Several decades ago Jason Voorhies hacked his way into pop culture and horror movie history by being the subject and then killer in the Friday The 13th movie franchise. Of course everyone knows that in the first movie Jason wasn't the actual killer.
Since the sequel in 1981 Jason Voorhies hunted at Camp Crystal Lake (primarily although some less popular sequels have him in Manhattan and space, and a cult classic fighting Freddy Krueger) and usually it involved the last Friday (generally the 13th) before the camp was to open again for business.
Jason's status as a popular horror movie figure with a cult following the actual Friday the 13ths that we experience in reality lead networks to have shows that either showcase Jason or the paranormal.
Not only is he considered by the general public to be a popular horror movie killer but other directors comment on his stature. In the original scream, The very first question that is asked is "Who is the killer in Friday the 13th?" Drew Barrymore screaming and crying screams, "Jason! I've seen that move 20 $#%@ times!" Not an exact quote, but it is a trick question as Ghost Face means the original Friday The 13th movie in which Betsy Palmer, who plays Jason's mother is the actual killer.
It is not the only time that a creation of Wes Craven mentions Jason Voorhees. Anyone remember a slightly farce horror movie entitled "Freddy vs Jason?" Craven's immensely popular horror monster creation, Freddy Krueger reanimates Jason from the bottom of Crystal Lake because the children of Springfield have forgotten him. Freddy is a dream demon who cannot get to the children in the real world and the adults have put a stranglehold on any whisper or rumors of his existence. Those who have had nightmares or had any vague or direct reference or contact to Freddy is drugged into a dreamless coma.
Jason begin stalking them and the adults whisper that it could be Freddy. Even though they crack the whip at that kind of talk, the psychological trauma of seeing your friends "splatter movie killed" inflects psychological drama to the heroine who has nightmares allowing Freddy to return.
Until Jason refuses to heel and Freddy's ruse of pretending to be his mother no longer works. The heroine and her friends decide to drug Jason and take him back to Camp Crystal Lake in the attempt to get them to fight on Jason's home turf. Somehow, they find out about the dream warrior power that Kristen in Dream Warriors passed onto Alice when Freddy killed her. Alice's power leads her through Dream Master and Dream Child to fight Freddy, although its her son's nightmarish interactions that brings Freddy back into the lives of his parents and their friends.
While Freddy vs Jason doesnot have the horror movie excitement that their solo movies have, it does have not only its moments but has some amazing one liners. Of the Friday The 13th franchise 1-3 and Freddy vs Jason are the best. The original three retain the cult following and more realistic feel of actually being stalked by a killer you do not see until he strikes. Although in the case of Kevin Bacon, he never saw his killer.
Jason Voorhees is a pop culture icon who will get the nod three times in 2012 as there are three Friday the 13ths in 2012. January 13th is the first and April 13th is next.
Serial Thrillerz is projecting the return of their E-zine on April 13th. Anyone wishing to write about paranormal or horror related content can email pegasussubmissions@gmail.com
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