The beginning of the most successful slasher franchise
Released in May, 1980, "Friday the 13th" was produced in the wake of the success of 1978's "Halloween" and also shares elements of "Carrie" (1976) and "A Bay of Blood" (1971). The story revolves around a cursed summer vacation spot, Camp Crystal Lake, New Jersey, and the slayings of young camp counselors. Critics slammed the film and I'm not sure why since it's in the same league as the acclaimed "Carrie" and "Halloween." Regardless, it was hugely popular at the box office, making far more than any of the sequels until "Freddy vs. Jason" in 2003. As of this writing there are 12 movies in the franchise and another in the works, making it the most successful slasher series and one of the most successful franchises of any genre.
I'm not a gorehound at all and only occasionally watch slasher flicks, but I'm a huge fan of the "Friday the 13th" franchise. Why? It has nothing to do with nostalgia since I didn't become a fan until I was well into adulthood when I saw 1985's "Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning" on TV one night. I think I like these movies because they typically involve young adults in a fun camp-type environment in the woods, which naturally stirs fond youthful memories; the presence of a lunatic unstoppable killer, who becomes more and more of a hideous monster, just adds an air of danger and suspense to the dramedy and adventure. Add scores of gorgeous females and various filming locations around North America and you have a fabulously entertaining franchise that has yet to end.
Speaking of the women, this first movie is highlighted by Annie (Robbi Morgan), Alice (Adrienne King) and Marcie (Jeannine Taylor) with honorable mention to Brenda and Claudette, the latter from the opening 1958 segment. As far as dudes go, a youthful Kevin Bacon is on hand as one of the counselors.
As for the filming locations, this one was shot in the remote townships of Hardwick, Blairstown & Hope, New Jersey. It's interesting how none of the films were shot at the same location even though, typically, the location in the story is Camp Crystal Lake and that general vicinity. Other locations include Connecticut (II & IX), California (III, IV, V), Georgia (VI), Alabama (VII), British Columbia (VIII & XI), New York City (VIII), Toronto (X & XI) and Texas (XII).
It's the camp-like settings of most of the franchise and the unstoppable monster that is Jason Voorhees (and the demonic thing that possesses him, his mother and others, as disclosed in 1993’s “Jason Goes to Hell”) that especially sets "Friday the 13th" apart from similar franchises.
Concerning the tone, the first two films are serious in nature with the expected antics of youths on vacation in the woods, but the franchise introduced a campy element in Part III, which rears its head in several entries (V, VI, IX and X) until the reboot in 2009. Not that I'm complaining much, as these films are only quasi-believable anyway. Speaking of which, the only thing questionable about this first film, as far as realism goes, is how the killer is able to throw an adult corpse through a window or hang a body from a door, etc. But I suppose these things can be attributed to the powerful psycho Voorhees gene (or the hellish entity that possesses them).
Many people find these films scary and shocking and the first two movies have some slightly chilling aspects, some of the others as well, I guess, but, with the exception of the 2009 reboot, I don't usually find these movies particularly scary. They're sometimes creepy, sometimes suspenseful, sometimes exciting and always entertaining, but not scary (although there are numerous jump-scares, of course). In fact, I usually bust out laughing at the inevitable death scenes.
I give "Friday the 13th" a high rating because it IS an effective film in the oft-maligned slasher/horror genre, not to mention it’s iconic and kicked-off this amazingly successful franchise. No genre is beyond redemption if done right; and that's the case here.
The film runs 95 minutes.
GRADE: A-