Friday the 13th (1980)

Can you find more classic Horror? I dare you! And I don't mean none of that House of Usher crap either.

Genre: Slasher Horror Serial

Starring: Kevin Bacon (Stir Of Echoes; The Woodsman), Betsy Palmer

Directed By: Sean S. Cunningham (DeepStar Six)

Overview: Years after a serial killing at Camp Crystal Lake, another group of counselors decide to get the camp up and running again. The murders begin anew...

Acting: Two words: Kevin Bacon. Everyone I mentioned this to said, "What? Kevin Bacon's in that?" Well he made it, but I don't think Friday the 13th is the reason. The direction is overly melodramatic, every woman seems to have no regard for survival... standard 80s slasher fare, as expected.
Rating: 5

Cinematography: The camerawork is a little choppy and the light meter obviously didn't seem to be an issue to the crew. The camp wasn't that scary, and though we had many hacks and stabs, there was usually no full shot of the person doing it, as finding out who was part of the mystery... standard 80s slasher fare, as expected.
Rating: 6

Script: The dialogue is standard 80s slasher fare: "Keep away, you're doomed!" Says the old guy. "You're crazy to go up to Blood Lake!", says the trucker. "Oh Billy, come to the bedroom... Billy? Is that you? AAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!" It's cheese, but it redeems itself just a little bit to get the smiles going. Not to be taken seriously, but you knew that already.
Rating: 6

Plot: There IS a plot, really. Once upon a time, people were killed, now it's happening again, but why? There is a very decent explanation, and a touch of madness really adds to the whole thing, but it's 5 minutes of story, so yeah... One by one the killer stalks his prey... 80s slasher? Check.
Rating: 6

Mood: With everything else so bad that you can only laugh, it turns out that this IS the mood of the 80s slacker flick! Young, attractive, big-haired, well-endowed girls gettin' it on with their studly man-thing one room away from the other couple who gets a silent kill during afterglow. Then, discovery too late because you just got an axe in the face! Sweet, sweet classic stuff.
Rating: 9

How do you know that Kevin's character isn't a virgin? Come on! It's easy! Take a WILD guess

Overall Rating: 64% (As IF You Thought It Would Fall Under "Good")

Aftertaste: You know I just borrowed all 8 of the original Friday the 13th movies from a friend, and I hope you're looking forward to reading my reviews as much as I'm looking forward to writing them. I'll also have a special commentary later. An in-depth study of one of the top three 80s slashers only invites another viewing of the entire collection of Halloween and A Nightmare on Elm Street. A critic's work is never done...

The characters of this movie made 2 attempts at finally pacifying or killing the assailant.