"Jason, don't you remember?": A look back at 'Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter' (1984)

FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 4: THE FINAL CHAPTER (1984)

Here's a rarity for an '80s slasher movie: a film that actually works as a film, and not merely as a body count flick. Directed by Joseph Zito (The Prowler), Friday the 13th Part 4: The Final Chapter is an impressive rebound for a franchise that crashed hard in the previous installment. Not only is it filled with memorable characters, copious amounts of T&A, and some pretty terrific kill sequences, The Final Chapter boasts something that's been in short supply in the series thus far: production value.

From the opening sequence, the difference in quality is apparent. A sweeping crane shot weaves through a mass of paramedics and police cars as the massacre from Part 3 is discovered. A helicopter hovers over the crime scene, piercing the darkness with searchlights. For the first time we see a police response that's actually appropriate to the scale of carnage.

The body of Jason lies "dead" in the barn, exactly where we left him. Don't worry... he won't stay that way long, although Zito skillfully squeezes every last drop of tension from these opening scenes. Soon Jason's body has disappeared from the morgue, and the game is once again afoot.

The basic story is lifted straight from the previous film: a group of teens are on their way to Crystal Lake for some rest and recreation, despite the ongoing string of murders. (Oh, these dumb kids... will they never learn that vacations can be rescheduled when the area is under police lock-down?) The same familiar character archetypes are on display here -- the nerd, the joker, the virginal girl, etc. -- but this particular group of actors brings something fairly new to the series: chemistry.

Yes, the teens in The Final Chapter (what a laughably inappropriate title that turned out to be!) are among the most likable in the entire franchise, thanks to some above average acting and a better-than-it-needed-to-be screenplay by Barney Cohen, who would follow up his work here by penning episodes of Thundercats, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. A handful of lines are so quotable that I still use them to this day ("Axel, you're the Superbowl of self-abuse!" / "Wanna give Teddy Bear a kiss?" / "I think you should run that through your little computer!"), and Cohen's mastery of structure keeps the story moving, and the blood flowing, at a brisk pace.

The characterization in this film is solid. It's easy to believe that these kids are actually friends, something that couldn't be said about the interchangeable meatbags in Part 3, especially the uber-nerdy Shelly. Special mention must be made of the friendly but fiercely competitive bond between Ted (Lawrence Monoson) and Jimmy (an excellent Crispin Glover in one of his earliest roles), which feels very genuine and provides much of The Final Chapter's comic relief. Meanwhile, the sweet Sara (the lovely Barbara Howard, one of my favorite Friday actresses) steals most of her scenes with her big doe eyes, and her endearingly earnest search for true love rather than casual sex. 

The Final Chapter is also noteworthy for kicking off the Tommy Jarvis trilogy, which comprises parts 4-6 of the series. Tommy, played here by Corey Feldman (Goonies), would become Jason's primary antagonist for all three films, and it's interesting to see his origins as a fresh-faced, horror-loving, all-American kid. The effects of dealing with Jason in The Final Chapter will have big consequences for the character in the next two movies, but here, Feldman is just excited to be starring in a horror film. His enthusiasm is contagious, and the loving bond we observe between Tommy, his mom (Joan Freeman), and his sister Trish (Kimberly Beck), is sweet and fun.

Before I gush too much, I should admit that Friday the 13th Part 4: The Final Chapter was the first Friday movie I ever saw, way back when I was 9 years old, only slightly younger than the Tommy character. This film has remained a favorite of mine ever since, but I paid the price for watching it as a kid. Although I was thrilled by the movie, I was completely unprepared for the sleepless nights that would follow. Indeed, The Final Chapter so terrified me that I couldn't work up the courage to rewatch it again for almost a decade.

I lay the blame squarely at the feet of Ted White, who is the epitome of All Things Scary to me, even to this day. White brings an unbelievable amount of screen presence to his mute performance of Jason, and still remains, with all due respect to fan favorite Kane Hodder, my favorite embodiment of the character. Richard Brooker may have invented the "Modern" Jason, complete with hockey mask and slow, controlled movements, but make no mistake: White is the first Great Jason. His sheer intensity fueled my nightmares for weeks. Not bad for an actor who was so unimpressed with the role that he asked to have his name taken off of the film, and for over two decades refused to discuss it. (In recent years he has become more accepting of the movie, and has made a few appearances at horror conventions to meet fans and sign autographs.)

Although it won't top anyone's list of World's Greatest Cinematic Achievements, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter is unquestionably my favorite entry in the series. It gets almost everything right, from its high production value, to its solid actor chemistry, to some amusing comic relief scenes (check out Crispin Glover's celebrated dance sequence below!), to above average dialogue and gore, to some lovely, uh, unclothed female bodies, to the Absolute Scariest Jason of Them All. I can't recommend this movie highly enough. As far as Dead Teenager movies go, you won't find a better one.

Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter is available on VHS. It's also available as a stand-alone DVD, or as part of the Friday the 13th: From Crystal Lake to Manhattan DVD box set, which contains the first eight films in the series.

RATING: A-

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