Friday the 13th (1980)

It is Friday the 13th, and honestly, it feels like it. The weather here in Pennsylvania was chilly and overcast most of the day. This was followed by the tragic news of the terrorist attacks in Paris and the Earthquake in Japan. It really makes you wonder what is taking place out there. But, do not worry; Al Gore says the climate change summit is on schedule… With that all weighing on my mind, I decided that I wanted to watch something mindless. After some thought, I decided on the classic 1980 slasher that rejuvenated the horror genre, Friday the 13th (perfect choice, right?).

Plot/ A group of camp counselors is stalked and murdered by an unknown assailant while trying to reopen a summer camp which, years before, was the site of a child's drowning.

Honestly, it is hard to review this flick, as it left an imprint on me (and society) when it came out in 1980. That imprint is still felt today with the modern slasher flicks that often pay homage to this classic. Technically, there was nothing incredible about this low budget horror flick; save for the memorable effects, soundtrack, and ending, but it has to be one of the best examples of how low budget cinema can influence generations. Once you get past those aspects, everything else is uneven at best. The storyline is somewhat predictable; the acting is all over from decent to bad, and the cinematography and direction never meet the potential that existed inside picturesque setting. However, even with those flaws, the original Friday the 13th may be one of the most influential movies in history and is still fun to watch after all these years (yes, my parents took me to see it in a theater when I was a kid). In the end, while I am sure every horror fan has seen it, and most of society knows who Jason Voorhees is, but that does not matter. If you are bored and looking for something to watch, why not grab it and revisit a classic. It is definitely worth watching again!