Starring: Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King, Harry Crosby (II), Laurie Bartram, Jeannine Taylor Directed By: Sean S. Cunningham Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Binding: DVD Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSC Label: Paramount Number of Items: 1 Region Code: 1 Release Date: October 19, 1999 Running Time: 95 minutes Theatrical Release Date: May 09, 1980
Amazon.com essential video: This splatter flick, along with John Carpenter's Halloween, helped spawn the great horror-movie movement of the '80s, not to mention eight sequels, many of which had nothing to do with the films that preceded them. It also gave birth to Jason Voorhees, one of the three biggest horror-movie psychos of the modern era (the other two being Halloween's Michael Myers and A Nightmare on Elm Street's Freddy Krueger). Forever duplicated, the original Friday the 13th popularized a number of themes and techniques that today are now clichés: the increasingly gory murders, the remote forest location, the anonymous and nubile cast, the murderer as cult hero, and, of course, the moral that if you have sex, you will die, very painfully. Still, if you have to see a Friday the 13th movie, this is the one to check out. A group of eager (and horny) teenagers decide to reopen Camp Crystal Lake, which 20 years earlier was closed after the shocking and mysterious murders of two amorous camp counselors. You can take it from there, as the teens get picked off one by one, during a dark and stormy night; of course, their car won't start and there's no phone. The ending stole shamelessly from Brian De Palma's Carrie, but it still provides a slight if campy shock. Look for a young Kevin Bacon as the requisite stud--you can tell that's what he is because when the cast appears in swimsuits, he's wearing a Speedo--who's the beneficiary of the film's best murder sequence, an arrowhead to the throat. Right after having sex, of course. --Mark Englehart
Psycho killer. Friday the 13th is wickedly delicious. The twist ending is definitely the sole reason to watch this '80s classic. Look for a young Kevin Bacon, let's just say he doesn't have a huge part, hint hint! The formula still works, love-sick teenagers get killed one by one at a remote camp and who exactly is the killer? You may be surprised, I highly recommend this cool purchase. Enjoy!
ONE OF THE BEST DAMN ORIGINAL HORRORS THIS IS WHEN HORROR WAS GREAT,SCARY AND IT WAS SCARY,BETSY PALMER DID THE DAMN FOOL,SHE WAS OFF THE CHAIN,SHE CAME OUT OF NO WHERE CUZ AT FIRST YOU THOUGHT SHE WAS A MAN,THEN AT THE CLIMAX OF THE END,SHE COMES OUT FROM THE MOMENT SHE APPEARED SOMETHING IN ME KNEW THAT SHE WAS THE PSYHCO KILLER,SHE WAS EXCELLENT!!!!!! SHE WHIPPED THE HELL OUT OF ADRIENNE KING !! IT WAS A FIGHT TILL THE FINISH AND ONE OF THE MOST ENJOYABLE
The first and most influential slasher. One of the first slasher movies and surprise twist, a FEMALE killer!!! Talk about ground breaking for it's time. Sickening, bloody, and terrifying. The original Friday the 13th deserves a place in everyone's library. Is it a good movie for kids? NO! Brutal, quickly paced, excellently acted (by Mrs. Vorhees anyway) A must see, this movie is legendary. Recommended.
Happy Birthday Jason!!! On June 13, 2008, I celebrated Friday the 13th by watching the first Friday the 13th movie. Over the ensuing weekend, I watched parts II through IV. The first four, in my opinion, were the best of the series. Together, they told an awesome story of an American icon that became a household name!
After watching "Friday the 13th," for what must have been at least the fifth time, I learned that Jason was actually born on June 13th. Happy birthday Jason Voorhees!!!! Your mom would've been proud of you if she hadn't lost her head at Crystal Lake!
I can understand why the Terror Trap (an excellent internet museum of classic horror) has "Friday the 13th" listed in their top ten of all time horror greats. It revolutionized the slasher frenzy of the eighties. Many directors were influenced by it. "Friday the 13th" was sandwiched between "Halloween" and "Halloween II." Because of "Friday the 13th," "Halloween II" had a much higher body count than the original.
What thrilled me the most about "Friday the 13th" is that the killer's face is never shown during the murders. Only their legs and feet. Now, after watching it again, it reminds me of the Italian gialli of the early seventies. An Italian giallo (mystery) generally involved a black-gloved killer whose true identity is never revealed until the end of the film. Specifically, it reminded me of Mario Bava's giallo, "Bay of Blood" (a.k.a. "Twitch of the Death Nerve") which involves a woods full of greedy relatives and associates killing one another for an inheritance. Many of the death scenes were imitated in the Friday the 13th movies, especially the first two. If you haven't seen "Bay of Blood," I recommend that you buy it from Anchor Bay since they have the best version.
"Friday the 13th" and its first three sequels are a must have for fans of slasher movies and Italian gialli. After more than twenty-five years, it continues to scare me.
Like so many other fans, I can't wait for "Friday the 13th the Series" to be released on DVD. I'm a little bit apprehensive about the remake scheduled for release on Friday, February 13, 2009, but I'll definitely see it.
A perfect film. The broodingly haunting nature of this film is it's attraction. The setting creates a sense of realism not present in modern day films. The lighting and sound create such a mood of serenity, that one is mortified when the murders begin.
The casting is strong. The acting, thus, is as strong as any film produced today. The line deliveries are realistic and the inflections are perfect. Betsy Palmer and Adrienne King do carry this film, but each actor plays a great role in the overall greatness of the 90 minutes.
The musical score, although I'm not usually fond of overbearing music in film, works here. The sounds created become characters in themselves. They infuse themselves within the very fabric of the picture.
Savini does a great job with the make-up/effects. The characters are just out of reach to the viewer, making the revenge murders not as horrifying. The viewer is mesmerized by the effect, all at the same time the brain isn't believing an effect is playing, it's real. Again, the effects become characters in the film as well. Each actor is remembered by their demise.
I don't think it's far reaching to say that this is one of the best films ever produced. The cinematography, direction, casting, effects, score and all the members who made this film did a great job. Ms. Palmer and the rest of the cast show us that great acting isn't reserved for the stage or "proper" films.
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