As I continue to dive into the world of horror, in both the written word and on the screen, I decided it was time to start working my way through the big slasher franchises of the 80’s. Of course I’m talking Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, and Friday the 13th.
Since I had the most “experience” with Jason Vorhees, Friday the 13th was the first series up to bat. So what follows are my rankings for the films in the franchise, pretty much capturing my immediate reactions as I see the majority of them for the first time. I also plan on updating this list as I continue my long camping weekend at Crystal Lake...
1. Friday the 13th Pt. 2
Horror is linked in my mind with scares (for obvious reason) and at this point in my viewings, Pt. 2 has been the scariest. While Jason has not assumed his final form by this point; this technically marks the first actual in-film appearance by Mr. Vorhees. There’s something truly terrifying in how he moves; he’s not the zombie-esque plodding hulk we see later on in the franchise. In Pt. 2, Jason will legitimately chase people for a kill. Also, this installment features my favorite of the final girls.
2. Friday the 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter
Definitely has the most “cinematic” feel to the first four installments; also features the most well-rounded cast of actors from the series. Crispin Glover is doing his own thing, and Corey Feldman demonstrates again why he was one of the best child actors we have seen in film. Of the four Fridays, this also is the most gruesome by far; with some great special effects work by Tom Savini.
3. Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives
Now this is more like it! After experiencing my new low in Part V, Part VI redeemed the series while reclaiming it’s star! It puts a wrap on the Tommy Jarvis story in a satisfying way, and features an entertaining cast of characters that inspired at least some measure of sympathy when they met their untimely demises. The nods to the classic horror films were also much appreciated, and I think the comedic aspects of the film are actually, <gasp> funny!
4. Friday the 13th
I appreciate the original Friday simply because nobody really knew what they were trying to accomplish. The movie’s title was conceived and marketed before there was an actual script; the producers worked backwards from the title (But to be fair, it is a GREAT title). The teens feel like real people, and don’t all fall into the archetypes that would come to define the slasher films of the 80’s and 90’s. This was the first Friday I actually had seen prior to this little experiment, so the reveal of the killer wasn’t the shock that it might have been otherwise. But the actual performance of the killer is delightful, even in a brief amount of screen time.
5. Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood
Definitely the biggest surprise thus far, considering the reputation of Part VII. Thanks to Camp Crystal Lake Memories, I was aware that the kills in this flick were horribly edited down, but even with that being the case I was appreciative the creativity the filmmakers were trying to display. It’s not exactly my favorite cast, but the overarching concept of, basically, Carrie Vs. Jason was something new. And the series after Jason Lives definitely introduced the idea of supernatural elements, so it’s not a huge jump to suddenly get a telekinetic powered teenager to face off against Jason. Also very much enjoyed Kane Hodder’s debut person as the Man in the Mask.
6. Friday the 13th Part 3-D
Of the early 80’s 3-D movies I still ride or die for Jaws 3-D, but if I’m being honest, the gimmick is utilized much better in the third installment of Friday. While it may have been a nightmare to get the exact shots they wanted to utilize the 3D technology, as a viewer I appreciated the astounding lack of subtlety. HERE’S A YO YO! WATCH THE POPCORN POP! It’s a gimmick, and I fell for it. Unfortunately, while there are some pretty great kills, this was the first ensemble cast I did not develop any attachment to. There are some...odd plot choices to say the least (Motorcycle Gang? Jason flashback?). However, I will give praise to the ending sequence of the film, which may feature the creepiest moment Jason has delivered (Who’s in the window?).
7. Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning
Oooof....this one was rough. While the look of the film is more akin to Part IV in terms of “feeling” like a professional production, actually watching it provides one with the idea that there were amateurs at the helm behind the camera. I am not looking for a Friday the 13th movie to always be tight when it comes to a script, but there are some glaring inconsistencies and confusing choices that are a major distraction. The “twist” was something I did know about beforehand, and the idea of it certainly didn’t bother me. I can appreciate what the series was trying to do. But they half-assed it, and didn’t commit. So by the end , you’re sitting there going, “Wait....what? Really?”
Since I had the most “experience” with Jason Vorhees, Friday the 13th was the first series up to bat. So what follows are my rankings for the films in the franchise, pretty much capturing my immediate reactions as I see the majority of them for the first time. I also plan on updating this list as I continue my long camping weekend at Crystal Lake...
1. Friday the 13th Pt. 2
Horror is linked in my mind with scares (for obvious reason) and at this point in my viewings, Pt. 2 has been the scariest. While Jason has not assumed his final form by this point; this technically marks the first actual in-film appearance by Mr. Vorhees. There’s something truly terrifying in how he moves; he’s not the zombie-esque plodding hulk we see later on in the franchise. In Pt. 2, Jason will legitimately chase people for a kill. Also, this installment features my favorite of the final girls.
2. Friday the 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter
Definitely has the most “cinematic” feel to the first four installments; also features the most well-rounded cast of actors from the series. Crispin Glover is doing his own thing, and Corey Feldman demonstrates again why he was one of the best child actors we have seen in film. Of the four Fridays, this also is the most gruesome by far; with some great special effects work by Tom Savini.
3. Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives
Now this is more like it! After experiencing my new low in Part V, Part VI redeemed the series while reclaiming it’s star! It puts a wrap on the Tommy Jarvis story in a satisfying way, and features an entertaining cast of characters that inspired at least some measure of sympathy when they met their untimely demises. The nods to the classic horror films were also much appreciated, and I think the comedic aspects of the film are actually, <gasp> funny!
4. Friday the 13th
I appreciate the original Friday simply because nobody really knew what they were trying to accomplish. The movie’s title was conceived and marketed before there was an actual script; the producers worked backwards from the title (But to be fair, it is a GREAT title). The teens feel like real people, and don’t all fall into the archetypes that would come to define the slasher films of the 80’s and 90’s. This was the first Friday I actually had seen prior to this little experiment, so the reveal of the killer wasn’t the shock that it might have been otherwise. But the actual performance of the killer is delightful, even in a brief amount of screen time.
5. Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood
Definitely the biggest surprise thus far, considering the reputation of Part VII. Thanks to Camp Crystal Lake Memories, I was aware that the kills in this flick were horribly edited down, but even with that being the case I was appreciative the creativity the filmmakers were trying to display. It’s not exactly my favorite cast, but the overarching concept of, basically, Carrie Vs. Jason was something new. And the series after Jason Lives definitely introduced the idea of supernatural elements, so it’s not a huge jump to suddenly get a telekinetic powered teenager to face off against Jason. Also very much enjoyed Kane Hodder’s debut person as the Man in the Mask.
6. Friday the 13th Part 3-D
Of the early 80’s 3-D movies I still ride or die for Jaws 3-D, but if I’m being honest, the gimmick is utilized much better in the third installment of Friday. While it may have been a nightmare to get the exact shots they wanted to utilize the 3D technology, as a viewer I appreciated the astounding lack of subtlety. HERE’S A YO YO! WATCH THE POPCORN POP! It’s a gimmick, and I fell for it. Unfortunately, while there are some pretty great kills, this was the first ensemble cast I did not develop any attachment to. There are some...odd plot choices to say the least (Motorcycle Gang? Jason flashback?). However, I will give praise to the ending sequence of the film, which may feature the creepiest moment Jason has delivered (Who’s in the window?).
7. Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning
Oooof....this one was rough. While the look of the film is more akin to Part IV in terms of “feeling” like a professional production, actually watching it provides one with the idea that there were amateurs at the helm behind the camera. I am not looking for a Friday the 13th movie to always be tight when it comes to a script, but there are some glaring inconsistencies and confusing choices that are a major distraction. The “twist” was something I did know about beforehand, and the idea of it certainly didn’t bother me. I can appreciate what the series was trying to do. But they half-assed it, and didn’t commit. So by the end , you’re sitting there going, “Wait....what? Really?”