Was? What do they mean by that? As far as I know his name IS Jason and not even death could keep him down. It helped that each film made lots of money so Jason was guaranteed a return trip – even from the grave.
Okay, I know it’s a line from the first film, but I have to amuse myself somehow. This new documentary details the killer from Crystal Lake’s origins and is hosted by who might be called the father of the bad boy, makeup master Tom Savini.
What would Mrs. Voorhees say about calling Tom daddy? He wanders around the Universal theme park Friday the 13th setup while he does his hosting duties and finds the signs of Jason’s usual mayhem.
One of my complaints about the third film (well, besides not really liking the comedy) was that it was lacking any bonus features. That is made even more glaring by the gleeful participation of some of the cast on this documentary.
Sadly, the only two directors who don’t contribute are Steve Miner and Ronny Yu (but his film was a Nightmare on Elm St./Friday the 13th crossover). Everyone interviewed is rather happy to have participated in the films and still get a kick out of being recognized as someone who bought it by the mute monstrosity or vice versa as a few (very few) of their characters actually made it out of the film alive.
It’s a fun documentary and a great companion piece to the three films that Paramount just re-released. If I had some complaints it would be that at 90 minutes that each interview subject is given very little screen time (or so they appear to just flash by).
For 12 films, you think it might’ve been good to have a two hour running time. However, that is made up for in the special features of this disc.
The other complaint may be that the music is a bit sappy since the filmmakers probably couldn’t foot the bill to use any of Harry Manfredini’s film score. Having gone through the first three films reviewing them, and being left wanting more since they only re-released the first three, this documentary gave me a good overview of the whole series.
Not that the reboot it left out of the mix because there’s some talk of it and interviews with the director and cast. It’s a bloody good look at the life and high times of Jason Voorhees.
His Name was Jason is presented in anamorphic widescreen (1.78:1) and is enhanced for 16x9 televisions.
Disc one has a rare treat indeed as the 46 minute “The Man behind the Mask” interviews everyone who has worn the prosthetic, flour sack, or eventual hockey mask in the Jason role.
Disc two starts off with the 77 minute “Final Cuts” which interviews the directors from Cunningham to Nispel (who helms the 2009 reboot), but omits Miner and Yu. The 31 minute “From Script to Screen” talks to the writers and the 21 minute “Dragged from the Lake” are tales from the sets of the films. There are also 15 minutes of “Fan Films,” my favorite being “Freddy vs. Jason as told in thirty second by bunnies.”
The 12 minute “Closing the book on the Final Chapter” has Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter director Joseph Zito and actor E. Erich Anderson taking you on a tour of the house used in that film. The 4 minute “Fox comes Home” has actress Gloria Charles, the biker chick from Part 3, returning to the barn where she bought it.
Again the Part 3 interviewees are so nice I hate that I didn’t like the film more, que sera sera. Next is the 4 minute “Friday the 13th in 4 Minutes” which recounts the series in the short running time. The 4 minute “Jason takes Comic-Con” has the cast and crew of the 2009 reboot appearing at the convention.
The dude playing Jason seems to know that a lot rides on his shoulders regarding the fans and seems extremely genuine about doing a good job (“Heavy is the head that wears the hockey mask”). The 4 minute “Camp Crystal Lake survival guide” is a funny bit about how to survive till the credits roll. The 7 minute “Inside Halloween Horror Nights” takes a look at the Friday the 13th attraction at the Universal theme park.
Finally, the 2 minute “Shelly Lives!” is a hilarious commercial starring Larry Zerner who played Shelly in Part 3 (again, so likeable in interviews I almost want to be nicer to the film). The case also contains a poster for the film and a $5 off ticket for admission to the remake.
This Friday is the day we celebrate Jason’s birthday. I hope he unwraps his gift from his mom’s severed head and it’s a shiny new machete or hockey mask. Happy birthday big guy.
This fun documentary takes a look at the entire series run and even looks to the future. The wonderful special features make it a must have whether this Friday is your birthday or not.
His Name Was Jason: 30 Years of Friday the 13th is now available at Amazon . As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.
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