Friday the 13th (1980)
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Friday the 13th is an American slasher film directed and produced by Sean S. Cunningham, written by Victor Miller, and starring Betsy Palmer as Pamela Voorhees. The cinematography was done by Barry Abrams and the film's score was composed by Harry Manfredini. It's notable for being the first film in one of the most popular horror film franchises in recent years.
Plot
In 1958 at Camp Crystal Lake, a group of campers was suddenly murdered by Jason, who was an unseen assailant killer. Twenty-one years later, A group of counselors is brutally killed one by one at a summer camp held at Camp Crystal Lake, when the entrepreneur Steve Christie reopens the site, which was shut for years.
Why It Rocks
- It was one of the first slasher films to popularize the genre and put it into mainstream pop culture.
- One of the creepiest settings in all of the slasher films is a campground; this has also become a popular setting in horror films.
- This movie is a bit different from its more famous sequels because Jason's mother is the killer instead of Jason himself.
- Lots of unique and gruesome deaths.
- Spectacular ending.
- Great soundtrack that was composed by Harry Manfredini.
- Amazing actors from the late Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King, Harry Crosby, and the late Laurie Bartram.
- Excellent practical special effects.
Bad Qualities
- While the ending was great, that scene was revealed to be a dream sequence, which does lessen the impact a little bit.
- While having Jason's mother as the killer in the first film was a good idea, she would've had a bigger impact if she was revealed earlier on and interacted with the characters more.
Reception
The film received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, and audiences alike, and it has a 66% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 55 reviews, with an average rating of 5.58/10. The consensus reads: "Rather quaint by today's standards, Friday the 13th still has its share of bloody surprises and a '70s-holdover aesthetic to slightly compel." But on Metacritic, it had a 22/100 based on 11 votes with "Generally unfavorable reviews".
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