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HorrorThriller

Just Before Dawn

- Will Anyone Survive Those Hours Just Before Dawn?

In the Oregon mountains, a pair of hunters encounter a machete-wielding killer in an abandoned church. Meanwhile, five campers arrive to examine some property one of them has inherited but are warned by the forest ranger not to venture forth. Soon after they set up camp, they begin hearing strange noises, encounter a mysterious singing girl and start disappearing one by one.

Release Date : 1981-10-14

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Oakland Productions

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

George Kennedy

Character Name : Roy McLean

Original Name : George Kennedy

Gender : Male

Mike Kellin

Character Name : Ty

Original Name : Mike Kellin

Gender : Male

Chris Lemmon

Character Name : Jonathan

Original Name : Chris Lemmon

Gender : Male

Gregg Henry

Character Name : Warren

Original Name : Gregg Henry

Gender : Male

Deborah Benson

Character Name : Constance

Original Name : Deborah Benson

Gender : Female

Ralph Seymour

Character Name : Daniel

Original Name : Ralph Seymour

Gender : Male

Katie Powell

Character Name : Merry Cat Logan

Original Name : Katie Powell

Gender : Female

John Hunsaker

Character Name : Mountain Twins

Original Name : John Hunsaker

Gender : Male

Charles Bartlett

Character Name : Vachel

Original Name : Charles Bartlett

Gender : Male

Jamie Rose

Character Name : Megan

Original Name : Jamie Rose

Gender : Female

Hap Oslund

Character Name : Pa Logan

Original Name : Hap Oslund

Gender : Male

Barbara Spencer

Character Name : Ma Logan

Original Name : Barbara Spencer

Gender : Male

Reviews

W

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2024-11-20

**_“Friday the 13th” meets “Deliverance”_** Five friends take a trip out to Silver Lake in the Great Northwest because one of them has inherited property in the remote hills, but the ranger warns them of ambiguous dangers (George Kennedy) and there are questionable inbred locals. Will any make it out alive? "Just Before Dawn" (1981) came out a year and a half after "Friday the 13th" and mixes the basics of that movie with “Deliverance.” The underrated "Trapped,” aka "Baker County, USA" came out the next year and was no doubt influenced by it. I suppose this is the least of these four movies, but it’s very effective and far superior to the contemporaneous “Don’t Go in the Woods,” which is a lousy example of the genre. It surely inspired "The Final Terror,” "Berserker” and “Blood Hook” but none of those are as good. What makes it so good? The northwest Oregon locations are outstanding and the dramatics are compelling enough with a quality no-name cast (except, of course, for the well-known Kennedy). Like “Madhouse” (1981), there’s an element that didn’t come into vogue with slashers until fifteen years later in “Scream.” On top of all this is Deborah Benson as Constance, aka Connie. She comes across as a rather plain blonde from next door in the first half, but emerges as the stunning main protagonist in the second half. That’s all I’ll say, except that she has an interesting character arc à la “Lord of the Flies.” Meanwhile, redhead Jamie Rose is worth a mention as Megan. She’s reminiscent of Nicole Kidman eight years before Kidman broke out into the public eye with “Dead Calm.” There’s also an interesting inbred girl named Merry Cat. It runs 1 hour, 30 minutes, and was shot at Silver Falls State Park, which is located a half hour drive east of Salem, Oregon, and about an hour’s drive south of Portland. GRADE: B