Friday the 13th (1980)

Friday the 13th (1980)


Ah the 80's, such a glorious time I wish I could have had the pleasure of enjoying at a later age than which I did. Infact, when this movie came out, I had yet to exist, but yet, a short 30 years later, I can still appreciate the work that went into this film and works of similar ilk that hearken back to a bygone era.

The 80's slasher film was a celebratory time for horror films that has yet to see similar resurgence and appreciation in this day and age. Sure we are inundated with knockoffs, remakes and so forth, but none of these films have the lasting classic feel that the 80's greats were able to establish. Films like Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, and Halloween. Classic B-movies that established the "rules" of self-referential slasher films of today, the films that created the clichés we know and love. I can appreciate films like SCREAM but in reality Scream was just a post-modern riff on the 80's slasher film without any genuine creativity.

What's even worse is the over-reliance on "torture-porn" films (a term I loathe by the way) like the Saw franchise. I loved the creativity of the first one but I admit I could care less for the seuqels. Same with Final Destination, an amusing flick that spawned uninspired sequels. Tiresome "jump-scare" flicks with an over-reliance on gore in lieu of creative story telling. Sure there is the odd gem thrown in here and there (I loved films like In The Mouth of Madness and Event Horizon) but really, 95% of "horror" films these days are forgettable, not worthy of being even in the same bargain bin as the classics.

Long rant aside, does that make this film good? Oh gawd no, not in the same sense as like the Godfather or anything, but yes it is good. The film is just as cheesy and ridiculous as it was back in the day but it conveys the, dare I say, innocence of the era. When kills occurred off-screen and the acts were left largely to the imagination. I know my imagination is much more vivid wondering where all the hapless camp counselors disappeared off to when they meet with the villain, and their demise is only hinted upon.

The age of the film only serves to make it more interesting in my opinion, as it shows what effort and story-telling can do in lieu of glossy graphics and an inflated budget.

As I write this, I am idly watching the second installment in the series courtesy of AMC's Fear Fest, but I won't write a review, because really this isn't a review for one particular film, so much as the entire era when horror meant something in film instead of cheap scares and commercialized tripe.

The Good: The 80's-ness of the film. Such a glorious time. The feel of the film breaking new ground before it became the crappy phone-it-in flicks we have today. Oh yeah, the film also sports vintage Kevin Bacon!

The Bad: Well sometimes the cheese-fest is a little much. "You're doomed! You're all DOOMED!"

Final Verdict: A classic. Need I say more?

Add to the Vault? Any self-respecting horror-nut should have this in their library, but truthfully you are probably safe from needing to buy it any time soon. There is a reason these films are considered classics, and why they are shown in abundance come every Halloween. Tis the season and all.


Till next time folks....