“His name was Jason” – Betsy Palmer, Friday the 13th (1980)
Horror films of the 1980s remain iconic and continue to inspire fans and creators globally. One film that started that era (plus its own franchise) was Friday the 13th by Sean S. Cunningham. Jason Voorhees became a household name for fans in a way that most movie villains do not. It had been a few years since I’d visited Crystal Lake that first time. With summer in full force, it felt like the right time to return.
Friday, June 13th
Five teens arrive at Camp Crystal Lake prior to the camp opening for the summer. Amid preparing the grounds and cabins and learning the equipment around camp, they enjoy their freedom from adult supervision as well. Following a visit from the police and an encounter with a local (who the police were looking for) who warns them to leave the camp because it is cursed, the campers begin to disappear one by one. Alice (Adrienne King) finds her friends in the night, brutally murdered throughout the camp. When she desperately reaches out for help, she finds that the truth is more terrifying than she imagined.
I did not enter the Friday the 13th universe until just a few years ago. I still have a lot to watch to get the full story, but I will never forget how I felt when I first saw the climax of this movie. Of all of the first installments of legendary horror franchises I have seen, I believe this is the only one that does not show the main killer. Alice checks so many classic final girl boxes while still creating something new for this story. I am glad I revisited this movie after so long. It is even scarier than I remember, and it has further confirmed that I will never go camping.
Until next time,
Jordan
By Night 