Tom Fisher emerged as a director in the late 1980s, making his mark with the notorious Cannibal Campout (1988). This film, steeped in the raw aesthetic of grindhouse cinema, showcases Fisher's ability to blend horror and dark humor, capturing the essence of exploitation films. His work in Cannibal Campout reflects the era's fascination with taboo subjects and outrageous storytelling, solidifying his place in the cult film landscape.
Cannibal Campout
While out for a jog in the community of Redston, a woman named Nancy is hacked to death with an felling axe by a man wearing a fighter pilot helmet. Later, two couples consisting of Jon and Carrie, and Amy and Chris, head to Redston to camp out for the weekend, but on the way there they encounter a pair of hillbillies named Rich and Gene, who attack them. After the encounter with the backwoods duo (revealed to be the brothers of the fighter helmet-wearing man, Joe) the quartet set up near some abandoned cabins, while the hillbillies murder would-be pranksters John and Ray. After wandering off alone to get her cigarettes, Carrie is killed by Gene and Joe, and her friends are captured while looking for her. Jon is knocked out in a fight with Joe, and disemboweled and eaten by the brothers, who force feed the other captives some of his innards. When Gene and Joe leave with Jon's body, Rich butchers Chris, and tries to rape Amy, but is stabbed with his own knife, and left for dead. Traversing the wilderness, Amy encounters Joe, and during the ensuing scuffle pulls off his helmet, revealing his disfigured face. After Joe runs off, Gene and the recovered Rich recapture Amy, and cut out and eat her unborn child. An unknown amount of time later, the brothers are shown partaking in an unsuccessful hunt, and when Rich suggests they merely get fast food, Gene scolds him, reminding him that they promised their mother they would never eat those chemical-soaked foods. When Rich continues to complain, Gene and Joe become annoyed, and seemingly decide to eat him.
