The Outing (film)
Encyclopedia
The Outing is a 1987
horror film
that is an edited and shortend version of the original motion picture, titled The Lamp (Film)
. The picture was written and produced by Warren Chaney
, directed by Tom Daley, and stars Deborah Winters
and James Huston
. The movie was filmed in Houston, TX, Galveston, TX and Los Angeles, CA.
The film as edited, concerns local teenagers who decide to spend the night in a museum. During this, an evil genie
, or djinn, is released. The spirit possesses the body of the museum curator's daughter and hunts down the teenagers, who have now split up for various reasons. Other people are caught up in the murderous escapades as well.
The Movie has gained a substantial cult following over the years.
along with an unusual bracelet found at the scene. The teenage daughter of the Museum's curator finds the bracelet, puts it on and is unable to remove it. Afterwards, the bracelet seems to exert a strange power over her.
The daughter and her high school history class take a field trip to the museum. Her teacher who dates the father after her mother's death, accompanies the group. Once at the museum, the daughter stumbles across the lamp and inadvertently releases the Genii
. Under the influence of the creature
, the girl convinces six of her close friends to slip away from the group and hide in the museum until closing time, after which they will spend the night. Once the museum closes and night falls, the Genii initiates a path of murder, killing off the teenagers, museum guards and a scientist who is studying the lamp.
The girl's father and teacher are alerted by parents of the missing teens and return to the museum. They find the girl in panic after the death of her friends. Unfortunately, there are in immediate danger as well as the Genii stalks them, eventually killing the father. Before his death, the museum curator discovers a translations the earlier scientist has made which contains the words, "Destroy the lama and destroy the Jinn
!" The daughter manages to secure the lamp and at the close of the film, throws it into the museum's incinerator.
Only the daughter and teacher survive the night and the picture closes as they are being led away from the museum.
, was discovered by American movie goers.
had a long distribution period in Europe
Asia
and other overseas' markets. As of the first decade of the 21st Century, The Lamp (Film)
remains in distribution. The edited and shorted version, The Outing, was distributed in the United States by The Movie Store (TMS).The USA Network played the move on a regular basis for several years after its release to television.
After the film's fall 1987 theatrical run, the movie was released on videocassette in the United States in 1988 by International Video Entertainment and in Canada by Cineplex Odeon
. A DVD has been released in the United Kingdom, under its original title "The Lamp", but as of April 30, 2010, Lions Gate Home Entertainment has yet to announce any plans to release the film onto a region 1 DVD. The pre-certification British VHS version, released as "The Lamp" by Braveworld & IVS Video UK features a three minute pre-titles sequence with back story trimmed from the North American home video release.
1987 in film
-Events:*January 31 - The Cure for Insomnia premieres at The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois, to officially become the world's longest film according to Guinness World Records....
horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
that is an edited and shortend version of the original motion picture, titled The Lamp (Film)
The Lamp (film)
The Lamp is a 1986 horror parody film written and produced by Warren Chaney and directed by Tom Daley. It stars Deborah Winters, James Huston, Andra St. Ivani and Scott Bankston. The film was produced by HIT Films and released by Skouras Films. The original movie from Skouras ran 104 minutes but...
. The picture was written and produced by Warren Chaney
Warren Chaney
Warren Herbert Chaney, Ph.D. is an American executive, author, filmmaker, behavioral scientist, entertainer, businessman and a pioneer in early television. In a career spanning four decades, Chaney wrote fifteen books, fourteen screenplays, and seventy-eight professional and nonprofessional...
, directed by Tom Daley, and stars Deborah Winters
Deborah Winters
Deborah Winters is an American actress and businesswoman. Winters is probably most remembered for her roles in Kotch, The People Next Door, Class of '44, and The Winds of War...
and James Huston
James Huston
James Huston was a Canadian typographer and journalist. Born in Quebec City, he was also a longtime member and subsequent President of the Institut canadien de Montréal....
. The movie was filmed in Houston, TX, Galveston, TX and Los Angeles, CA.
The film as edited, concerns local teenagers who decide to spend the night in a museum. During this, an evil genie
Genie
Jinn or genies are supernatural creatures in Arab folklore and Islamic teachings that occupy a parallel world to that of mankind. Together, jinn, humans and angels make up the three sentient creations of Allah. Religious sources say barely anything about them; however, the Qur'an mentions that...
, or djinn, is released. The spirit possesses the body of the museum curator's daughter and hunts down the teenagers, who have now split up for various reasons. Other people are caught up in the murderous escapades as well.
The Movie has gained a substantial cult following over the years.
Plot
A group of rednecks break into a house owned by an elderly woman of Arabic origins. They stumble upon a magic lamp, release the genii and are killed. Police investigators send the lamp to a museumMuseum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
along with an unusual bracelet found at the scene. The teenage daughter of the Museum's curator finds the bracelet, puts it on and is unable to remove it. Afterwards, the bracelet seems to exert a strange power over her.
The daughter and her high school history class take a field trip to the museum. Her teacher who dates the father after her mother's death, accompanies the group. Once at the museum, the daughter stumbles across the lamp and inadvertently releases the Genii
Genii
Genii , a plural form of genie, which is an alternate spelling of jinnī , are supernatural creatures in Arab folklore and Islamic teachings...
. Under the influence of the creature
Creature
A creature is a created thing, being or any product of creative action. The term is used most frequently to refer to biological organisms. The term is derived from the traditional belief that all things are created by God....
, the girl convinces six of her close friends to slip away from the group and hide in the museum until closing time, after which they will spend the night. Once the museum closes and night falls, the Genii initiates a path of murder, killing off the teenagers, museum guards and a scientist who is studying the lamp.
The girl's father and teacher are alerted by parents of the missing teens and return to the museum. They find the girl in panic after the death of her friends. Unfortunately, there are in immediate danger as well as the Genii stalks them, eventually killing the father. Before his death, the museum curator discovers a translations the earlier scientist has made which contains the words, "Destroy the lama and destroy the Jinn
Jinn
Jinn are supernatural beings in Arab folklore and Islamic teachings.Jinn may also refer to:* Jinn , a Japanese band* Qui-Gon Jinn, a character in the Star Wars universe...
!" The daughter manages to secure the lamp and at the close of the film, throws it into the museum's incinerator.
Only the daughter and teacher survive the night and the picture closes as they are being led away from the museum.
Reviews
The Outing's early reviews were unfavorable. Richard Harrington of the Washington Post said it was "stupid and senseless, and the special effects look as if they were shot on a family's weekly shopping budget." The Boston Globe called it "a hokey loser". However, in recent years The Outing has received more favorable reviews as the original picture, The Lamp (Film)The Lamp (film)
The Lamp is a 1986 horror parody film written and produced by Warren Chaney and directed by Tom Daley. It stars Deborah Winters, James Huston, Andra St. Ivani and Scott Bankston. The film was produced by HIT Films and released by Skouras Films. The original movie from Skouras ran 104 minutes but...
, was discovered by American movie goers.
Distribution
The original, The Lamp (Film)The Lamp (film)
The Lamp is a 1986 horror parody film written and produced by Warren Chaney and directed by Tom Daley. It stars Deborah Winters, James Huston, Andra St. Ivani and Scott Bankston. The film was produced by HIT Films and released by Skouras Films. The original movie from Skouras ran 104 minutes but...
had a long distribution period in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
and other overseas' markets. As of the first decade of the 21st Century, The Lamp (Film)
The Lamp (film)
The Lamp is a 1986 horror parody film written and produced by Warren Chaney and directed by Tom Daley. It stars Deborah Winters, James Huston, Andra St. Ivani and Scott Bankston. The film was produced by HIT Films and released by Skouras Films. The original movie from Skouras ran 104 minutes but...
remains in distribution. The edited and shorted version, The Outing, was distributed in the United States by The Movie Store (TMS).The USA Network played the move on a regular basis for several years after its release to television.
After the film's fall 1987 theatrical run, the movie was released on videocassette in the United States in 1988 by International Video Entertainment and in Canada by Cineplex Odeon
Cineplex Odeon
Cineplex Odeon Corporation was one of North America's largest movie theatre operators, with theatres in its home country of Canada and the United States...
. A DVD has been released in the United Kingdom, under its original title "The Lamp", but as of April 30, 2010, Lions Gate Home Entertainment has yet to announce any plans to release the film onto a region 1 DVD. The pre-certification British VHS version, released as "The Lamp" by Braveworld & IVS Video UK features a three minute pre-titles sequence with back story trimmed from the North American home video release.