If you grew up in the eighties or nineties, you probably have a specific memory of a rubber-faced guy in a denim vest shouting at a camera. Jim Varney was everywhere. He was selling milk, tools, and car repairs to a guy named Vern who we never actually saw. Then, in 1987, Disney’s Touchstone Pictures decided to see if that 30-second commercial magic could hold up for 90 minutes.
The result? Ernest Goes to Camp full of slapstick, surprisingly heavy emotional beats, and enough "knowwhutimean" to last a lifetime. It wasn't exactly a critic's darling back then—Metacritic still has it sitting at a dismal 24—but it didn't matter. Audiences loved it. The movie turned a $3.5 million budget into a $23.5 million box office win. That’s a massive ROI for a movie about a bumbling handyman and a group of "Second Chancers."
Honestly, looking back at it now, the movie is weirder and more soulful than the sequels that followed.
The Plot That Shouldn't Have Worked
The setup is basically "The Bad News Bears" meets "Meatballs." Ernest P. Worrell is the maintenance man at Kamp Kikakee, a place that feels like every summer camp you ever dreamed of (or feared). He desperately wants to be a counselor. He’s got the heart for it, but he’s also a walking disaster area.
Enter the juvenile delinquents.
These aren't just "naughty" kids; they’re portrayed as tough, cynical outsiders from a state institution. While the "real" counselors want nothing to do with them, Ernest steps up. He treats them like people. Of course, he also gets bit by fire ants and accidentally shoots a ceremonial arrow through a guy’s hat, but the bond is real.
Then you have the corporate villain, Sherman Krader. Played by the legendary John Vernon (who you might remember as Dean Wormer from Animal House), Krader wants to mine "petrocite"—a fictional mineral—under the camp. He tricks Ernest into getting the camp owner, Chief St. Cloud, to sign away the land.
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It’s classic 80s stuff. Evil corporation? Check. Misfit kids? Check. Massive food fight at the end? Double check.
Why Jim Varney Was a Secret Genius
People often dismissed Jim Varney as a "hick" comedian. Even news anchors like Tom Brokaw were a bit snobbish about him. But if you watch the Ernest Goes to Camp full performance closely, you see a guy with insane technical skill.
Varney was a trained Shakespearean actor. Seriously. He studied at the Barter Theatre in Virginia. He had a photographic memory, which is how he could film 25 different versions of the same commercial in a single day without missing a beat. In Camp, he does something most "slapstick" actors can't: he makes you cry.
There is a scene where it’s raining, and Ernest is feeling the weight of failing his campers. He sings a song called "Gee, I'm Glad It's Raining."
It’s heartbreaking.
The lyrics are simple, basically saying he's glad it's raining so nobody can see him crying. On a set full of chaos and fart jokes, Varney delivered a moment of pure, raw pathos. Crew members at the time said there wasn't a dry eye in the house when he finished. It’s that duality—being a human cartoon one minute and a tragic figure the next—that made Ernest work.
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The Cast You Forgot Were There
The movie is packed with interesting faces:
- Iron Eyes Cody: He played Chief St. Cloud. While he was famous for the "Crying Indian" PSA, he was actually of Italian descent, which is a bit of a "yikes" moment in modern retrospective, but at the time, he was the face of Native American representation in Hollywood.
- Lyle Alzado: The NFL legend played Bronk, the mining company's muscle. He basically spends the movie beating the life out of Ernest.
- Victoria Racimo: She played Nurse St. Cloud and acted as the bridge between Ernest and the Chief.
- The Kids: Some of these "juvenile delinquents" went on to big things. Scott Menville (Crutchfield) became a massive voice acting star (Robin in Teen Titans). Richard Speight Jr. (Brooks) became a fan favorite on Supernatural.
Watching Ernest Goes to Camp Full in 2026
If you’re trying to find the movie today, it’s surprisingly accessible. While it’s not always sitting on the "big" streamers like Netflix, you can usually find it on Disney+ (since they own the Touchstone library) or for rent on Amazon and Google Play.
There's also a massive cult following that keeps the spirit alive. Every summer, fans head to Montgomery Bell State Park in Burns, Tennessee—the actual filming location—for "Ernest Day." They do turtle catapulting (with plastic turtles, don't worry) and watch the movie in the very field where Bronk and Ernest had their final showdown.
The park has even turned one of the cabins into a mini-museum. It's wild to think that a movie critics hated 40 years ago still brings hundreds of people to a forest in Tennessee every June.
Beyond the Slapstick: A Modern Perspective
Is the movie perfect? No. The "petrocite" plot is thin, and some of the humor is dated. But the core message is surprisingly modern. It’s about the "Second Chancers." It’s about the idea that the people society throws away—the "delinquents" and the "dim-witted" handymen—are often the ones with the most integrity.
When the mining crew arrives with bulldozers, the regular "cool" campers have already gone home. It’s the outcasts who stay behind to fight. They use "Eggs-a-ronious" (a disgusting concoction from the camp cooks, Jake and Eddie) and improvised explosives made from camping gear.
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It’s a David vs. Goliath story where David is wearing a khaki hat and has a "KnowhutImean" bumper sticker.
What to Do Next if You're a Fan
If you've just finished a rewatch of the Ernest Goes to Camp full movie and want more, don't just jump into the sequels immediately. The quality varies wildly once they left the Disney/Touchstone era.
Instead, look up the documentary The Importance of Being Ernest. It’s a crowdfunded project that dives deep into Jim Varney’s real life, his struggles with fame, and his incredible talent. It’s a great way to see the man behind the mask.
You could also plan a trip to Montgomery Bell State Park. Even if it’s not "Ernest Day," seeing the lake and the woods where Kikakee stood is a trip for any 80s kid. Just watch out for the fire ants.
Actionable Insight: If you're looking to stream it right now, check your library's Hoopla or Kanopy apps first; they often carry these nostalgic 80s titles for free with a library card. If that fails, it’s a staple on the ad-supported free tiers of services like Tubi or Freevee, though the licensing rotates every few months.