Customer Reviews

Friday the 13th (Widescreen)

5 star:		(149)
4 star:		(70)
3 star:		(92)
2 star:		(27)
1 star:		(29)

 

 

i have no doubt that if i had seen this when it first came out in
1980,it would have scared the crap out of me.in the present day
though,i didn't find it scary,mainly because i have seen so many
horror/slasher movies since then.this movie is hardly graphic or
shocking at all compare to today's feature film,and even some TV
shows,for that matter.however,i will say really enjoyed the musical
score by Henry Manfredini,who must have been influenced strongly by
Bernard Herman,who scored Psycho.i believe Kevin bacon makes his big
screen debut here,but i could be wrong.the acting for this type of
movie is fine,although i have to single out Betsy Palmer for really
standing out.this movie spawned,i believe,10 sequels,all differing in
quality.my vote for Friday the 13th is a 3/5

The original Friday the 13th is not the first, the most original, or the best slasher film ever made, but it is arguably the most influential. You almost have to take off one of your socks to count all of the sequels (and impending remake) this slasher granddaddy has spawned, and I daresay the majority of slasher films littering the genre in all the years since were constructed on the generic and simple framework of the Friday the 13th formula. Critics are still foaming at the mouth in indignation over this film all these years later, so you know it did something right. Of course, by today's standards Friday the 13th registers low (if at all) on the fright meter and really isn't all that gory, but no one can dispute the fact that this film set the stage for innumerable bloody slasher films to come.

Halloween, which is technically a much superior film to this one, had already been released and made lots of money, so it's easy to see why Sean S. Cunningham (who had already cut his horror chops on Last House on the Left) wanted to try his hand at creating a scary slasher film of his own. Cunningham did not have a big studio backing him, so he had to make this an independent, low-budget (barely more than half a million dollars) project. With almost all of the action taking place at Camp Crystal Lake, all Cunningham had to do was to find a viable old campsite, populate it with unknown actors (one of which, Kevin Bacon, went on to become a household name), kill his characters in compellingly different yet simple ways, and smack an ending on top of it. In some ways, it sounds like an almost haphazard project. The controversial gotcha scene near the very end, for example, was never in the original script - instead, it was added late in the game on the advice of special effects makeup guru Tom Savini, who had just seen Carrie. That is only one of several obvious influences worked into the film - even the famous Jason music leaves a trail of musical crumbs back to the shark music in Jaws (30th Anniversary Edition). Despite of everything, though, Paramount liked the final product, bought up the distribution rights, and the film hit box office gold. The rest is horror - and cinema - history.

As we all know by now, little Jason Voorhees drowned in 1957 while the counselors who should have been watching him were busy having sex. A year later, two counselors at the camp were brutally murdered (as they were getting it on, of course), with the murderer never being caught. That was more than Camp Crystal Lake could endure, and it soon closed its cabin doors for good. The residents of Crystal Lake know to stay away from the lake and "Camp Blood," but Steve Christy has decided he's going to open the place back up. He's supposedly been working to get the place ready for a year, but it's still a run-down dump. He's hired all of the requisite randy teens to serve as counselors/murder victims (anybody who plays strip Monopoly out in the middle of the woods is practically begging to be eviscerated by a mad killer), though, so everything is in place for good, old-fashioned bloodbath. All we need is a killer.

The one thing I've always admired most about the slayings in the Friday the 13th movies is the sheer efficiency of them all. Even at the beginning, before Jason himself ever lifted his first machete, the killer is all about getting the job done and going on to the next victim. That's not to say the murders aren't stylish and impressive, though. I just wish they would have been a lot gorier. Clearly, this film does have a few problems and doesn't deserve five stars on its own merits. When you figure in the immense influence this film has had on the horror movie genre and pop culture itself, though, I think it rightly deserves that fifth star.

If you've never seen the original Friday the 13th, you need to see it - especially if you've watched several of the sequels. After all, an incorrect answer to the question of who did the killings in the original Friday the 13th film will get you banned from all horror fan clubs for life.

Le premier volet de la saga Vendredi 13 , selon moi n'est pas le meilleur , ni le pire. Pour le scénario cé corect comparément au autres volet que l'histoire est toujours la meme. Coté gore , ca aurais pu etre mieux , la plupart des meutres sont vu apres l'acte. Cé un film a voir et tant qu'a moi Jason est un de mes slasher préféré.(un erreur coté traduction, Jason étant appeller Jacki dans la version FR)

Though I enjoy Jason Voorhees a lot, this is the best Friday the 13th. For the most part, this movie actually didn't have that bad of acting, as did the sequels. It's better because it is the original storyline. The sequels are better in that since Jason is the killer, he has unique and gruesome ways of killing people, and he's much scarier and would be much harder to get away from.
This movie has everything that a horror movie should have. There is no way someone can go through their life claiming to be a huge horror fan and have no seen this movie INCLUDING the sequels. If you like teenage horror with plenty of killings, get this. A good movie to start off your horror collection.

"Friday the 13th" is a typical slasher from the early 80's, only it's better than most. Despite critics, like Roger Ebert and Lenorn Maltin giving it ridicuosly low ratings, it really isn't as bad as they claim. In fact, the scripting, at least, is every bit as good as that of "Halloween"'s, only it isn't as well made and certainly not as original. Almost everyone knows the plot-line, even those who have never seen it, so I won't bother on outlining it. And if you are familiar with it, then you know what just about every "Friday the 13th" is about.

After taking in and enjoying 'Freddy vs. Jason' at a friend's place some time back, I decided to delve into the past cinematic exploits of the movie's titular combatants. So I hit the local rental shack and picked up the initial installment of the 'Friday the 13th' series. And after givin' it a view I found myself kinda disappointed... 'cuz it wasn't really all that scary to me. Okay, so the scenes showing the chick gettin' an ax to the forehead, and Kevin Bacon literally being given the shaft were a little nasty... but scary? Um, no. I even found myself saying, "Ah, give me a break!" out loud during the former scene, it was so silly. Not even the climactic head-chopping scene did anything for me-except perhaps snicker at the relatively hokey effects involved. It mighta looked somewhat realistic at the time it was filmed, but to me it resembled the kinda gore effects you'd see in a Troma film with a slightly higher budget!

On the upside, I rather enjoyed the hokiness and predictability of the proceedings. This first 'Friday' also set up a few of the franchise's staples, like boinking and use of illicit substances leading to the untimely demise of the victims by the killer. And we can't forget the scene following the climax that suggests the carnage ain't over, and a sequel is afoot! Which I'll be checkin' out the next time I hit the local rental store. Hopefully it'll actually be a little scarier than what I saw here...

'Late

Friday the 13th is probly the mostpopuler horror film, it's alot of fun and get's you to jump 2 or 3 times, but doesn't capture the true horror of other great horror films like Halloween and Black Christmas, I like it but it's nothing to die for, it still worth seeing though.

Director; -Sean S. Cunningham.. -Did a o.k job on
this one.. -And took it with this low budget
camera angle's.. -Really good.. -The music by
Harry Mandfredini.. -Is wonderfull.. -I've have
bought all the DVD'S.. -The picture is down right
top notch.. -Way two go paramount..! -I'm ashame
that their are no extra's for this film..?

As far the rest of it's sequel's that came.. -But
we get something good.. -Here.. -Their is a decent trailer..?
That is a bit longer.. -But it is worth a shot..
this was 24 dollers when it was release two DVD..!
Not a bad price.. -Sean Cunnignham.. -The producer
of; -The Last House on The Left.. -1972.. -Doe's
really outlandish jabb with the murder scene's..

Great outdoor camp set up by the director of
photography.. -The musicial score creeps and creeps
until the movie is over with.. -Even though the
old score is tame by other horror film's..
Today..!

I know that others said this before..! -I am a
horror slasher fanatic..? -I've been watching horror
all my life.. -But; -Sean, -fitt's this with the
buck.. -For a real horror fan in him..?

Don't worry about those ho hate; -Part 2.. -It
was a great sequel.. -But; -is the same thing as
this bread genera.. -This is; -Kevin Bacon's..
first role; -As a sex crazed staffer ho will be XXX
by Mrs. -Voorhee's in a bunck bed in the middle
scene.. -Which is one of my favorite; -scene's..
perfectly; -executed..?

The movie begin's, -with; -Two staffers getting bump
off by Mrs. -Voorhees.. -The Prowler.. -Ho ever..!
As the movie goe's two the present.. -We are introduce
two Annie.. -The food cook for the inner kidd's..
Doe's the stupidest thing is getting hitched by
local driver's.. -But one warns her about Crystal
Lake's past history.. -Such as the drowning of the
boy; -bunch of fire's.. -The Poison.. -Which is
one of my favorite dialoge of this movie..

Then we meet all the rest of the staffers.. -Staff..
ho don't listen two crazy ralph.. -We have two
practicle joker's.. -Which is; -Ned.. -One of the
worst actors out of all the; -"Friday the 13th.."
film's.. -But he is really good in some terms..?

I love it when the lady's are playing poker and
take off their clothe's.. -Threw out the game..?
one wears underwear.. -And ask Kevin Bacon that
she has two go Pee..! -Their are a lot of jumps
and scares in every angle.. -Two me..! -These
movie's are no longer scary for me.. -A Nightmare
on Elm Street.. -1984.. -Gave me nightmares for a
week.. -So did; -Stephen King's.. -Cult classic..

"Carrie.." -1975.. -But; -this is a rare and rawest
flick that ever came across.. -And if you look at
those other rip off's like; -"House on Sorrority
Rowe.." -It just do the trick..

Adreinne King.. -Is a lot better scream queen..
she is much similar next two; -Jamie Lee Curtis..
but annoy's me at the end of the film.. -I was

glad two see her die at the beginnig of part 2.
so their is my review..

Friday the 13th is good for a slasher flick, but isn't all that great alone. BUT, it IS the best of the Friday the 13th series. It's not just kill, kill, kill from beggeinng to end like the sequels are. It actually has some substance to it. Yet it is not the "funnest" of the series. The sequels are more enjoyable to watch. Reccomended if you like early-80's slashers.

If your into horror watch this.The film has great death scenes, a good plot, and decent dialogue.The music is great and the ending is extremely suprising.Some of the characters are memorable while others are just stupid and you wanna see them killed.Make sure to check this one out.Despite repeated warnings to stay away, a group of fun-loving but none-too-bright teenagers set out to reopen the eerie Camp Crystal Lake, which closed 20 years earlier after a series of bizarre and unexplained deaths. Now someone is lurking in the woods, spying on the happy campers, and plotting a gory, grisly revenge on those who would disturb the camp's slumber.
(8/10)