Salvation: Friday the 13th and Knights Templar

The story of the Knights Templar has always been one that has given me inspiration in writing. This was never more evident than when I crafted an entire epic poem, Salvation, centered on this legendary group. That idea was spawned long ago by this poem I penned in honor of Friday the 13th, where the Knights Templar take center stage.

If you don't know, on Friday, October 13th, 1307, French king Philip IV the Fair ordered the mass arrest of Knights Templar in the Kingdom of France. This event is considered by some to be the origin of the superstition about Friday the 13th being an unlucky day. The Knights Templar were accused of numerous crimes including heresy and treason. The end of the Knights Templar began on this day dreadful day. 

Triskaidekaphobia

Such a dark day in the world
Leaders defiled
The protectors destroyed in your name
Not by the masses that follow
But, from the hypocrisy of medieval royalty
For what - your secrets?
Jealousy? Fear?
Maybe it was just their shame from following the false prophet
The sinner who hid behind his disciples
And worse, women and children
Spouting lies of redemption
Preaching abstinence instead of indulgence
Creating turmoil in the perfect world
.. ..
Through it all, you stood tall
These destroyers of forged faith were blind
Failing to harness the power of your minions
By creating a day of homage of their transgressions
They granted you eternal life
History crying tears of truths in your name
You will never be forgotten
You Baphomet, will live forever
Like the Templar’s, your followers will bleed for you
Carrying on the traditions past down by the strong
Your enigma, a mystery to most
A companion to some
A day of fear to the meek
That day is today, Friday the 13th

.. ..

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!

Slender Man Awaits...

One of my students is fascinated by the Slender Man. As we are having a quiet day in lab, I decided to take this time on Friday the 13^th to add something to this micro-fiction phenomenon, and in the process allow Mike to finally meet this tortured soul.

As Michael turned the corner, he knew something was not right. The cool June wind cut through his soul, the heavy atmosphere made every breath a challenge. He could feel this unnatural darkness drown his reality.  Something or someone was near; standing tall as a shadow stalking his every step. All of a sudden, winding his way down the overgrown path toward his house felt like a huge mistake.

“Brittany, is that you?” he said as he crept toward the lights that sat off in the distance. “I know it is Friday the 13^th, but come on… This is not funny!”

There, in the moonlight, a faint outline rose through the mist. The sounds of silence echoed in his mind as he realized that what stood before him was not Brittany. In fact, it may not be human. He could see the web of tentacles glisten in what was left from the glow of the full moon. His heart raced; he knew what lay ahead.  Michaels’ dreams have been answered by the almighty, as faceless tormentor waits.

At last, he can become one with the Slender Man…

Friday the 13th (2009)

What a miserable evening I had as my laptop crashed and scrambled to get the desktop unit back into working order. Fortunately, I still have one to fall back on until I can get a new laptop. Luckily, while that was taking place, I was able to flip between the Pirates game and the 2009 remake of Friday the 13th. 

Plot/ A group of young adults discover a boarded up Camp Crystal Lake, where they soon encounter Jason Voorhees and his deadly intentions. 

As I have said many times, the Hollywood trend of remaking / rebooting classic horror flicks drives me insane. Where is the creativity? With this flick, I am torn. Yes, it is nowhere near the original classic Friday the 13th, but it is also much better than some of the crap that littered the end of the franchises original run (Jason Takes Manhattan). With every reboot, some of the changes are a bit too much, and that is the case with this one. Jason is excessively athletic in this one, and may diverge from his character a bit too much. The acting is typical, the grainy cinematography takes away for the gore and there is something lacking from the original classics in the series. In the end, it is not terrible, but it is not anywhere near the 1980 classic. Sure, you can select worse flicks from the franchise, but this one would be hard-pressed to rise past the middle of the pack.

Freddy vs. Jason (2003)

I often go through months without looking at a calendar. However, when a month has a Friday the 13th in it, it is hard not to count down. I love that day, one because I am somewhat superstitious, but because there is always a push made to watch some of the greatest slasher flicks of all time, the Friday the 13th franchise and Jason Voorhees. Those movies were my favorite growing up and continue to be a source of enjoyment. My movie selection to kick off the week is Freddy vs. Jason from 2003.

Plot/ Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees return to terrorize the teenage population. Except this time, they are out to get each other, too.

  

OK, let me start by saying, I remember watching this at the drive-in when this came out, what a blast that was. Movies like this, with their lore entrenched in horror history should be seen in exactly that manner. While there are some flaws, this one is a treat. The were so many moments that took you back into the heyday of each franchise, making it an entertaining slasher that paid homage to some incredible works. This movie did have a strange context, and some head scratching moments in the storyline.  Sure, the acting is hit and miss, but, the visuals are awesome and the open ended ending was perfect for this one. Honestly, it was just an entertaining tribute and mindless battle between two icons of horror cinema. If you have not seen it, check it out!

Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)

Today is Friday the 13th, one of the days I look forward to every year. There is so much going on with different superstitions, creepy programming and of course, the ever popular visit from Jason Voorhees. When I was young, I can remember seeing the original Friday the 13th in the theatre. I truly believe that the moment Jason came from the depths changed my life and sent me on the path I am on today. I loved it. With that thought fresh in my mind, I decided to revisit the franchise with Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood.

Plot/ Years after Tommy Jarvis chained him underwater at Camp Crystal Lake, the hulking killer Jason Voorhees returns to the campgrounds when he is released accidently by a teenager with psychic powers.

I am a huge Friday the 13th fan, and love every time it pops onto the calendar as it allows me a chance to revisit at least one of the flicks without hearing any crap. This entry, the seventh in the series, was probably the last one that did not go truly overboard. Yes, it is a typical slasher from the day featuring a low budget, unknown cast, some nudity and gore. But, it is an important entry in the series as it marked Kane Hodder’s debut as Jason, and a somewhat original idea coupled with some outstanding special effects. Hell, they even give Jason some power tools to play with… In the end, if you are a fan of the series, please revisit this one it is awesome. If you are not, or have not seen it, check it out for the first time. It may be dated and a bit campy, but it is a fun romp through Camp Crystal Lake.

Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)

I was doing some reading the other day about a movie and I discovered something that I never remembered seeing. Kane Hodder (the best Jason ever) played Freddy Krueger’s arm in Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday. I really do not remember that (although it has been almost 20-years since I saw this movie). So, what is any horror fan (especially Friday the 13th fan) to do? Go back and watch the flick to see where / when it happens, absolutely… That is exactly what I did with the unrated directors cut of Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday from 1993.

Plot/ The secret of Jason's evil is revealed. It is up to the last remaining descendant of the Voorhees family to stop Jason before he becomes immortal and unstoppable.

It had been years since I had watched this one and really I had very little memory of it. What I found when turning it on again was both graphic and somewhat hilarious. Honestly, I feel that this was misplaced as a Friday the 13th entry, and the director should have created a new character for the lead. If that would have happened, I doubt it would have been panned as much as it has been.  For all of the flaws like poor soundtrack, crazy storyline (biting a heart, really?) and way too many subtle horror references, this one actually has a lot of finer points that are often overlooked. The special effects are graphic (and possibly some of the best in the series), the acting is decent and there is a hint of character background and development. In the end, this one is entertaining in its own way and would have been better if it was a stand-alone or start of its own franchise. Unfortunately, as part of the Friday the 13th franchise, it fails miserably when holding it next to the early entries that started the entries.

Jason X (2001)

After meeting Kane Hodder this past weekend at Monster-Mania, I decided to watch some of his action as my favorite horror character. Last night, I stumbled onto Jason X, the outer space, end of the Earth gorefest.

Plot/ Jason Voorhees returns with a new look, a new machete, and his same murderous attitude as he is awakened on a spaceship in the 25th century.

Jason X, I think the title speaks for itself! If you have not seen this and watch it expecting something even close to the classic original, you should definitely think again. This is not a horror film, it lacks suspense, the acting is uneven to bad, and really the plot is poor even for one of the last Friday the 13th installments (come on outer space, really?). However, what it lacks with all of those flaws, it makes up for it with sheer brutal death and gore. This is just a fun escape from the misery of the surrounding society and pretty laughable (especially the hologram scene at the end). In the end, this is NO classic, but it is a fun way to pass 90 minutes when there is nothing else to do!

Pictures from Monster Mania

While this week has sucked pretty bad as I have been suffering from this flu. Honestly, I shouldn't complain, it could have been worse. However, I had to pull it together as I had promised Jillian a trip to Monster Mania in Cherry Hill. So, suck it up I did... Here are some pictures from the day.

The Batmobile

Doug Bradley (Pinhead)

With our friends at Bad Zombie

With Stella and Hives

With Kane Hodder (Jason)

The Malachi and Issac from Children of the Corn

A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)

Last night, after Celebrity Ghost Stories, I finally got to see the remake of Nightmare on Elm Street. Having been unimpressed with many of the redux attempts, I was unsure what to expect. Luckily, I had very few expectations.

Plot/ Death stalks the dreams of several young adults to claim its revenge on the killing of Freddy Kruger. Chased and chastised by this finger-bladed demon, it is the awakening of old memories and the denials of a past of retribution that spurns this hellish vision of a dreamlike state and turns death into a nightmare reality.

As a horror fan, I was a fan of the original Nightmare on Elm Street. Now, it was not my favorite series, I actually liked the Friday the 13th series more, but I felt it was a great franchise and offered quite a bit to people like me. After seeing the remake of Friday the 13th, I honestly cringed when I heard they were remaking this, after all, NO ONE can ever take the place of Robert Englund as Freddy, he was and is the only person for that role. From there, the movie was so unoriginal in the attempt to subtly change the story. The cinematography, acting and plot were uneven and lacked spirit. In fact, there was little to no character development, which could have at least made the characters interesting. In all, this really missed the boat and I hope that people stay clear and stick with the original series (even the worst sequel is better)!