Yes, I know Halloween was two weeks ago. But I’m still not over fall and I’m getting stressed by all the stores already playing Christmas music. So you’re getting another spooky movie review this week.
I’ve seen Friday the 13th at least three or four times. Most people think of it as a silly slasher, super dated without really having much substance. But honestly, on my last viewing of it, I came to appreciate it a lot more. It’s a classic scary story about teenagers getting trapped in a campground with a deranged serial killer after them. While that seems pretty mundane for movies nowadays, the concept was quite new at the time. And even though some of the effects may be dated, there are quite a few good scenes that still hold up today. One of the kills, for example, has a knife piercing through a guy’s throat from beneath the bed. His head is clearly real, and I honestly couldn’t figure out how they got that shot to work. There were also some great POV shots that really added to the tension and suspense.
The other great thing about the original Friday the 13th is the twist villain at the end. Even though it’s been out for decades, if you ask people who the killer of the movie is, 90% of people will say Jason. But in fact, the killer in the original Friday the 13th is actually his mother, Mrs. Vorhees. The first time I watched the movie I was totally shocked and didn’t expect it at all. I feel like it’s almost better that the franchise has such a famous killer because it makes the twist villain a real twist for first-time viewers who are familiar with the franchise but never saw the original. Fun fact: although Jason is best known for his hockey mask, he doesn’t actually first put it on until Friday the 13th: Part III. In Part II, he’s just wearing a canvas bag on his head. I promise I’m not joking, you can look it up!
What’s also interesting is the fact that the film was filmed in Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco in Hardwick, NJ! Every time a Friday the thirteenth rolls around, they have a huge festival where people can go and take pictures with Jason and explore the campgrounds. They’ll even put together haunted houses and viewings of the film for the event. It’s so cool that we have a piece of horror history so close to us. I’d love the opportunity to visit the county for a Friday the thirteenth one day.
Overall, while it’s not the most deep and thought-provoking horror movie out there, it’s definitely a bit overlooked. It’s a fun watch with some great tension and some really creative effects for the time. If you’ve never seen the film before, definitely check it out. And maybe I’ll see you at Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco soon to visit the origin of Jason!
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