Very few films – genre or not – will ever receive the meticulous research and detail the FRIDAY THE 13TH films do in the incredible MAKING FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE LEGEND OF CAMP BLOOD. Even if you are not a fan of the admittedly hit-or-miss series, the stories behind the making of each of these films are so incredibly enthralling that you feel like you’re listening to Orson Welles share an anecdote about CITIZEN KANE.
Author David Grove has dug deep into the Jason Voorhees mythos, starting with the first FRIDAY‘s conception as a quick moneymaker, inspired by BLACK CHRISTMAS and HALLOWEEN, for B-producer/director Sean Cunningham. Needing a hit, Cunningham (whose last success had been the notorious LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT) and small-time screenwriter Victor Miller crafted the most legendary horror figure since Frankenstein out of sheer desperation. We’re given guided tours and absolutely honest critiques, both from the writer, other crewmembers and its actors. Of course the Jason-less original is given the most word-time, but every entry is given extensive history and explanation. Why does Jason have a bag in PART 2? Who was really the “fake Jason” in the most reviled A NEW BEGINNING? Why does so much of JASON TAKES MANHATTAN on a boat and not, well, in Manhattan?
Much like the madman with his machete, Grove hacks his way through all the BS and gives you the pure, unadulterated story of FRIDAY THE 13TH. Even though you’d expect it to be, this is no fluff; this is the ultimate chronicle of a horror franchise that honestly deserves more respect than it’s given. MAKING FRIDAY THE 13TH is required reading not just for Jason lovers, but also for film fanatics in general. Don’t leave this one at the bottom of the lake. –Louis Fowler
Related posts:
- Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison: The Making of a Masterpiece
- BOOK WHORE >> 11.01.05
- Scary Movies
- House of Blood
- The Legend of Juggin Joe
