By Kevin Hall
Who was the killer in the original Friday the 13th? Jason? If you think that
then you would have been another victim in the Scream movie, or I would have
sent someone to murder you myself because you are missing out on one of the best
slasher movies ever made. The original Friday the 13th is unique from the rest
of the series in that the killer is actually a vengeful mom (Jason's mother)
that seeks vengeance on those that didn't offer any help as her son drowned in
the water of Camp Crystal Lake. Another aspect that makes the original unique is
how it is a good standalone title in the series. It simply tells us the story of
Jason's mother shortly before Jason takes up the mantle for the rest of the
remainder of the series.
The story starts as the camp is reopened after several years as a new team of
feisty teenagers is brought in. One by one they fall victim to a mysterious
killer that works in the shadows. Like the rest of the series, the original
Friday the 13th has some very gory death scenes made by the famed Tom Savini,
known very well for his gory special effects in the old-school zombie flicks
such as Dawn of the Dead (1979 version). One thing I find most pleasing about
80's horror movies is that the directors usually aren't afraid to turn the
camera during the most brutal of death scenes. Friday the 13th shows most of its
deaths in full view as they take place.
Both Betsy Palmer and Adrienne King make the final few moments of the
original Friday the 13th one of the most memorable chase sequences in an
old-school horror movie. Jason's mother's psychotic behavior displayed at the
end of the movie adds a lot to her personality. It's as if her son is speaking
through her and, above all, she even answers her son (herself) at one part,
which, besides Normal bates in Psycho, displays one of the most psychotic minds
I have seen!
It's amazing how overall clear a 1980 movie can be restored on Blu-ray. This
movie was very sharp on my 42" inch plasma TV for the most part. During dark
portions of the film or certain other sequences there is some noticeable grain
along the background however, but it isn't all that common and the majority of
the movie is basically crystal clear.
I'm the type of person that usually doesn't bother with extra material on
DVD's but on this Blu-ray version, the makers included many interesting features
that involve the original cast from the film, which I found rather interesting.
There are a few interviews that involve Adrienne King, Betsy Palmer, Tom Savini
and much of the other cast and crew. There is also a short film feature where we
get to see a more modernized Jason death sequence.
Thanks to the power of Blu-ray, the music for the original Friday the 13th
has never sounded better. The familiar "Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch, Hh-Ha-Ha-Ha" sounds
fantastic. The music in the original is different from other slashers, in that,
it only plays when the killer is present. The music doesn't suddenly play to
highlight an emotional scene or attempt to scare you; it is only there to
highlight the killer's presence, which gives it a very unique feel when compared
to the rest of the series.
If you're a horror movie fan, you owe it to yourself to pick up the Blu-ray
version of this. The movie has been restored very faithfully for the most part
and the extras are rather nice. The original Friday the 13th is the most
important part of the story of the whole series and one that should be owned by
all horror fans!
Final Rating:
