Friday the 13th (1980)

Director:

Sean S. Cunningham

Writer:

Victor Miller (written by)

Release Date:

9 May 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

On Friday The 13th, They Began To Die Horribly, One......By One (UK - Theatrical Tagline)

Plot:

Camp counselors are stalked and murdered by an unknown assailant while trying to re-open a summer camp that was the site of a child's drowning.

Plot Keywords:

Lake | Summer | Camp Counselor | Revenge | Murder

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Betsy Palmer	...	Mrs. Pamela Voorhees
Adrienne King	...	Alice
Jeannine Taylor	...	Marcie
Robbi Morgan	...	Annie
Kevin Bacon	...	Jack
Harry Crosby	...	Bill
Laurie Bartram	...	Brenda
Mark Nelson	...	Ned
Peter Brouwer	...	Steve Christy
Rex Everhart	...	The Truck Driver
Ronn Carroll	...	Sgt. Tierney
Ron Millkie	...	Officer Dorf
Walt Gorney	...	Crazy Ralph
Willie Adams	...	Barry
Debra S. Hayes	...	Claudette

Also Known As:

A Long Night at Camp Blood (USA) (working title)
Vendredi 13 (Belgium: French title) (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
13. gün (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Divendres 13 (Spain: Catalan title) [ca]
Fredag 13. (Norway) [no]
Fredag den 13. (Denmark) [da]
Fredagen den 13:e (Sweden) [sv]
Freitag, der 13. (West Germany) [de]
Jûsan-nichi no kin'yôbi (Japan) [ja]
Martes 13 (Argentina) [es]
Péntek 13 (Hungary) [hu]
Paraskevi kai 13 (Greece) [el]
Perjantai 13. (Finland) (DVD title) [fi]
Perjantai 13. päivä (Finland) [fi]
Piatek trzynastego (Poland) [pl]
Sexta-Feira 13 (Brazil) [pt]
Venerdì 13 (Italy) [it]
Viernes 13 (Spain) [es]
Vrijdag de 13de (Belgium: Flemish title) [un]
Vrijdag de 13e (Netherlands) [nl]
Yom Shisi Ha-Shlosh-Esre (Israel: Hebrew title) [iw]

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1980) | Finland:K-18 (2002) | Portugal:M/18 | New Zealand:R16 | Hungary:18 | Portugal:M/16 (re-rating) | Australia:MA (Cable TV rating) | France:-12 (DVD rating) | Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Canada:R | France:-16 | Iceland:(Banned) | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM18 | Mexico:C | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 (DVD rating) | Norway:16 (heavily cut) | Norway:18 | South Korea:15 (DVD uncut version) | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (video rating) (1987) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R (Reg. No. 25901) | West Germany:18 | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Singapore:M18 | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Blairstown, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Georgetown Productions Inc.

Trivia:

Willie Adams was a crew member for the film. Although he spent most his time working behind the camera, he played the male counsellor in the 1958 scene, and holds the unique distinction of being the first murder victim in the Friday the 13th film series.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the scene when Steve gets picked up by the officer, the officer turns on the police lights to show where the car is. In long shots the lights are on but when we see the close up of Steve talking to the officer the lights are off. And then back on again but the officer turns them off as they drive away.

Quotes:

Pamela Voorhees: Did you know a young boy drowned the year before those two others were killed? The counselors weren't paying any attention... They were making love while that young boy drowned. His name was Jason. I was working the day that it happened. Preparing meals... here. I was the cook. Jason should've been watched. Every minute. He was... He wasn't a very good swimmer. We can go now... dear.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Tiny Toon Adventures: Best o' Plucky Duck Day (#1.43)" (1990)

A slasher-star is born !!

Friday the 13th must be one of the biggest mysteries in cinema. Although it's a long way from being a good movie, its success and influence is unnameable ( and even unbelievable ). Don't get me wrong...I'm not at all saying that Friday the 13th is a terrible film or not even worth a watch but - let's face it - the plot idea is pretty dumb, the acting and directing are far below average and they haven't fully used the options of setting and location they had. The make-up effects ( by the master Tom Savini himself ) are excellent, but that alone isn't really enough to create a legendary horror movie in my opinion. Some of the later sequels ( Episode 6 : Jason Lives is the perfect example ) and even a few of the numberless rip-offs are superior to the production.

I suppose the story is pretty much known by everyone know and I even think the identity of the "mysterious killer" of this episode isn't that much of a mystery anymore. Anyway, in case you don't know it, I won't spoil the fun so see for yourself. Although my thoughts on it aren't that high, I do think it's must-see stuff for horror fans. Without any shame, I even admit that Friday the 13th and ALL its sequels are a guilty pleasure of mine. I'll never reckon them as good - or even decent - efforts in the genre, but I'm always up for a little bit of brainless gore slashing. And that's what these series are made for...pure entertainment !! So, in a way, they succeeded after all. They never try to give a thoughtful message to the viewer or something. There are just dumb-looking teenagers being slaughtered...the more the merrier.

Favorite "rewind"-scene : A young and horny Kevin Bacon being brutally killed in one of his first memorable roles.