Friday the 13th Series Appreciation Thread

[kyouki]

There are tons (okay, 10.5) of Friday the 13th movies. Some are better than others, but all are enjoyable on some level.

This is a thread in which we can discuss the good things about this series, and about the individual movies. We can even list some recommendations, if that's what we want to do!

I'll start!

Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI
The Friday the 13th series, in my opinion, got better and better with each sequel. Parts one through four are alright, and I do enjoy them. However, parts five through nine have always been my favorites as each one has a great little concept. Five has the camp for crazy kids. Seven has the psychic girl. Eight has Jason kicking that boombox. Nine has a lack of Jason but oodles of great effects and a great ending.

Part six however, is the "gateway" Friday. This is the goofy slasher movie Scream tries to be. People who don't care about horror movies can't help but smile throughout this movie. Whether it's the scene where Jason gets totally pissed off when that one girl spills beer on his head, or that scene where he gets shot with a paint gun and (I like to think) has a look on his face (behind his mask) of total confusion, slow understanding, and then righteous fury, there is at least one scene in this movie that the most anti-horror person can love.

[nukfut]

Parts I-IV have always been my overall favorites, with Part II coming in first [with a bullet]. I enjoy them all [with the exception of Manhatten, which I hate] but in the end, human Jason beats zombie Jason every time for me.

[Anthropophagus]

Parts I-IV are my favorites too. With The Final Chapter being my personal favorite, great cast and you can't top Tom Savini's machete through the face effect. However, I even have a soft spot for the over the top gore and nudity of part V, that one made a huge impression as a kid. Debisue Voorhees was hot as hell. It all went downhill from there for me though. The teen friendly part VI was tolerable, the rest I can live without. Manhatten, Goes To Hell, and X are just terrible IMO.

[KR~!]

My favorites are

Part 2 - Best one IMHO
Part 6 - Funny but where's the gore, I sure wish it was uncut
Part 4 - Jason dies, not really, this one was my favorite as a kid
Part 7 - Cool film, but I wish it was uncut

I don't like the 1st one too much, nor Part 3 or 5 or 8.

The other Jason films are utter crap.

[onebyone]

I love them all, save Jason Goes to Hell. If Jason is there killing the assholes and the sluts, you just can't go wrong. The series is one of my favorites.

[RyanPC]

My favorites are parts 1-3 and also part 5, which is likely the most underrated film in the whole series. All the rest are moderately entertaining, but not very good. While I like the character of Jason better, I think the Nightmare on Elm Street series is much more satisfying overall. That could be because there aren't as many entries in that series.

[DefJeff]

I really enjoy parts 1-5 and X, but 4 would be my overall favorite.

Part 4 is sporting what is the best kill in the entire series IMHO, the wine cork remover/butcher knife kill. I also thought Jason was pretty mean in this one and that's always fun. Part 5 has a nice runner up though, with the hedgeclipper/eye cutting.

Part 3 has one of my favorite horror movie moments ever in it, where Jason just casually strolls out after obtaining his famous hocky mask and nails that girl with the harpoon. Good fun to be had by all.

I'd love to know how they came to the decision to give Jason a hocky mask. I always thought "sack head" Jason was fairly effective, I wonder why they felt the need to change?

[Crazy Ralph]

F13 is the best franchise of any genre (IMO), HOWEVER, New Line really fucked it up with Jason Goes to Hell. I give them kudos for Jason X, which I like alot, but there is no contest when it comes to parts 1-4. They are what this series is all about!

[sacateca]

i've liked 1-4, 6 and 10, and was disgusted by 5 which was just dumb and not at all funny in my opinion (i kept repeating to my wife "what the hell is this?" while watching every time yet another idiotic joke or gag would surface). The best of those were 1, 6, and 10. 2-4 are just mediocre slasher-films with some entertainment value. And 7-9 are yet to be seen.

[kyouki]

Well, I had a little Friday the 13th weekend last week!

I watched part VI Friday night, VII Saturday night, and then VIII Sunday night. The biggest surprise to me was that my wife loved them, and she's not a big horror fan at all. Every day she would ask, "Are we going to watch another Jason movie tonight??" We'll watch parts 1-5 this week, and when I get in IX and X we'll then complete the series, possiblt topping it all off with Freddy vs Jason.

I have to say that I enjoyed VI more than VII and VIII, though I do still think those are great entries in the series. I didn't mind that VIII took place mostly on a boat.

I'm excited to watch part V again, as this is the one I have the fondest memories of. When I was a kid I caught it on HBO at a friend's house and was terrified... and it was the first Friday movie I had ever seen. I watched it again on VHS a few years ago and really enjoyed it, though that might be nostalgia.

[speanroc]

1-4 , the rest r garbage

[Wez4555]

i actually like all of them. 5 is my least pick. of coarse who can resist the black guy, with the curl, singing "oooooooo baby ooooooooo baby" over and over till hes killed. prolly the best part of the movie.

[dayglo]

Of coarse who can resist the black guy, with the curl, singing "oooooooo baby ooooooooo baby" over and over till hes killed. prolly the best part of the movie.

Part 5 is my guilty pleasure of the series, I got to enjoy it more with each viewing. Gotta love Miguel Nunez Jr. who sung to us in the shitbox as "Demon", and went on to be "Spider" in Return Of The Living Dead. :D

http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/187/Yougonnagetit.png

[KillerCannabis]

I'm a huge F13th fan and I've got my favorites like everyone else. Parts 2-4 are solid gold. I can't even pick a favorite because it's that close. I've always enjoyed the original but never loved it, mostly because Jason ain't really in it. Parts 6 and 7 have always rocked due to the excessive amounts of 80's cheese and Jason looking fucking bad ass. I've always hated part 5 not because it's a bad movie, but I always felt cheated that it wasn't Jason doing the killing. Part 8 is decent, but not stellar by any means. JGTH is a complete turd with the exception of a few key scenes. Jason X is pure fun. I loved it. I really hope they give us at least one more flick so I can see Jason sporting his old school mask and wiping out innocent teens.

[ReelFear]

1-4 are the best. I love all the films, but 5-8 really suffer from violence cuts and generic characters.

Part 8 Jason Takes Manhattan is for me the lowpoint of the entire series.
When people dismiss the series as "Just some guy running around in a hockey mask killing teenagers", I have to admit, part 8 is that movie!

[Mortis]

Miguel rules. He's good in everything I've seen him in/on.

Part 5 is my guilty pleasure of the series, I got to enjoy it more with each viewing. Gotta love Miguel Nunez Jr. who sung to us in the shitbox as "Demon", and went on to be "Spider" in Return Of The Living Dead. :D

[It's me, Billy]

1-6 are my favorites. It should have ended with Part VI: Jason Lives. That is a badass Friday the 13th flick and, as far as I'm concered, the last really great film in the series. It had the best ending too. Jason is chained at the bottom of Crystal Lake, believed to be dead....until we see that closeup shot of his eye opening underwater with creepy music playing in the background. Then the closing credits with Alice Cooper's "He's Back! (The Man Behind the Mask)." Awesome. I loved Jason's look too. Jason's best appearances have been in parts 3, 4, and 6. C.J. Graham made a great Jason Voorhees. The location they used (Covington, Georgia) was really beautiful and I really like the performances of Thom Mathews and Jennifer Cooke.

http://horror.1nsan3.com/Pics/f-13_6_2.jpg http://horror.1nsan3.com/Pics/f-13_6_8.jpg

Parts 7-10 I can do without. I can watch 7-9 and be entertained, but they pale in comparison to 1-6. Jason X is awful. I don't like to watch that one. Jason is a joke in that film. He looks so fucking stupid. Fuck that shit.

[baggio]

Part 7 is my favorite. Although I enjoy all the rest. Part 7 could have been close to perfect if not for the last scene. I only wished John Carl Buechler would have directed more fridays. There just something special about that movie. The production quality is the best. Jason never looked so good(and I don't just mean Hodder) There's a viciousness to all the kills, that was not present in the first 6. I know there were some violent kills in the first 6 films but in part 7 its as if Jason was so pissed off. Take the end scene in the basement, there was such portrayal of anger by Jason(all without speaking) That whole ending starting from when the bitchy blonde opens the door was awesome. From the FX to the stunts, to the way Jason acts. I can watch the whole sequence over and over again. The way he flings the girl behind the TV set was fantastic. that little touch is what I'm talking about that makes the movie great. It was a kill then , get the F out of way. The kill, the anger, the stunt(by the girl), the realistic action(they didn't go to far, like having him throw her 30 feet in slo mo), NO CGI. I have yet to see something of that calibur in a long time.



One of my favorite parts(which just about nobody talks about) is when he comes in the house and while trying to corner Tina and Nick. And Jason quickly closes the door to prevent them from going in that direction. It gave him a very human factor. Or when Jason yanks off the wire from around his neck. I'll put that non speaking moment by a killer against just about any other slasher movie. It was like , "thats it your F'n dead bitch"

Just thought of another scene. Its from Part 8(which alot of people don't like) When he slams that druggie's head into the drain/steam pipe. Thats the anger I'm talking about.

[kyouki]

The Jason & Tina/Nick confrontation at the end of part VII is indeed great. It's funny you mention the scene where Jason buries an axe in that girl and flings her across the room... that scene really stands out in my mind. You can just tell he was thinking, "Who are you? Get the hell out of my way." She was just a speed bump in the way of his destination! I love it!

The stunt where Jason goes crashing through the stairs was also done very well.

[baggio]

If you think about , that whole end has incredible stunt work. Girl thrown behind the TV, the stairs(both the crash and the breakout), drop to the basement, fire, porch collapse, etc... And NO CGI. just a little stop motion on the wire and the gas can nozzle.


Even the part earlier in the movie where Jason crashes through the kitchen window. Another great stunt.

And what about the part when Tina and Jason meet on the road. The sound and visual are really great.

[Cantona07]

I like them all especially parts 3 and 4.

[Peter Vincent]

Each has their own charm (some less than charm than others). I love me 1-4. The score is pure classic Friday The 13th on the 1st 4.

U know, I was watching IV this past Friday the 13th and I was thinking if a visionary director came out with a concept that would go back to this formula. A little less Jason (which makes for a SCARY Jason when he finally DOES appear), a little more mood setting and lots of general scares and Part XI can kick a$$!

[baggio]

U know, I was watching IV this past Friday the 13th and I was thinking if a visionary director came out with a concept that would go back to this formula. A little less Jason (which makes for a SCARY Jason when he finally DOES appear), a little more mood setting and lots of general scares and Part XI can kick a$$!
I agree with that concept. Part 4 had those qualities.

Besides Joseph Zito not doing to much now a days anyway. That brings me to an interesting question. I wonder why directors that did horror films early in their career that currently don't have any interesting projects going on aren't contacted to direct a horror film again. Especially horror movies that were very good. Take Zito for example, he did Friday part 4 and The Prowler. after that he mostly action films then staight to video stuff. What gives? Can't Savini get this guy some horror work. He did it well.

Seems back then when you directed horror that was considered a low point in your career. Very few chose to stick with it.

[thrashard76]

Part 7 is still my fave. 8 for the chessy parts and Freddy VS Jason is good too.

[kyouki]

Well, I watched Jason Goes to Hell and Jason X last week.

Jason Goes to Hell was very disappointing. I remember it being one of my favorites when I was younger, but now it's just boring. The humor felt forced and the script was terrible... just the word "fuck" over and over and over. It got tiring. Great special effects though. On top of it all, Jason looked terrible.

Jason X was a lot better. Great special effects, a less annoying script, and a plot pretty similar to the best of the Friday films (Jason stalks kids, kills them). Robo Jason wasn't so bad... it was pretty brief. I loved the holodeck scene. The only really annoying character was that one girl that made a joke every scene. Ugh. She reminded me of that one jackass in the Dawn of the Dead remake that had a "sarcastic and witty" comment every time he was on the screen.

Next up: Fridays 1-5.

[DefJeff]

I thought Jason X was great fun. I love some of the kills in it, especially the girl getting her face frozen then smashed and that one hologram camper getting smashed against the tree in her sleeping bag, it was good to see them put some brutality back in Jason and his kills.

I didn't think "Jason X" himself was bad at all, and the fight with him and the android chick was really fun to watch. This is one of the few horror movies that the comedy worked really well for me in.

[baggio]

I thought Jason X was great fun. I love some of the kills in it, especially the girl getting her face frozen then smashed and that one hologram camper getting smashed against the tree in her sleeping bag, it was good to see them put some brutality back in Jason and his kills.

thats was a great scene. A great example of pissed off attitude Jason should be promoting in his scenes. I love the disgust he shows by throwing the chick to the floor. The only problem I have with the sleeping bag scene, is that it looked kinda comical vs the one in Part 7. Anyone else agree on this point. I've thinking about that one scene ,every since the movie came out. The robo Jason I don't really have a problem with its just that one part. Its as if it was a pillow full of a few soda cans. Vs what it should be heavy over a hundred pounds. Like in part 7 , it took some effort to slam it into the tree.

[life_o_petey]

some Jason love:

http://s9.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3J1KPALF8COMQ1KN1745QXKT5B

[kyouki]

We watched the first Friday the 13th movie, and I had forgotten how much I liked it! For some reason I had remembered the series starting out kind of lousy and improving as it went along. However, the first movie is great. I was impressed with some of the shots (when Alice and Bill break into the office to use the phone and it is revealed that the line has been cut, and the whole scene is one awesome tracking shot from the outside, to the window, then up to the line), and the scenery was nice.

[kyouki]

We watched part two last night. It was very entertaining, but I don't feel it was shot as well as the first movie. It was pretty standard, though I have a soft spot for the movie due to fact that we get to see Jason's house! You also get the very first "Jason head tilt" and most of the effects are great. I even liked all the characters, except for that one really annoying "funny" guy.

[Horrorphilly]

I grew up on the early Friday the 13th movies.I totally love 1-5, they have that awesome "camp slasher" feel to them.Part 6 is another fav of mine, great soundtrack,we get to see Tommy Jarvis again,and some awesome kills.The rest of the movies are good but I could do without some of the charactors, Like the girl with the telekinetic powers, I could do without her.What ever happened to Jason just killing people, keep it simple.Thats what you expect when you watch a Friday the 13th movie, or atleast I do.