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Horror Cult Classic

Lake Tenkiller's serene surface hides a body count and a killer on the loose.

TERROR AT TENKILLER

Just when you thought it was safe to go on vacation!

1986 · 1h 27m · R · Horror / Thriller · IMDB TMDB

Leslie and Janna are a couple of attractive young ladies who decide to go on vacation at a remote cabin in the woods. However, things go nightmarishly awry after a dangerous maniac shows up in the area and starts bumping folks off. Will anyone survive the terror at Tenkiller?

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Vault Note

Proof that summer jobs at the lake can be murder—literally.

Programmer's Pick

Rural Oklahoma never looked so menacing. With a throat-slitting marina worker, lakeside bodies, and a pair of summer-job co-eds in peril, Terror at Tenkiller delivers slasher essentials with a distinctly local flavor—just try not to get too attached to anyone behind the counter at the diner.

— SassyFlix Programmer
Quick Answer
What is Terror at Tenkiller about?

Terror at Tenkiller is a 1986 American horror-thriller directed by Ken Meyer about two co-eds whose summer at a lake cabin turns deadly when a marina worker begins murdering locals.

Synopsis

In rural Oklahoma, under the cover of night, a marina worker named Tor murders Denise, a local waitress, by slitting her throat, then dumps her body in Lake Tenkiller.

The next day, a pair of co-eds, Leslie and Janna, head to Janna's summer home near Lake Tenkiller for summer break, and to get away from Leslie's abusive fiancé, Josh. At the lake, the two get summer jobs at the diner where Denise worked during previous summers. They meet Tor, who takes an instant liking to Leslie. Shortly after Leslie and Janna's arrival, Tor stabs another waitress, Debbie, to death in a hot tub. He also knifes and dismembers his lecherous boss, Preacher, outside of Janna's place, after catching him spying on the women. After a while, both Leslie and Janna grow to trust and like Tor and offer him to come to their cabin for a beer. By this time, the two women have received threatening voicemails on their cabin's phone and assume it's Josh. They pay little mind to it and continue life as usual. Later on, Janna goes out to tan on the dock while Leslie is working the closing shift alone at the diner. Tor visits Janna and Leslie's cabin for a beer and murders Janna by stabbing her in the back as she's washing her hair. Meanwhile, Josh is looking at maps, making phone calls, and chain smoking presumably trying to locate Leslie.

When Leslie returns home from work, she finds Janna's body and believes that it was Josh who killed her. Tor consoles Leslie and soon plays a harmonica and admits that he was the one who killed Janna because he believed that she was a corrupting influence on Leslie. Tor then begins to tell her how much he loves her. Leslie runs off into the wilderness after slashing him across the face with a car key while he professes his love for her. While chasing Leslie, Tor hears Josh's car pull up, and murders him by slashing his throat, leaving his corpse propped up in a room for Leslie to find when she returns to the house. Knocking Leslie out when she finds Josh's body, Tor places her in his boat and starts rowing across the lake, but is knocked overboard and seemingly drowns when Leslie awakens and swims to shore. Narration by Leslie comments that the police were never able to discern who her attacker really was or where he came from. In the last shot of the film, Tor is shown leaping out of the water and the image freezes as the credits roll.
Details & Specs
Director
Ken Meyer
Writers
Claudia Meyer, Ken Meyer
Release
1986
Runtime
1h 27m
Country
United States of America
Language
English

Why Cult

Oklahoma Slasherscape

Set against the rustic backdrop of Lake Tenkiller, the film turns a sleepy Oklahoma vacation spot into a site of bloody mayhem.

Deadly Marina Worker

Tor, the unassuming marina worker, carves his way through the cast—literally—offering a villain who prefers the cover of night and the bottom of the lake.

Summer Co-Ed Peril

Leslie and Janna just wanted a restful break, but their seasonal jobs serve up terror alongside the daily specials.

Hot Tub Horror

One of the film’s most memorable kills goes down in a hot tub, proving that even relaxation isn't safe around Lake Tenkiller.

Trailer

Questions from the Vault

What is Terror at Tenkiller about? +

Terror at Tenkiller follows two college friends spending summer break at Lake Tenkiller, where a marina worker goes on a murderous spree targeting locals and summer workers.

When was Terror at Tenkiller released? +

Terror at Tenkiller was released in 1986.

Who directed Terror at Tenkiller? +

Ken Meyer directed Terror at Tenkiller.

How long is Terror at Tenkiller? +

The film runs for 87 minutes.

What genre is Terror at Tenkiller? +

Terror at Tenkiller is a horror-thriller.

Where can I watch Terror at Tenkiller? +

Terror at Tenkiller is available to stream on SassyFlix.