The Burning being one of my favorite slasher movies of all time and being filmed practically in my back yard, I really love reading little articles and editorials about it. Here's a really good little tidbit I read on the Retro Slasher Myspace:
Filming commenced in upstate New York, around Buffalo and North Tonawanda and the climax would be shot in Model City, New York. Different crew members have different tales as to why the original intended setting, a cave system, was later scrapped – Savini claimed it as due to the caves collapsing whilst Maylam stated it was because of a bat infestation. Instead, they settled for an old, abandoned copper mine.
Once completed, all that was needed was an effective score. Maylam approached Rick Wakeman, keyboardist for the hugely influential prog rock group Yes, who he had collaborated with on White Rock, to compose the music. Being classically trained and a truly gifted musician, Wakeman was able to create the soundtrack and deliver it to a suitably impressed director. It was only then that The Burning was ready to be unleashed.
Just saw this for the first time the other day, and I have to say, I wondered WTF they were doing in a copper mine? I would've wondered WTF they were doing in caves if they'd been in caves I suppose, because I thought the end would play out at the remains of the old camp. Silly me for wanting slasher films to make sense.
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