This one certainly takes a much more serious approach than the last installment
in the, as the synopsis on the back of the cover gladly admits, wildly
successful Friday the 13th series. And for once it didn't rely on
some whinny, annoying female to defeat the villain, but rather a male,
a young boy by the name of Tommy Jarvis, played by what I think is one
of the only actors in the entire series to really have a successful movie
career subsequent to his appearance in it, being Corey Feldman. The leading
characters performance, being Feldmans of course, was something that for
once can be noticed for its genius, rather than the amusement of its debility.
Crispin Glover, who co-starred, also does a good job as a sex-crazed geek
whose insecurities are the one factor which dominate his fine looks and
peculiarly enchanting personality.
Fans have said that this is the most compelling installment of all, and
although I'd have to disagree for the third continues to be I still very
much enjoyed it. (I gave it a top rating at five out of five, didn't I?)
It also had a likeable cast of characters. It had some great suspenseful
elements. Great special effects. Graphical and highly disturbing death
sequences for all those who crave for the extreme and the repugnant. (That
surgical hacksaw to the throat and the breaking of the night for Jasons
first victim was really something, shown in heartless detail that would
have topped the rest of the deaths out of the four installments that were
yet made if it wasnt for Andys in the third, where he is cut in half with
a machete while walking on his hands. After he buries that hacksaw to Axels
throat, he just twists off his head, just like that! Goddamn!) And, overall,
an actor who knew just how to portray, as the synopsis on the back of the
cover also says, Crystal Lakes least popular citizen. (In its day, anyway.)
The only major gap in the film is near its conclusion.
Struggling to save her life, Tommys sister does all she can to get away
from the madman who at this time subverted virtually all other existence
of humanity within the grounds of Camp Crystal Lake, while Tommy, in hopes
of saving both their lives, is busy shaving his head in aim to somehow
appear as if he was the madmans mother despite of the fact that Mrs. Voorhees
always had a full head of hair. (And didnt wear little kids cloth. And
obviously wasnt a male!) Anyhow, having done so, Tommy ultimately comes
face-to-face with his opponent and acts as if he was his own flesh and
blood by giving orders, an action that actually came to a success and prevented
the death of his sister and rather was the basis for the death of her tormenter.
This not only ridicules Jason but the film itself, and ruins the tension
that was felt prior to such imbecility. But then again, despite of such
weak writing, you should always have at least one good laugh before the
end of each Friday the 13th film. It's good to have one with friends.
It somehow wouldn't feel right otherwise. So it's all-good. I would strongly
suggest any fan of the series, or a fan of the genre itself even, to go
out and purchase this one, because, after all, most of them chose this
one as being their favorite.
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- Ted White, who plays Jason, refused to talk to the other actors
on the set, because he thought it would diminish their fear of Jason.
- In Part III, Jason's fingernails were neat and trimmed, but in Part
IV (which occurs the very next day), they are long and black.
- Ted
White has said he played Jason only for the money. In addition, he revealed
that he had insisted his name be excluded from the film's credits because
he felt uneasy about having played the role.
- It
has been said that the only reason Tom Savini worked as makeup artist on
this film was so he could kill the character he created (Jason Voorhees).
- Pamela Voorhees' tombstone reads "1930-1979". But Part 1 took place on June 13th, and 13 June 1979 was a Wednesday, not a Friday.
- In
one scene Rob Dier talks to Trish about his sister Sandra. Sandra Dier
was one of Jason's victims in Friday the 13th: Part 2.
- When they shot the scene where Samantha (Judie Aronson) is in a raft on
the lake, it was in the dead of winter. It got so cold that Judie started
crying, Jason actor Ted White got fed up and told director Joseph Zito
that he would quit if they didn't let her come out and warm up. They did.
