‘Ki ki ki, ma ma ma’ – that sound could only mean one thing and 10 year old me pulled my sleeping bag up higher to cover my eyes, hoping none of the other girls would notice the fear I was trying to hide.
Chancing a quick glance around the dark basement, I was relieved to discover the other sleepover attendees were equally scared, but enjoying every minute of this movie we somehow managed to convince our parents to rent for us. This was quickly solidified by the squeals of delight when a very young, and naughty, Kevin Bacon met his untimely demise in one of the Camp Crystal Lake cabins.
My first encounter with the Friday the 13th franchise is a memorable one, and it quickly became a favourite. Discovering the two of us are reaching middle-age status together is kind of a nice surprise.
May 9 1980 was the first time the world got a glimpse into what was to become one of the longest running horror franchises. When filmmakers set out 40 years ago to create the original Friday the 13th movie, it would have been impossible for them to predict just how huge the series would become.
Spawning 12 movies, novels, comics, a television series, video games, and all the merchandise you can think of, this series took off like a final girl running from safety.
Not everyone was jumping on the slasher train though. Critics hated the movie. The famed duo of Siskel and Ebert shamed Friday the 13th and its director, Sean S. Cunningham, calling him “one of the most despicable creatures ever to infest the movie business”. Siskel even revealed the killer’s identity in his review (major spoiler alert), and encouraged moviegoers to write letters of complaint to Paramount Pictures. Yikes.
But all that hate aside, horror audiences cheered and demanded more. Gory deaths, the shocking killer reveal, and that scare-your-pants-off ending will leave any slasher fan swooning.
Siskel just didn’t get it that sometimes movies are about enjoying the ride. They don’t always have to make profound statements regarding society, although one could definitely argue that slashers were exactly that.
Love it or hate it, the original Friday the 13th deserves a top spot in slasher history, and the film helped shape the horror movies we watch today. For many of us rounding this milestone as well, it was our first taste of the genre, and now our appetites are insatiable.
We haven’t seen much of our masked friend over the last 10 years, and this slasher fan thinks it’s time to see that machete-wielding maniac again. Hopefully the studios can work out their differences and give fans what we want: More Jason!
Do you remember the first time you saw a Friday the 13th movie? I would love to hear about it!
New Zealand Horror Fans 