Campfire Tales
After a car wreck strands teenagers in the woods, their campfire horror stories begin to blur the line between entertainment and danger.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- eerie
- campy
- tense
- late night horror marathon
- halloween viewing
What critics said
Critics generally regard the film as a modest, conventional but enjoyable horror anthology whose slick direction and energetic twists outweigh its uneven short stories.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Four stranded teenagers use a campfire storytelling session to introduce and connect the film's horror vignettes.
The segments draw on classic horror stories and urban legends while emphasizing turns, twists, and endings that challenge initial expectations.
Critics identify the film as an homage to Dead of Night and note its unusual anthology structure.
The wraparound centers on teenagers stranded after a car accident, and the film was made during the 1990s slasher revival.
Films like Campfire Tales, and why
Dead of Night
shared horror anthology structure, campfire storytelling, and twist-driven supernatural vignettes
Urban Legend
shared urban legend horror, late-1990s slasher revival atmosphere, and teenage protagonists
Creepshow
shared horror anthology format, wraparound storytelling, and macabre supernatural tales
Tales from the Darkside: The Movie
shared teen-centered horror, eerie folklore, and episodic storytelling
Movie Details
- Directors
- Matt Cooper, Martin Kunert, David Semel
- Release Date
- 1997-02-28
- Runtime
- 88 min
- Rating
- 5.9 / 10 (122)
Cast
- James Marsden
- Jay R. Ferguson
- Christine Taylor
- Christopher Masterson
- Kim Murphy
- Ron Livingston
- Jennifer MacDonald
- Hawthorne James
- Alex McKenna
- Devon Odessa
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Campfire Tales about?
- After a car wreck strands teenagers in the woods, their campfire horror stories begin to blur the line between entertainment and danger.
- What is Campfire Tales like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Campfire Tales as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Campfire Tales violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Campfire Tales as moderate.
- What did critics think of Campfire Tales?
- Critics generally regard the film as a modest, conventional but enjoyable horror anthology whose slick direction and energetic twists outweigh its uneven short stories.
- Which films are like Campfire Tales?
- Films with a similar feel include Dead of Night, Urban Legend, Creepshow, and Tales from the Darkside: The Movie.
- How long is Campfire Tales?
- Campfire Tales runs 88 minutes.
- Where can I watch Campfire Tales?
- In United States, Campfire Tales streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
