Friday the 13th Blu-ray delivers great video and solid audio in this enjoyable Blu-ray release
Terror and suspense abound in this 24-hour nightmare of blood. Camp Crystal Lake has been
shuttered for over 20 years due to several vicious and unsolved murders. The camp's new
owner and seven young counselors are readying the property for re-opening despite warnings of
a "death curse" by local residents. The curse proves true on Friday the 13th as one by one each
of the counselors is stalked by a violent killer. This film is widely acclaimed for its horrifying
and creative murder sequences.
You're going to camp blood, ain't ya? You'll never come back! It's got a death curse!
The Horror genre enjoys a somewhat unique cinematic history of building series through
memorable characters terrorizing audiences in numerous entries. The trend dates back to the
days of the
classic Universal horror pictures, where The Mummy, Dracula, Frankenstein, and a host of others
famous monsters and villains appeared in picture after picture, but one could argue that it wasn't
until the late 1970s and through the decade of the 1980s, what many may call the "golden age"
of the genre, did
the trend of returning characters and recurring themes in the pictures make its mark on
Hollywood
and particularly on audiences around the world. 1979 saw the first publication of the cult
magazine
Fangoria (though it would be several issues before it found its stride), and only a few
months prior, John Carpenter's Halloween premiered,
the film the first of the "big three" horror franchises to launch and set the standard for the Horror
genre for years to come. Sandwiched between the release of Carpenter's slasher and 1984's
debut of Freddy Krueger in A Nightmare on Elm
Street was the 1980 release of Friday the 13th, a small picture shot on a
shoestring budget that has positively blossomed into the face of the Horror genre, the first title
many will utter when asked to name a Horror movie franchise. Spawning nine sequels, a "vs."
movie alongside Kreuger, and an upcoming remake, the franchise is both a trend-setter and the
gold standard on which Horror longevity is measured.
...and almost 30 years of terror!
Once known for its carefree summers, happy campers, and eager teenage counselors, Camp
Crystal Lake has deteriorated over the years after an accidental drowning and the murder of several counselors the following year. Now, years later, the camp is re-built and on the verge of once again
welcoming dozens of enthusiastic young campers, much to the dismay of the locals, who proclaim
the camp cursed. Camp counselors, arriving early to assist with the final preparations, enjoy the
hard work and reap the rewards, which includes drinking, casual relationships, and murder. As
the sun sets, the wind blows in, the thunder rolls, and the rain pours, Camp Crystal Lake once
again witnesses a night of terror as a mysterious figure, bent on revenge, brutally murders the
counselors one by one.
Without spoiling the end of the film, it is safe to say that Friday the 13th courageously
varies from other slasher pictures thanks to its rather unconventional nemesis. While the movie
is absolutely straight formula through to the end, it works well for exactly that reason.
Friday the 13th is the absolute standard of carefree, promiscuous teenagers-in-peril
slash-and-hack filmmaking. Nevertheless, the picture always manages to throw a few curves at
audiences, particularly in the case of the first of the "present day" victims, Annie. The first-time
viewer, or even the repeat viewer who has not seen the film in some time, will believe her to be
the heroine, the "last girl standing," the battered, bloodied, but not defeated female who will
survive the experience, or at least survive through to the final shot. Director Sean S.
Cunningham easily convinces audiences she will be the film's main attraction on the "victim" side
of the ledger, and her death in the opening minutes of the film comes as quite a shock, the result
of good filmmaking to be sure. As alluded to above, the movie plays as straight-as-an-arrow
formula until the killer is revealed, but it does it so well from an entertainment perspective that it
really doesn't matter. The victims are developed just enough to ensure that audiences become interested in their fates,
though there is never any doubt as to what those fates may be -- and the film revels only in
making sure each meets with a suitably memorable demise.
Speaking of the kills, and there are several rather bloody ones, Friday the 13th features
its
fair share of gore -- though it plays out as somewhat tame up against today's standards.
Unlike many of today's horror movies, however, Friday the 13th tries to rely on real
scares and a surprisingly decent story to make up for the lack of over-the-top blood, brains, and
guts. Yes, it is possible to follow formula and weave an acceptable tale to carry it along, and this
film's biggest asset is that it is the first in the series, and it does a fine job of being a good movie
in its own right by creating a lore and setting up the subsequent films in the series. The acting
throughout the film is passable at best;
each performer is sufficiently good at playing an average hormonal teenager, and equally efficient
at playing scared and, well, dead. Director Cunningham also lends steady, interesting direction to
the picture. The handheld, first-person camera is used to fantastic effect here, as it puts the
audience in the eyes of the killer in many scenes. This camera effect provides a very noticeable shift in the feel of the film, but fits in well, only making an appearance here and there. Otherwise, the film features
straightforward, no-nonsense direction.
Friday the 13th sets up camp on Blu-ray with a well-done 1080p, 1.78:1-framed
transfer. This is a rough-looking film in many spots, and the opening sequence, in particular, isn't
all that pretty, but it looks good considering the source. It's excessively grainy and rather dark,
but improved clarity and resolution over previous releases is immediately noted. However, once
the film gets past the opening credits, it opens up to a sharper, more colorful, and more richly
detailed presentation, revealing plenty of impressive visuals. The opening shots of Annie hiking to
the camp are well done; the exterior shots of the town and the interior of the store both look
great. The film truly shines in these bright, outdoor, daylight sequences; colors are bright, but
not overly so, and natural; the greens of the grass, the coarse, gray pavement of the streets, and
the bright red color seen on several vehicles all come together for a look that is about as close
to eye candy as one can get from a now-vintage and low budget horror picture. Even background details remain
solid; clumps of trees and dense foliage never look like green globs, but rather appear natural and
distinct, even at a distance. As the film moves along and day turns to a rainy, cold night, the
dark, dreary, foreboding look seen in the opening moments of the film returns, but the transfer
remains impressive. Blacks are fairly noisy, maybe a bit crushed, but they remain a deep black
rather than a shade of gray. The print exhibits a few speckles here and there, but the source is
in very good shape otherwise. Longtime fans of the film should be ecstatic with this
presentation. Newcomers need be aware that the film is grainy, and that the grain is retained to
nice effect throughout, and that Paramount has definitely delivered on this release.
Friday the 13th slashes onto Blu-ray with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack in
addition to a monaural presentation. This is a nice audio presentation in the context of the source.
It is somewhat front-heavy but also rich and full sounding; the score heard over the opening credits
is particularly impressive, playing as lifelike and intense, with a very fine sense of hearing a live
performance. Throughout the film, sound effects and dialogue are strong, maybe sounding a bit
unnatural, but its more due to the source rather than the soundtrack on the disc. Chapter six
offers up the sounds of an impending storm, though it comes across as more of a hiss rather than a
well defined, natural sounding weather maker, but again, it's due more to the limitations of the
original sound mix rather than the Blu-ray soundtrack presentation. Friday the 13th could
have arguably benefited from a remix to incorporate the back channels and subwoofer more, but as
always, it's better to stick as closely to the original presentation as possible. This lossless track
allows room for the track to breathe a bit, spread out across the front, and offer more in the way of
fidelity and clarity. It beats the mono soundtrack hands-down without becoming an entirely
different animal.
Paramount's Blu-ray release of Friday the 13th features plenty of special features. A commentary track with director Sean S. Cunningham, author Peter Bracke, screenwriter Victor Miller, and others, headlines the package. The track is spliced together from different
sources,
but still flows well enough. There is plenty of fascinating information to be heard here, on the
background of the production and the team, how the story came together, information on and
from
the cast, the score, and plenty more. Fans will enjoy this track a great deal. 'Friday the 13th'
Reunion (1080p, 16:45) features a 2008 panel discussion recounting memories from
the film. Participants include special effects make-up artist Tom Savini, "The very first Jason" Ari
Lehman, writer Victor Miller, actresses Betsy Palmer and Adrienne King, and composer Harry
Manfredini. Fresh Cuts: New Tales From 'Friday the 13th' (1080p, 14:07) features a
hodgepodge of information, including the influence of Halloween on the picture, casting,
special effects, the music, and more.
The Man Behind the Legacy: Sean S. Cunningham (1080p, 8:58) is a solid sit-down
piece with the film's director. He discusses the influence the film has had on his life, the film's
purpose, the making of the special effects, the participation of his son Noel in his work, and his
thoughts on the sequels. Lost Tales From Camp Blood - Part 1 (1080p, 7:31) is a goofy,
dimly lit short where a couple are killed by Jason. The 'Friday the 13th' Chronicles
(480p, 20:34) is an additional piece that mostly recounts information already gleaned from
previous supplements, delving into the early stages of the production, the effects, the ending,
and more. Secrets Galore Behind the Gore (480p, 9:32) takes a closer look at the film's
gruesome special effects. Concluding the supplements is the film's theatrical trailer (1080p,
2:34).
No doubt about it, Friday the 13th is a classic of its genre. However, it hasn't achieved that
status because it is necessarily a great film. What it is is a fantastic example of the now
tried-and-true horror movie formula, not to mention the first film in one of the most lucrative and
long-lasting horror franchises in the history of cinema. This entry sets the stage well for the rest of the
films, features plenty of dead teenagers, a good twist, and a memorable ending. Hopefully,
Paramount will see fit to release the subsequent entries in the series in the coming months, and
continue to release them as quality Blu-ray product. The studio's release here is excellent. While
Friday the 13th isn't a glamorous movie, it translates well to high definition, and the movie
has never looked better. The soundtrack is suitable, the lossless mix adding a bit of atmosphere and
clarity to the also-included mono presentation. Finally, Paramount has included a healthy dosage of
bonus materials sure to satisfy fans. As one of the definitive Horror pictures in the history of the
genre, and as a quality Blu-ray release, there is no reason not to make a spot in the collection for
Friday the 13th. Easily recommended.
Kevin Smith is living the dream. His first film, 'Clerks', which he both wrote and directed, was made for under $30,000, yet managed to make 100 times that at the box office. Since then, he continues to write and direct his own films, has seen relative box office ...
Paramount Home Entertainment has revealed more details regarding the upcoming Blu-ray release of 'Friday the 13th Unrated: Deluxe Edition', which is currently scheduled to hit store shelves on February 3rd, day-and-date with the DVD release. Video will be presented ...
Paramount Home Entertainment has announced that they will bring 'Friday the 13th Unrated: Deluxe Edition' to Blu-ray on February 3rd, day-and-date with the DVD re-release. Technical specs have yet to be announced, but you can expect the usual Paramount treatment ...
