On the strength of the bonus features alone, most fans of this franchise should be plenty happy.
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If you stop and think about it, there will probably not be another horror movie franchise as prolific or as brutally panned as the "Friday the 13th" set of movies again. Rivaled only by horror meister Wes Craven´s 7-part "A Nightmare on Elm Street" series, "Friday the 13th" follows in the same gory footsteps as the granddaddy of slasher horror flicks, John Carpenter´s 1978 classic screamer, "Halloween", which, by no coincidence, also has its own series of sequels. Together, all three sets of franchises have amassed their own loyal cult followings and they form the original unholy trinity of the horror movie slasher sub-genre. Previously only released individually on DVD, Paramount has now decided to group all the eight "Friday the 13th" movies in its library into a convenient DVD box set. Featuring two movies per double-layered, single-sided disc, this collection consists of four DVDs that are used to store the eight films and an extra fifth disc chock full of bonus features. The big question now is, is this new DVD set worth an upgrade for those who already own the individual releases on DVD? Let´s find out, shall we?
For a decade--from 1980 to 1989--the legend of Jason Vorhees was fully exploited and perpetuated by Paramount Studios to the incredible tune of eight motion picture films and a short-lived television series. After that, over the years, New Line Cinema released three subsequent films that featured the Jason Vorhees character: "Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday" (1993), "Jason X" (2001) and the recent clash of the sickos, "Freddy Vs. Jason" (2003). "Friday the 13th", the ultra low-budget first movie that started it all, was made for approximately $700,000 in 1980 and became a major success at the box office, scaring up tens of millions of dollars in profits. As you can imagine, Paramount instantly recognized the film´s potential to make even more money and the sequel, "Friday the 13th Part 2" was rushed out the door the following year. Comparatively, this sequel also performed reasonably well at the box office and the maniacal rush to get more sequels made--for better or worse--officially began in earnest!
Who would have thought that an unknown slasher flick made with very little money and with a group of unknown actors, would become the king of movie sequels? Who would have thought that the immortal Jason Vorhees character will die and be resurrected countless times, well into the new millennium, more than twenty years after he first appeared? Although not as extensive, there is a kind of precedence for this, with another horror cult favorite, George A. Romero´s 1968 zombie classic "Night of the Living Dead" and its two subsequent zombie-tastic sequels "Dawn of the Dead" and "Day of the Dead". What makes this long string of "Friday the 13th" sequels such a unbelievable streak is the plain fact that it started as just a straightforward slasher flick but later on, had to morph into something with a more supernatural slant in order to explain away Vorhees´ continued resurrection. The simple story of a disfigured psychotic madman going on a killing spree, spilling the bloody guts of close to a hundred horny teenagers with various sharp implements doesn´t lend itself to be the high point of any moviemaking venture. Like it or not, the campy qualities of the "Friday the 13th" movies are also its biggest selling points. Anyone going into a "Friday the 13th" movie knows what to expect--no clever plot twists but plenty of gore, blood and boobs (in that order). With each new addition to the series, the various directors are able to find new, innovative and bloodier ways to kill some poor schmuck off. Apparently, in this unique case, familiarity does not breed contempt. Instead, for fans of this franchise, familiarity is like comfort food, just bloodier. One might call these movies fun, silly, vulgar or even banal but it´s hard to argue with millions of dollars in box office profits. As always, money talks and quality takes a long walk into the woods around Camp Crystal Lake, never to be seen again.
While Wes Craven´s "A Nightmare on Elm Street" franchise, with the creepy blade-fingered Freddy Kreuger as the ultimate bad dream, is potentially the better horror movie (depending on whom you speak to), both artistically and plot-wise, "Friday the 13th" is essentially the peak of horror movie exploitation. Making use of unknown but attractive young actors and actresses who have no qualms about removing their clothes on camera, one can conclude that, to some degree, the T&A factor had an impact in propelling the series forward, one sequel after another. Using visually excruciating ways of killing unfortunate victims as a way of shocking and wowing its audience, "Friday the 13th" proves that exploitation does indeed pay.
What surprises me the most was how serious the "Friday the 13th" films took themselves. The first one was a genuine classic slasher flick in the tradition of Carpenter´s "Halloween". However, as the sequels piled on, the various directors who took the helm blew the chance to take the genre in a new direction. It was not until Part 6 "Jason Lives" that a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor was inserted into the story. That made "Jason Lives" unique among the eight films and the most fun to watch without all the trappings of a typical "Friday the 13th" formula.
"Friday the 13th" is also famous as one of renowned horror effects make-up artist, Tom Savini´s works. Although he only worked on the first and fourth chapter of the franchise, Savini´s name alone on the first film´s credits is enough to bring in the fans. Highly praised by George A. Romero, Savini also worked on Romero´s "Dawn of the Dead" and "Day of the Dead" films. Notable actors who have had a relatively successful career in acting after appearing in any of the eight "Friday the 13th" movies include Kevin Bacon, Corey Feldman and Crispin Glover. The rest, unfortunately, went into obscurity.
Before I start to briefly review each of the eight movies on this DVD set, I must first warn our readers that some spoilers will be revealed. Seeing that these movies are not new and most of you would already have seen many of them anyway, I sincerely hope that this won´t become an issue. Besides, we are talking about "Friday the 13th" here. Most of you already know what to expect.
Friday the 13th
"Friday the 13th", the original movie that started it all. One tends to forget that in this first movie of the franchise, the now-legendary Jason Vorhees is not--surprise, surprise--the killer but actually the reason for the killings. Director Sean Cunningham did a great job of hiding the identity of the killer until the very end. This movie proves that there is nothing scarier than a delusional and murderous mother seeking the ultimate revenge for her dead son. Part 1 is actually quite a well-done, low-budget thriller. Back then, a female killer, even in the movies, is rare and unexpected, which might help explain the movie´s box office success.
In 1957, a boy named Jason Vorhees was killed in a drowning accident at the now-infamous Camp Crystal Lake. Apparently, the camp counselors who were supposed to be watching the kids were busy making out somewhere else and were unable to prevent the accident. The movie opens with the killing of two counselors (again, making out) in 1958, a year after the death of Jason. Flash to the present and after many years of the camp being abandoned, it is now set to open for business again under the helm of Steve Christy (Peter Brouwer). As a new group of camp counselors gather for training sessions and to help spruce up the place, they are stalked by a mysterious figure in the woods. Like the first "A Nightmare on Elm Street" film, which featured a young Johnny Depp, "Friday the 13th" had its own soon-to-be-a-star actor in the form of Kevin Bacon. Although she only appears toward the end of the movie, Betsy Palmer plays a very convincingly maniacal Mrs. Pamela Vorhees, mother to the future serial killer of America´s teenage generation! Only a single counselor, Alice (Adrienne King) survives Mrs. Vorhees´ killing spree.
Friday the 13th Part 2
Bucking conventional wisdom, this first sequel actually improved upon the original. It is also the first film to feature the now grown up Jason Vorhees (played here by Warrington Gillette) in his full murderous glory. Like a mad backwoodsman stalking his prey, Jason is portrayed in his most primal state, with just a cloth bag over his head! The famous hockey mask only makes its appearance in the next sequel. To remind the audience of what previously happened in the original movie, this one opens with Alice having flashbacks dreams of her traumatic experience at the hands of Mrs. Vorhees.
It has been five years since the death of Mrs. Vorhees and another group of camp counselors have made camp on a site adjacent to Camp Crystal Lake (also known as Camp Blood because of the previous murders). Like the last movie, this group of teens is also preparing the site for the arrival of the summer camp crowd. While Alice did not seem to exude the proper toughness in her role as the final survivor of Mrs. Vorhees´ rampage, the new heroine Ginny (Amy Steel) is not only more attractive but also tougher and smarter when she comes face to face with the hideously disfigured Jason. A great example of Ginny´s street smarts is how she is able to quickly recognize Jason´s reverence for his dead mother and is able to exploit it in order to escape certain death. One of the biggest disconnect that gets perpetuated throughout the rest of the sequels is the origins of Jason, who was thought to have drowned as a child.
Friday the 13th Part 3: 3-D
This third installment is probably the campiest and exhibited in its full 3-dimensional glory. In exploiting the 3-D gimmick, you will find silly camera angles like being at the bottom of a yo-yo swing or the top of juggling act or in the direct path of a spear exploding from a spear gun. Also look out for a small tribute to horror make-up effects artist Tom Savini when a girl picks up a copy of Fangoria magazine with an article about Savini.
Part 3 opens with a rather long rethread of the last 10 minutes or so of the previous movie. It has nothing to do with this movie but only serves as a reminder that you are watching (drum roll, please!).....yet another sequel to "Friday the 13th". The premise this time is a little different. No more camp counselors but a group of friends out having a good time at a cabin in the woods. No mention about the timeline but from a TV news broadcast, it seems to be the day after the attack in Part 2. The heroine this time is Chris (Dana Kimmell), who had encountered Jason (this time played by a burlier Richard Brooker) in the woods before. The how or why the encounter happened is briefly explained but essentially the plot for Part 3 is inconsequential. It is just a thinly veiled excuse to get the kids to where they can be stalked and killed by Jason. There is even a tribute to the original film where we see Chris, waking up on a canoe the morning after killing Jason and is pulled into the water by a decomposed version of Mrs. Vorhees, wearing her familiar gray sweater.
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (Part IV)
This fourth chapter in the Jason saga is probably one of the better ones among the eight movies here. Instead of sticking to the usual formula, director Joseph Zito and screenwriter Barney Cohen opt to shift the focus from having a heroine/damsel-in-distress match-up with Jason to an unlikely hero that, as the title suggests, will finally kill off the indestructible fiend. Tom Savini makes a triumphant return to the "Friday the 13th" franchise, conjuring up his own brand of gory make-up magic. "The Final Chapter" is also notable for featuring two icons from the 80s--a very young (pre-"Stand By Me") Corey Feldman and the weirdly wonderful Crispin Glover (George McFly from "Back to the Future").
Picking up immediately from the end of Part 3, we see Jason´s body lying dead in the barn after his final encounter with Chris. As Jason´s body gets transported to the hospital morgue, we get a strong sense that our stone cold friend is not really dead. At the same time, we are introduced to the Jarvises, Mrs. Jarvis (Joan Freeman), daughter Trish (Kimberly Beck) and the young Tommy (Corey Feldman), who are vacationing at a cabin in the woods in the same area. When a group of teenagers (what else) move into the house next to them, little Tommy is treated to an accidental peep show while looking through the window of the house next door and the sight of the kids skinny-dipping at the lake. This chapter (and also the next one) has perhaps the most gratuitous T&A of all the eight films.
As one might already expect, Jason wakes up at the morgue and goes on his usual murdering jaunt. Only this time, he gets his just deserts at the hands of none other than Tommy, who flies into his own rage, whacking away at Jason like a maniac. Of course, even though this film is titled "The Final Chapter", the potential for another sequel is always present and the final shot of Tommy flashing an innocent smile (remember "Omen"?) puts that option squarely on the table.
Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (Part V)
Another sequel was never in doubt, was there? What´s a brand new year without another new "Friday the 13th" sequel? Even though Jason was killed in the previous film, the specter of his presence is always near and still as menacing as ever. But how do you bring back a dead guy? There are ways and this film shows you one of them. Also, among the first five movies, this one seems to be one of the better produced ones. Maybe it is a bigger budget (I can´t confirm that) or better film stock but "A New Beginning" doesn´t have the feel of a low-budget B-movie. Immediately, you could see the difference in the video images between this film and the previous ones. Acting is still horrendous but who really cares, right?
Aptly titled "A New Beginning", it continues the saga with a now-older Tommy Jarvis (John Shepherd). Tommy continues to be haunted by nightmares of his past encounter with Jason. Institutionalized for years because of his uncontrollable rage, Tommy is now sent to a halfway house (conveniently located near Camp Blood) for wayward teens, awaiting his integration back into society. As soon as he arrives, grisly murders start happening and the body count begins to rise. Someone is going on a killing rampage. Has the real Jason Vorhees risen from the grave or is Tommy the guilty one?
Friday the 13th: Jason Lives (Part VI)
I must say that Part VI is my favorite among the eight movies here. Not only is the story, written by writer/director Tom McLoughlin, interesting, "Jason Lives" employs a little bit of tongue-in-cheek humor that have been sorely absent from the series so far. Like the previous chapter, the production value on this movie is further increased, resulting in a big step away from its B-movie roots. Surprisingly, "Jason Lives" does not contain any nudity, which is, I think, a first for this franchise.
Again, this chapter continues on the Tommy Jarvis story, the only person to have killed Jason Vorhees. Now much older, Tommy (this time played by another actor, Thom Mathews) is still haunted by nightmares of Jason (C.J. Graham). Planning his own brand of therapy, Tommy figures that the only way to finally get rid of his fear is to personally destroy Jason´s body once and for all. So, Tommy returns to the Crystal Lake area (now renamed Forest Green) and digs up Jason´s grave and proceeds to jab a steel stake into his maggot-infested rotting heart. As luck would have it, a lightning bolt strikes the stake and jumpstarts old Jason´s heart. Dare I say it? Heeeeee´s Baaaaaack!!
Horrified at what he has done, Tommy tries to warn the local law enforcement officer, Sheriff Garris (David Kagen) but to no avail. Obviously no one believes his tale of Jason coming back to life, except for the sheriff´s attractive and rebellious teenage daughter Megan (Jennifer Cooke). As luck would have it, Camp Forest Green (yup, it was renamed too) is in full swing, with dozens of young children in attendance. As the body count rises, Tommy not only has to find a way to kill Jason and send him back to his grave, he has to also convince the sheriff that he is not the real killer.
As I said, this is the best chapter in the entire series. "Jason Lives" does not exclusively rely on the use of T&A but is able to capture the real essence of the slasher genre with the use of genuinely scary and tension-filled scenes. Also, humor is used at appropriate times without threatening to cheapen the original horror story and turning it into a slapstick mess.
Friday the 13th: The New Blood (Part VII)
Unfortunately, the best chapter in the "Friday the 13th" franchise was followed by the biggest disappointment so far. Part VII, also titled "The New Blood", falls entirely flat in every department. From the story to the acting, everything about it never worked. With this latest disastrous chapter, you can just feel that the franchise is on its final legs.
When Tommy trapped Jason under Crystal Lake at the end of the previous movie, it is only a matter of time before someone comes along to set the maniacal killer free. And that someone turns out to be a girl with telekinetic and psychic abilities. Tina (Lar Park Lincoln) used to live by the lake with her parents until one night, in a fit of rage, she accidentally used her telekinetic powers to bring down a jetty that her father was standing on, resulting in his death. Now years later, on the advice of her sleazy psychiatrist, Dr. Crews (Terry Kiser), Tina and her mother (Susan Blu) returns to the cabin by the lake to confront Tina´s guilt about killing her father. However, soon we find out that the good doctor has his own agenda. Instead of trying to help Tina, he purposely puts her under more intense stress in order to bring out her telekinetic powers. By accident (again), Tina uses her powers to release Jason (Kane Hodder) from his watery grave. Immediately, Jason continues from where he last left off, killing off a group of horny teenagers staying at a cabin by the lake and anyone else that happens to get in his way.
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