DVD Review: Friday the 13th One, Two and Three
Paramount Issues New Editions of First Three Films in Jason Series
Mar 9, 2009
In the eyes of way too many people, the Friday the 13th film series has always as its main star, that most misunderstood of forest roamers, the hockey mask wearing Jason Voorhees.
But as many later learned (for the most part having seen the introductory scene from Scream where poor Drew Barrymore gets, um, quizzed to death), it wasn't until a few movies into the series, when the trademark look of the tall, slow, hacking and slashing killer, really took form.
In the spirit of having re-released a new interpretation of the character and his back story (with the recent release of a new Friday the 13th), Paramount Home Video came back out with the first three installments of the classic series, with improved sound and picture sure to be a killer (pun intended) with hi-def and sound system enthusiasts.
An Overview of Friday the 13th, Friday the 13th Part II, and Friday the 13th Part 3, 3-D
It all starts with a group of camp counselors headed for a camp to be re-opened, Camp Crystal. The locals warn the young sexed up teens that the camp is cursed, with some murders having taken place there many years before, after a young physically deformed boy named Jason Voorhees drowned.
Those responsible for his safety were too busy "getting to know each other" (a dangerous pastime in this film franchise), and weren't there to save him. Sadly, said lovers were viciously murdered, and the camp was closed.
And so, despite the warning of perennial local "Crazy Ralph" (Walt Gorney), those wild and crazy teens (one of them a yet to become famous Kevin Bacon) head out to Crystal Lake, in search of good times.
As the film progresses, the poor clueless youths get offed one by one, by an unknown assailant. Only the young and innocent Alice (Adrienne King) manages to survive through to the end credits, having discovered the killer to be Mrs. Voorhees (Betsy Palmer), Jason's mom. Not quite right in the head, she is channeling her son's vengeful spirit (or is she just plain nuts?), and fights Alice to a climactic battle near the lake, where Alice lops Mrs. Voorhees' head off.
Friday the 13th Part II more or less picks up where the first film left off, with a useless introductory killing of the first movie's heroine Alice (King), which is pretty much the only connecting link between both movies. Part II introduces us to a new group of teens (usually about 7 or 8 of them, which leaves plenty of running time and fresh bodies to kill off), this time at a neighboring camp, not far from Crystal Lake. These new counselors are there to train in how to become able leaders in summer camp, under the watchful eye of their head counselor, Paul (John Furey).
Paul tells them of the dangers of the woods (bears), and the local urban legend of the Voorhees killings and of the drowning child. Unbeknownst to the group, the young Jason had not drowned as told in stories, but in fact survived and has been living in the woods ever since.
Jason Gets Revenge
And so, despite new repeated warnings from Crazy Ralph (why doesn't anyone ever listen? Oh yeah, anyone who didn't, died...), these new counselors go about pretty much the same activities as that of the first film's gang, namely teen sex, and general disorderly ruckus.
Jason comes out of hiding, and exacts revenge on those who wronged him (well, those who look like the ones who wronged him, as 20 years have passed...silly Jason), and so this latest batch of poor saps get viciously offed one by one, in true Jason fashion, leaving one lone, innocent virgin alive (Amy Steel), who tries to trick the killer into thinking she's his mother, before hacking a machete into his shoulder.
Much as with the first installment (why mess with a winning formula?), Ginny comes to in an ambulance, thinking it might all have been a dream. Jason's fate is unknown, leaving the door open for...Friday the 13th Part III.
By this point having reached the conclusion that any innovative changes to the formula would upset the core audience, the filmmakers kept the same elements (disposable teen victims, young innocent virgin heroine, Jason inexplicably back yet again), but added the unusual gimmick of presenting the film theatrically, in 3-D. Though some of the shots are done simply for commercial effect (ooooh, look at the machete, almost looks like it pierced the screen!), the overall illusion fails badly, and so the film was also offered in normal format, having caused countless migraine headaches for the color-blind.
No appearance by Crazy Ralph this time around, but instead by a religious nut (David Wiley), who provides the usual story exposition. This time the main character is a girl named Chris (Dana Kimmell), and her connection to Jason is that she escaped his clutches a few years prior.
There is little need in telling you what happens next, only that the killings become more creative and inspired, and th audience is introduced to the most recognizable device in the series, Jason's hockey mark. Given Jason's disfigured appearance, he dons the mask, instantly becoming an icon of American horror films. Many films followed (nine of them in fact), each finding new ways to make for original killings, each with its special brand of violence.
Friday The 13th: 8/10 for being the quintessential clever horror film, with good twist ending
Friday the 13th Part II: 6/10 for being repetitive without being as inventive as the original
Friday the 13th Part III 3-D: 4/10 for being downright awful, and for attempting to increase attendance with a failed, cheap gimmick (and uncomfortable glasses)
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