Ernest Goes to Camp

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Ernest Goes to Camp
Directed by John R. Cherry III
Produced by Martin Erlichman
Elmo Williams
Written by John R. Cherry III
Coke Sams
Starring Jim Varney
Victoria Racimo
John Vernon
Iron Eyes Cody
Lyle Alzado
Distributed by Touchstone Pictures
Release date(s) 1987-05-22 (USA)
Running time 92 min.
Country USA
Language English
Budget $3,000,000
Preceded by Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam
Followed by Ernest Saves Christmas
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

Ernest Goes to Camp is a 1987 comedy film directed by John R. Cherry III and starring Jim Varney. It is the second film to feature the character of Ernest P. Worrell. The movie received a PG rating from the MPAA.

Contents

[edit] Cast

Actor Role
Jim Varney Ernest P. Worrell
Victoria Racimo Nurse St. Cloud
John Vernon Sherman Krader
Iron Eyes Cody Old Indian 'Chief St. Cloud'
Lyle Alzado Bronk Stinson (Foreman)
Gailard Sartain Chuck (Chef #1)
Daniel Butler Eddie (Chef #2)
Patrick Day Bobby Wayne
Scott Menville Crutchfield
Jacob Vargas Butch 'Bubba' Vargas
Todd Loyd Chip Ozgood

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Jim Varney reprises his role of Ernest P. Worrell as a maintenance man at a summer camp known as Kamp Kikakee. Opportunity strikes and Ernest is offered a job as a camp counselor (his dream). Of course, things go wrong after Ernest muddles things up with a group of juvenile delinquents that are assigned to him. The film features one scene in which Ernest and the boys must serenade his box turtle Pokey so it will let go of Ernest's nose. Ernest teaches the delinquents a thing or two about friendship and self-respect as the boys go on to defend the camp from an evil mining corporation (Krader Corporation) that wants to destroy the area to find petrocite. Chief St. Cloud teaches Ernest about how Indian Braves had to pass certain tests to be called warriors. Ernest passes the Indian bravery tests by standing up to Krader in a final scene in which he plugs the villain's hunting rifle with his finger. The boys and Ernest succeed in protecting the land and Kamp Kikakee remains for young campers to enjoy. Things work out in the end and, as usual, a lesson has been learned.

[edit] Trivia

  • The song used to detach the box turtle from Ernest's nose is "Happy Together," a song which was written and recorded by the musical group The Turtles. It also serves as a theme song of the film.
  • Ernest Goes to Camp aired in two parts during The Magical World of Disney, with part 1 airing on October 29, 1989, and part 2 on November 5. Prior to the movie, Ernest was seen training for, and finally riding, Disneyland's Splash Mountain attraction.
  • In his song "Callin in Sick Today," Weird Al Yankovic mentions that he can "spend all day in [his] underwear watching Ernest Goes to Camp" rather than going to work.
  • A great deal of the novel and subsequent film Hoot closely resembles the plot of this film, with the mining company replaced by a restaurant chain and the campground replaced by an owl sanctuary.

[edit] External links

Ernest P. Worrell series
Films Dr. Otto and the Riddle of the Gloom Beam | Ernest Goes to Camp | Ernest Saves Christmas | Ernest Goes to Jail | Ernest Scared Stupid
Ernest Rides Again | Ernest Goes to School | Slam Dunk Ernest | Ernest Goes to Africa | Ernest in the Army
Television Hey Vern, It's Ernest!
Other Topics Ernest P. Worrell | Vern | Jim Varney