Favorite Friday The 13th Movie

"There's a legend 'round here...a killer buried but not dead." - the narrator

The horror franchise that had a stranglehold on my attention growing up was Friday the 13th. Jason Vorhees was a frickin hero in film lore. So I'd like to talk about my favorite Friday film. For all the Friday lovers, most of you will experience what is known as the jaw drop. Normally this particular Friday film is lucky to be on a top 5 Friday list let alone being someone's number 1. For me, it was a special entry to the series. Here's why Friday the 13th Part VII The New Blood is my favorite Friday the 13th movie.

Friday the 13th Part VII was the first Friday film that I was able to see at the movie theater. Up to that point, I watched the first six films in the series at the foot of my aunt's bed. She lived in Arlington, Va and there was a local video store called Erol's that she was a club member of. She'd let me choose any movie I'd like. More often than not most of my time was spent in the horror section. Back at her house, we'd toss a bag of popcorn in the microwave, and prepare the room for frights with the dimming of the lights. Chop slash chop. It was all good until those damn sex scenes came on the screen. I'd gleefully watch people get axed, women being thrown out of windows, limbs being torn off, blood squirting out of eyes, but when those breasts were exposed I'd slink into the floor with embarrassment pretending to have fallen asleep. I think I liked it.

   

It was 1988 and a new Friday the 13th film hadn't been released in a couple of years. I wasn't crazy about the 6th installment Jason Lives but was anxiously awaiting Jason's return. In the late spring of 1988, The New Blood was released. My cousin and I were escorted to a 10:00 pm showing at the Marlow Heights Cinema on the Friday night opening. At 12 years old I was NOT disappointed. The movie had enough thrills to keep my attention. Jason was bulkier in this movie and he tossed people around like an absolute beast. Ain't that right Melissa.
   

I attended a Christian elementary school at the time. Returning to classes that Monday I was the only kid in my classes whose parent would allow their child to venture out to see this movie shoulder to shoulder with the teenagers late on a Friday night. I commanded quite an audience during recess as I talked about my favorite scene. I re-enacted it over and over. Judy zipped herself in the sleeping bag. Jason dragged her from the tent visibly frustrated by her constant wiggling as Judy struggled in the bag he swings for the fences smashing her against a tree. That was awesome! I was told to stop talking about the movie by a teacher, but that didn't stop me. I had a strong whisper game.
  

The scene where the twisted, lying Dr. Crews comes face to face with Jason is executed perfectly. Dr. Crews is proven to be a jackass. He even has the face you love to hate. Moments before this scene he cowardly shields himself from Jason's machete with Tina's mother. His time is now.
With the camera focused on an exhausted, panicked Crews the music slowly starts and is accompanied by the sound of a buzz saw revving up. Jason steps from behind a tree with that saw on full blast! Crews runs! Jason slowly stalks.
   

This movie rocked. There is plenty of information now available about how the movie suffered from extreme editing forced by the MPAA to avoid an X rating. 

Also much like Halloween 5 The Revenge of Michael Myers, it was filmed and released at a breakneck speed. I believe approximately 5 months from casting to box office opening. I would have loved to have all this behind-the-scenes info at my fingertips 30 years ago.

#1 Scene: The sleeping bag kill mentioned above is quite possibly the most fun, vicious kill in the entire series.

    

If you are a fan of this franchise check out my Gift Guide For Friday the 13th Fans. You might find the perfect gift for yourself!