HAPPY FRIDAY THE 13TH ~ FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 13

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Holy Hockey Masks! Another Friday the 13th in one year and we're only three months in! So once again I recommend a healthy regiment of horror films today and especially (at the very least) a scary movie tonight. As always a Friday the 13th film would be ideal but in this case any horror film or scary TV show would suffice.

And for those of you lucky enough to have a local cinematech playing the new horror film IT FOLLOWS I very much recommend you check it out.

 

At this moment I am watching Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (Part 4, don't let the subtitle fool you;) Why I recommend this particular film in the franchise: Simply put, it's the most fun of the bunch. The Final Chapter ends what is known as the original Jason Trilogy. Part II is technically where Jason comes in as the killer, taking up the reigns from his mother. He wears the classic burlap sack over his head in his first real outing. Then in Part III about halfway through he dons the iconic hockey mask.

The first three films in the series are essential horror viewing. But where the series really shines or rather is its dirtiest, grittiest, and filthiest is Part IV, The Final Chapter. Jason is far more brutal and terrifying in this film than perhaps any other. There's a ton more nudity in this one than the whole of the original series (Parts 1-8). The kills are wicked brutal (courtesy of the great Tom Savini) and the gore effects are incredible. And last but not least is the star power of Corey Feldman and Crispin Glover (Crispin Glover before he did Back To The Future). Part IV really is a wonderful send off for the series (even if that send off was short lived). It's also debatable whether or not the series ever reached a peak like Part IV ever again.

Speaking of send offs, if they ever make another Friday the 13th film it will be the 13th film in the series. Okay, you can't quit making films at Part 12. I'm sorry, you just can't. It would be like having six gunfighters in the Magnificent Seven or having the action in Assault on Precinct 13 occur at Precinct 9. You just don't do that. Having said that, the 13th Friday the 13th can't just be another Friday the 13th. And if for some horrible reason they think it's a good idea to make it PG-13 (you know, cause somebody thinks having another 13 in there is clever or funny) please please don't.

The 13th Friday the 13th should be treated as the slasher flick to end all slasher flicks. It should put Rob Zombie's films to shame. It should do Tom Savini proud. It should have the highest body count, the most shocking murders, the bloodiest goriest scenes in the entire series. The filmmakers should pull out all the stops and make it like there's never going to be another horror film ever again. If it they can evoke some actual scares out of the audience too that would be the icing on the cake.

It would be a huge responsibility and an immensely tall order. You should NOT treat it as if it's a joke or just another horror film. It should be Jason's greatest outing. It should be a film that makes viewers nervous to watch. One that restores Jason's reputation as the baddest of the bad. Nobody's safe. It should dare the next horror filmmakers to top it. It should live on in infamy for at least 5 years as the king slasher film of them all.

I'm saying this as a fan and I hope you all agree with me. Somebody needs to get the message out to Hollywood or whoever the hell is thinking of taking on this project.