city in Marion County, Oregon, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the city population was 2,148. It is part of the Salem Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
. It featured early performances from actors Chris Lemmon
Chris Lemmon
-History:Lemmon was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of actress Cynthia Stone and actor Jack Lemmon. With a natural talent for music, he was encouraged by his father to study piano. Lemmon considered playing piano professionally after having graduated from the California Institute of the...
(Jack Lemmon's son) and Gregg Henry
Gregg Henry
Gregg Lee Henry is an American theatre, film and television character actor and rock, blues and country musician.-Biography:...
(the star of another horror film Slither), as well as early work from music composer Brad Fiedel
Brad Fiedel
Brad Ira Fiedel is an American movie music composer. Raised in the Village of Bayville, on Long Island's tony North Shore, Fiedel graduated from The Barlow School in upstate New York....
who wrote and performed the films unique, if bizarre, music score. Lieberman cites the 1972 film Deliverance
Deliverance
Deliverance is a 1972 American thriller film produced and directed by John Boorman. Principal cast members include Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ronny Cox and Ned Beatty in his film debut. The film is based on a 1970 novel of the same name by American author James Dickey, who has a small role in the...
as the main influence on Just Before Dawn. He also calls Just Before Dawn his personal favorite of his works.
Plot
Two men are hunting in and forest and come across an abandoned church. They go in and explore, where one of them receives a machete to the groin by a laughing man wearing a checkered jacket, while Ty runs away screaming. Flash to park ranger, Roy McLean (George KennedyGeorge Kennedy
George Harris Kennedy, Jr. is an American actor who has appeared in over 200 film and television productions. He is perhaps most familiar as the convict Dragline in Cool Hand Luke , airline troubleshooter Joe Patroni in the Airport series of disaster movies from the 1970s and...
) at his home, followed by a van of five teens looking to go camping, but becoming lost. He warns them not to keep going the way they're going, but they ignore him and keep driving straight, and we are introduced to them: Warren (Gregg Henry) the blonde, body builder, his girlfriend Constance (Deborah Benson), the shy, blonde girl, Jonathon (Chris Lemmon), the goofy, horny partygoer, his provocative girlfriend, Megan (Jamie Rose
Jamie Rose
Jamie Rose is an American actress possibly best known for playing Vickie Gioberti in the prime time 1980s soap opera Falcon Crest. Rose played the role from 1981 to 1983, leaving at the beginning at the show's third season...
), and the nerdy camera operator, Daniel (Ralph Seymour). On their way to the campsite, they almost hit a frantic, dirty Ty who tells them to drive away, but they do not listen, and he goes running off into the trees. They finally find a campsite and begin to set up, drinking beer, eating food, and listening to music, not caring about anything around them. When night falls they go to sleep, all the while being watched by something in the woods. The next morning, they eat breakfast and go to the waterfall, seeing a young girl named Merry Logan (Kati Powell) who runs off into the woods. Meanwhile, Megan and Jonathon have gone skinnydipping in the lake, not knowing someone is under the water with them. Megan does not realize that Jonathon has not gotten out of the water, and feels hands touching her, assuming it's Jonathon, until seeing him on shore, in which she begins to panic and swims to safety.
When the group breaks off to go exploring, Jonathon spots Merry and begins to chase her asking what her name is and telling her he will not hurt her. She thinks this is a game and runs out into a clearing where she sees something horrible, backing up towards the trees. Jonathon figures it's the roped passageway over the river ahead, and begins to go across, but Merry runs and he gives chase, only to be hit in the hand with a machete by a deformed, giggling man in a checkered shirt. Jonathon runs to the other side, only to have the rope break, almost plunging him to his death in the rapids below. As he begins to climb up, he is greeted by the same man, who shoves him off to his death with his boot. Megan and Daniel have gone off to takes pictures of the woods and come across the church and a graveyard. Daniel breaks his glasses and sees a figure coming through the woods, and thinking it's Jonathon tells Megan, who decides to make it look like they're making out. Daniel sees the figure approach, and upon realizing it's not Jonathon, pushes Megan out of the way and is stabbed through the stomach with the machete. Megan sees the checkered shirt killer and runs into the church, where she sees him outside picking up Daniel's camera. She turns around and is greeted by the same man, and realizes that they're identical twins, just as he begins to chop her up with the machete as the other takes pictures through the window. Meanwhile, Warren and Constance have met up back at camp, but cannot find anyone else, until they spot Jonathon's body floating around in the river, and pull him out, knowing it's too late to save him. They go to find the others but cannot find any trace of them, as night approaches, so they go back to get the keys from Jonathon's body which has disappeared. Ty finally meets up with Roy and tells him all about the killer twins at the church, and Roy goes out on his horse to find the teens, and comes across Merry's family, who consist of a crazy father, and silent sister/mother. They tell him that the twins were actually theirs and that their mother died after having them, so he mated with his daughter and had Merry. Warren goes to find Jonathon's body to get the car keys, and leaves Constance at the campfire, where she is attacked by one of the twins who chases her up a tree. Warren finds Jonathon's body along with Daniel's who is wearing sunglasses and gets the keys, running back to camp with the ranger. The twin cuts down the tree Constance is in, and are about to kill her when Roy shoots him in the chest, killing him, and he tells the couple to go pack their things. They go back to camp, as Merry runs through the woods to find them. At camp, the other twin stabs Warren and tries to kill Constance, who instead rams her fist down his throat, choking and killing him. Then she stands up, and makes the same noises as them, noting that she may have gone insane, as Warren questions her and Merry watches from the trees, cut to the sunset view of the forest at the beginning.
Cast
- George KennedyGeorge KennedyGeorge Harris Kennedy, Jr. is an American actor who has appeared in over 200 film and television productions. He is perhaps most familiar as the convict Dragline in Cool Hand Luke , airline troubleshooter Joe Patroni in the Airport series of disaster movies from the 1970s and...
as Roy McLean - Mike KellinMike Kellin-Early life:Kellin was born Myron Kellin in Hartford, Connecticut, the son of Sophia and Samuel Kellin, Russian Jewish immigrants. He was educated at Boston University and Trinity College...
as Ty - Chris LemmonChris Lemmon-History:Lemmon was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of actress Cynthia Stone and actor Jack Lemmon. With a natural talent for music, he was encouraged by his father to study piano. Lemmon considered playing piano professionally after having graduated from the California Institute of the...
as Jonathan - Gregg HenryGregg HenryGregg Lee Henry is an American theatre, film and television character actor and rock, blues and country musician.-Biography:...
as Warren - Deborah Benson as Constance "Connie"
- Ralph Seymour as Daniel
- Katie Powell as Merry Cat Logan
- John Hunsaker as Mountain Twins
- Charles Bartlett as Vachel
- Jamie RoseJamie RoseJamie Rose is an American actress possibly best known for playing Vickie Gioberti in the prime time 1980s soap opera Falcon Crest. Rose played the role from 1981 to 1983, leaving at the beginning at the show's third season...
as Megan - Hap Oslund as Pa Logan
- Barbara Spencer as Ma Logan
Production
The original script included a sixth camper named Eileen and a different fate for Megan (which included being tossed to her death by the twins). It also included a climax involving Connie being forced to handle rattlesnakes by the in-bred villains. The title of the original screenplay was 'The Tennessee Mountain Murders' which was then changed to 'The Last Ritual'. The title was changed after the script's heavy religious theme was axed and the story was rigorously revised. Despite its authentic, weathered appearance the 'old' church house used in the film was actually built for the production. Director Jeff LiebermanJeff Lieberman
Jeff Lieberman is an American film director and writer.His films include:*Squirm*Blue Sunshine*Just Before Dawn*The NeverEnding Story III*Satan's Little Helper-External links:...
said that countless strangers showed up at the filming location on the day that the scene with Jamie Rose swimming topless was to be filmed. Lieberman said that word of this shoot had apparently gotten out among the local forest rangers. While shooting in the woods one evening the lighting went out without explanation leaving the cast and crew in total pitch darkness. After several minutes the producer yelled out 'let there be light!' and sure enough the lights did indeed blare on - again without explanation. According to director Jeff Lieberman
Jeff Lieberman
Jeff Lieberman is an American film director and writer.His films include:*Squirm*Blue Sunshine*Just Before Dawn*The NeverEnding Story III*Satan's Little Helper-External links:...
despite the numerous reviews of Just Before Dawn that have implied it was inspired by The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a 1974 American independent horror film directed and produced by Tobe Hooper, who cowrote it with Kim Henkel. It stars Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow, and Gunnar Hansen, who respectively portray Sally Hardesty, Franklin Hardesty, the...
(1974) or The Hills Have Eyes
The Hills Have Eyes (1977 film)
The Hills Have Eyes is a 1977 American horror film directed by Wes Craven and starring Susan Lanier, Michael Berryman, and Dee Wallace. It is about a family on a road trip who become stranded in the Nevada desert, and are hunted by a clan of deformed cannibals in the surrounding hills...
(1977), he had not seen either film at the time of making Just Before Dawn.
Soundtrack
The eerie whistling motif heard in Brad FiedelBrad Fiedel
Brad Ira Fiedel is an American movie music composer. Raised in the Village of Bayville, on Long Island's tony North Shore, Fiedel graduated from The Barlow School in upstate New York....
's music score is a reference to the rescue whistle that Warren carries in the film. According to composer Brad Fiedel
Brad Fiedel
Brad Ira Fiedel is an American movie music composer. Raised in the Village of Bayville, on Long Island's tony North Shore, Fiedel graduated from The Barlow School in upstate New York....
many of the ominous sounds in the music score were actually electronically altered audio clips of himself vocalizing droning noises.
Release
In FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, the movie was released under the title "Survivance", as if to emphasize its thematic connection with John Boorman's Deliverance
Deliverance
Deliverance is a 1972 American thriller film produced and directed by John Boorman. Principal cast members include Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ronny Cox and Ned Beatty in his film debut. The film is based on a 1970 novel of the same name by American author James Dickey, who has a small role in the...
.