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Amazon.co.uk Review
No matter how many sequels they've made or how big a hit it was in 1980, it's difficult to view the first Friday the 13th as anything but a quickie designed to cram in as many elements from horror movies that had been hits in the late 1970s--most obviously, Halloween and Carrie--while adding as little as possible to the formula. Director Sean S Cunningham has an archetypal plot at his disposal as a group of attractive, shallow teenagers out in the woods to reopen a once-cursed summer camp are murdered in manners designed to show off Tom Savini's gore effects. Kevin Bacon, killed early (arrow through the throat), is the only player who went on to have a career, and he hardly stands out from the strip-Monopoly-playing, goon-acting meat-on-the-hoof teens who fall prey to the mostly unseen murderer. That it's not a total write-off is down to a few neatly edited bits of classical suspense and, two decades on, a simmering nostalgia for a world of bouffant-haired bubbleheads in short shorts (and that's just the guys) observed by edgy subjective camera as the music hisses "kill kill kill".
On the DVD: Friday the 13th may be the least worthy of all horror "classics", but it's still nice to have an edition that (unlike earlier video releases) offers a 16x9-enhanced 1.85:1 restored image and a healthy dose of extras. The hard-sell trailer gives away most of the big scares, and so should be sampled after the film. The making of the movie is covered by a 20-minute "Return to Crystal Lake" featurette and a commentary track with input from many of the creatives (Cunningham, composer Harry Manfredini, stars Adrienne King and Betsy Palmer, writer Victor Miller). Some anecdotes get repeated, but there's a lot of solid background material. --Kim Newman
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
classic horror!,
This review is from: Friday The 13Th [DVD] [1980] (DVD)
i seen this when i was a kid and its still a top horror of mine.... a young boy who was not closely watched on camp one year drowned in the lake. years later the camp re-opens and the mother of the boy (known as jason) is still there bent on revenge for the death of her son and is willing to kill anyone. picking them off one by one she succeeds on most getting her revenge. class horror one that will stand the test if time. along side nightmare on elm st. dont take notice of any remakes. watch this one its the best.
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The One that Started it,
By A Customer
This review is from: Friday the 13th [VHS] (VHS Tape)
In the year 1957 at a Campsite buried in the woods a young boy drowns in the camp lake. The two councillors who were supposed to be watching him were making love at the time. One year later these two councillors are followed into the camp barn by an unseen assasin. They are both murdered.It is now twelve years later and the camp is being reopened by Steve Christie who has hired seven new councillors. The date is Friday 13th June. The locals are shocked that 'Camp Blood' is being reopened and warn the councillors to quit. None of the luckless teenagers listen to the warnings about Camp Crystal Lake and roam the campsite carefree. Unknown to them there is an unwelcome presence in the camp. A presence that is watching the councillors at every turn. One by one they fall prey to an unseen killer and when the killer is finally revealed it comes as a bit of a shock. The film is absolutely fantastic and it is the one that started it all. If you're going to watch this film don't decide that there's no plot and switch it off. Watch the whole thing, the plot is explained very clearly when the killer is revealed. There are some great makeup effects when the councillors are killed eg the axe through the head. In this film watch out for a seventeen year old Kevin Bacon! This was probably one of his first big parts. I would recommend this film to anyone who loves horror and likes being scared. 10/10
10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Best Friday the 13th film of them all,
By loudloony (Exeter, UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Friday The 13Th [DVD] [1980] (DVD)
When this film was originally released in 1980, everyone jumped on the bandwagon to start criticisng it and accusing it of ripping off Halloween. Ignore what everyone has said. This one is well worth giving a shot.The story is very simple, but it does the job. A group of teenagers, including Kevin Bacon, are going to re-open Camp Crystal Lake years after it was originally closed down because of a number of gruesome and sinister events, including murders and fires. Inevitably, as they settle down for the night, they are gradually reduced to a red, bloody mess, one-by-one. You might be surprised to hear that actually this is a very good film, despite what people might have to say about it, and despite the numerous sequels. Sean Cunningham slowly builds up the tension, with the teenagers appearing to be watched at first before dying. The atmosphere is consistently unpleasent, with the summer camp setting making a suiably spooky area for the film. The deaths themselves often give you a good jump or two, and are suitably gory. Fans of gore will find at least one scene to please them in here. Forget what the critics might have said about this film - watch for yourself if you are a fan of the genre, and you won't regret giving it a chance.
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