TMBTMB
TMBTMB

Track, discover and find where to watch TV shows and movies.

Discover

  • Movies
  • TV Shows
  • Browse
  • Topics

Account

  • Watchlist
  • Watched
  • Ratings

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Content Policy

© 2026 Movie Browser. All rights reserved.

Data provided by TMDB

Home
Browse
Watchlist
backdrop
backdrop
logo
Friday the 13th's hotter, weirder cousin that nobody talks about.
TMDB
59
Rotten Tomatoes
60
Audience Score
52
Watch(GB)

Just Before Dawn (1981)

backwoods nightmaresynth-drenched dreadwrong turn energy

Overview

HorrorThriller

In the Oregon mountains, a pair of hunters encounter a machete-wielding killer in an abandoned church. Meanwhile, five campers arrive to examine some property one of them has inherited but are warned by the forest ranger not to venture forth. Soon after they set up camp, they begin hearing strange noises, encounter a mysterious singing girl and start disappearing one by one.

Flag of USUS
Content warning
maniacmountainpsychopathrangercamp

Standout Aspects

Cinematography

Misty Oregon mountains look genuinely cursed.

Score

Brad Fiedel synths that slapped before Terminator existed.

Best for:Solo: Midnight viewing with headphones, questioning every creak.·Friends: Horror nights when you've exhausted the obvious slashers.
Heads up:Violence: Machete kills and incest subtext that's deeply uncomfortable.
Jeff Lieberman

Director

Jeff Lieberman

ReleasedOct 14, 1981
Runtime1h 30m
StatusReleased

Vibe

Pacesteady
Intensityhigh
Tonedark
Feelmedium
Oakland Productions

Top Cast

George Kennedy

George Kennedy

Roy McLean

Mike Kellin

Mike Kellin

Ty

Chris Lemmon

Chris Lemmon

Jonathan

Gregg Henry

Gregg Henry

Warren

Ralph Seymour

Ralph Seymour

Daniel

Charles Bartlett

Charles Bartlett

Vachel

Jamie Rose

Jamie Rose

Megan

Ask about Just Before Dawn

Opens AI chat

Deep Dive

Trivia, insights & behind the scenes

Trivia

Shot in Silver Falls State Park, Oregon. The 'abandoned church' was built specifically for the film and burned down immediately after.

Cultural

Lieberman made this between Squirm and Blue Sunshine, completing his unofficial 'nature hates you' trilogy of paranoid 70s hangover horror.

YouTube

KVOS Just Before Dawn 1987 TV promo

KVOS Just Before Dawn 1987 TV promo

Gallery(16 images)

Reviews

No ratings yet

Start the discussionBe the first to post — spoiler-safe
Rate & reviewBe the first to weigh in

Recommended

The Hangman movie poster (2024)
5.8

The Hangman

Whisper movie poster (2007)
6.3

Whisper

Stranger in the Woods movie poster (2024)
6.0

Stranger in the Woods

Alone movie poster (2020)
6.4

Alone

Friday the 13th Part 2 movie poster (1981)
6.2

Friday the 13th Part 2

They Reach movie poster (2020)
6.8

They Reach

Creep movie poster (2014)
6.4

Creep

Friday the 13th Part III movie poster (1982)
5.9

Friday the 13th Part III

Blood Punch movie poster (2014)
6.4

Blood Punch

The Caller movie poster (1987)
6.0

The Caller

The Evil movie poster (1978)
5.8

The Evil

Alone in the Dark movie poster (1982)
5.9

Alone in the Dark

Bloodline Killer movie poster (2024)
6.0

Bloodline Killer

Play Dead movie poster (2022)
6.1

Play Dead

Friday the 13th movie poster (1980)
6.4

Friday the 13th

More Like This

A History of Violence movie poster (2005)
7.2

A History of Violence

Natural Born Killers movie poster (1994)
7.1

Natural Born Killers

28 Days Later movie poster (2002)
7.2

28 Days Later

Saw movie poster (2004)
7.4

Saw

Groupies movie poster (2018)
4.0

Groupies

Saw III movie poster (2006)
6.4

Saw III

Saw II movie poster (2005)
6.6

Saw II

A Perfect Life movie poster (2011)
3.2

A Perfect Life

Spider movie poster (2002)
6.7

Spider

On Deadly Ground movie poster (1994)
5.2

On Deadly Ground

Gone in Sixty Seconds movie poster (2000)
6.5

Gone in Sixty Seconds

Children of Men movie poster (2006)
7.6

Children of Men

Swordfish movie poster (2001)
6.3

Swordfish

Friday the 13th Part III movie poster (1982)
5.9

Friday the 13th Part III

Sublime movie poster (2007)
5.3

Sublime

Discussion

Sign in to join the discussion — comments are spoiler-gated to your watch progress.

Discussion starters

View all comments →