In the old days, if one was asked to name a horror icon of the movies, the names Dracula, Frankenstein or the Wolfman would undoubtedly be the first names to pop out of someone’s mouth. However, recent times (let’s say the past 20 or so years) have brought with them a whole new set of horror icons. If you were to ask the same question of someone under the age of 45, it’s very likely you’ll hear Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers or Jason Voorhees. As a matter of fact, they have reached the ‘Cher’ level of fame as the names Freddy, Michael or Jason will undoubtedly make most movie fans think of these characters and no one else. Part of what has made them so incredible popular is that they have survived the Hollywood ‘has-been’ list by having a huge number of sequels made after the original films that spawned them. I think all three if them have to be in the 8+ range, and even as recently as a year or so ago there was a sequel that starred two of them together.

What can become a difficult question to answer runs along the lines of who is your favorite? Certainly amongst the hardcore horror fans you’ll find specific camps devoted to one or the other, but for the most part we love them both.

What really surprises me about their continued popularity comes more from the rather rollercoaster ride of quality that the films in their respective series deliver. Each starts out with an above average entry that takes the idea of a ‘slasher film’ into uncharted territory. The movies themselves were all ground-breaking in their own way and enough fans were born to allow each installment to make money.

One of the things that makes ‘Jason’ a little different was that he wasn’t even the villain of the original “Friday the 13th” movie. He was a central character to be sure, but more so the reason for the killings instead of the actual killer. I’d rather keep this article spoiler-free, so I won’t divulge the name of the actual killer, but suffice to say the hardcore fans will know who it was. The rest of us who saw it so many years ago, simply forget and move on.

As much as I’m into the horror genre, it had been years since I’ve seen any of the “Friday the 13th” films, with the exception of the recent “Freddy vs. Jason.” Even I had to see that one in the theatre. (Well, I actually saw all the films in the theatre, I just don’t readily admit it.) Lately I’ve had the opportunity to re-visit the series thanks to Paramount Home Entertainment. This month, they are releasing a 5-disc DVD set of almost all of the “Friday the 13th” movies. When I say almost, I mean that the set has the first eight movies of the series, which are the ones that Paramount owns the rights to. There are two additional ‘Jason’ movies (three if you count “Freddy Vs Jason”), but they are owned by New Line.

All of the “Friday the 13th” movies have been released on DVD before, and my understanding is that the versions available here are for the most part the same ones. So what, might you ask would make this set worthwhile to fans of the series? Aside from the cool packaging of the box set, which features individual slim cases as well as a hockey mask embossed slipcover, it has to be the unbelievable amount of extra features that are held on the 5th disc. There are a few extras on the individual discs, but these come mostly in the form of commentaries on ‘Parts 3, 6, 7 and 8.’

As the quality varies between the 8 films, so do the commentaries. The best of the lot turns up on ‘Part 3’ as it features four of the actors from the movie. Dana Kimmel (Chris), Richard Brooker (Jason), Larry Zerner (Shelly) and Paul Kratka (Rick) sit down to discuss the film, and it might not have been a good as it was, but the producers wisely chose to use a moderator, Peter Bracke, to keep the conversation on track. ‘Part 6’ features director Tom McCloughlin, who also turns in a very good track as he covers a lot of ground and appears truly interested in the subject.

Once we get to ‘Part 7’, we get to hear from director John Carl Buechler, and actor Kane Hodder. This was not a bad commentary, but unfortunately Buechler is as bad a speaker as he is a director and special effects artist (and I use that term lightly). He just isn’t all that interesting to listen to, and generally uses up his time complaining about all the ways the studio messed up his movie. Oddly enough, he doesn’t focus much on his own shortcomings. Hodder, on the other hand is a little more is a little better, and fans of the series will enjoy hearing from the more famous (and certainly outspoken) of the actors who have played Jason.

Finally, we get a rather detailed description of the film were watching by director Rob Heddon on ‘Part 8.’ As if the film weren’t already bad enough, Heddon does little more than become a handy helper to any blind people sitting through the film. Really, you can just close your eyes and he’ll tell you what you’re missing. Beyond that, there is little information of how the film was made, or what prompted the producers to send Jason on his little ocean voyage and eventual romp through the back alleys of New York.

Once you get to the 5th disc, you might want to take a little nap to prepare you for the feast of extras. Topping the list is an 8-part featurette called “The Friday the 13th Chronicles.” Very little is left to the imagination as we are taken on a lengthy tour of all eight movies, complete with interviews and tins of behind the scenes materials. Each film gets its own chapter and they all vary in length, but together it is quite an interesting documentary.

After another short break, you can set yourself in front of the TV again to watch “Secrets Galore Behind the Gore”, where you get an even closer look at the special gore effects that were used on ‘Parts 1, 4 and 7.’ Most of the featurette focuses on the work of effects-meister Tom Savini, including a look at his makeup school. You’ll also find “Crystal Lake Victims Tell All” in which several of Jason’s ‘victims’ come forward to talk about their experiences working on the films. Being a bit of a movie memorabilia collector, I really enjoyed (and was made a little jealous by) “Friday Artifacts and Collectibles” which features some of the directors and fans showing off their wares.

Finally, there is an extensive Deleted Scenes section that offers true fans a look at some of the shots that were either clipped short or cut out altogether. The best, at least in my opinion, comes from the very first film where we see Kevin Bacon (Yes, that’s right, Kevin Bacon) squirt just a little more blood during his infamous ‘arrow through the neck’ trick. The list of deleted scenes is fairly long and is sure to whet the appetite of genre fans.

Should you get the “Friday the 13thUltimate Edition Collectors Set?” Well, admittedly that really depends on whether or not you have a thing about watching horny teenagers meet their doom by all manner of sharp objects. If you are, the set is absolutely without a doubt, worth picking up. If you’re not really into the ‘horror’ thing, you might at least consider picking it up to use as an educational tool to teach your kids the consequences of pre-marital sex.

Disc 1:
Friday the 13th
Directed by: Sean Cunningham
Starring: Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King, Harry Crosby, Laurie Bartram, Kevin Bacon
Extras: None
Specifications: Widescreen, Dolby Digital Mono
MPAA Rating: R

Friday the 13th: Part 2
Directed by: Steve Miner
Starring: Amy Steel, John Furey, Adrienne King, Kirsten Baker, Stuart Charno, Warrington Gillette
Extras: None
Specifications: Widescreen, Dolby Digital Mono
MPAA Rating: R

Disc :
Friday the 13th: Part 3
Directed by: Steve Miner
Starring: Dana Kimmell, Paul Kratka, Richard Brooker, Nick Savage, Rachel Howard,
Extras: Select Cast and Crew Commentary
Specifications: Widescreen, Dolby Digital Mono
MPAA Rating: R

Friday the 13th: Part 4 - The Final Chapter
Directed by: Joseph Zito
Starring: Kimberly Beck, Erich Anderson, Corey Feldman, Barbara Howard, Peter Barton, Crispin Glover
Extras: None
Specifications: Widescreen, Dolby Digital Mono
MPAA Rating: R

Disc 3:
Friday the 13th: Part 5 - A New Beginning
Directed by: Danny Steinmann
Starring: John Sheperd, Marco St, John, Melanie Kinnaman, Richard Young
Extras: None
Specifications: Widescreen, Dolby Digital Mono
MPAA Rating: R

Friday the 13th: Part 6 - Jason Lives
Directed by: Tom McLoughlin
Starring: Thom Matthews, Jennifer Cooke, David Kagen, Kerry Noonan, Renee Jones, C.J. Graham
Extras: Commentary by Director Tom McLoughlin
Specifications: Widescreen, Dolby Digital Ultra-Stereo
MPAA Rating: R

Disc 4:
Friday the 13th: Part 7 - The New Blood
Directed by: John Carl Buechler
Starring: Kane Hodder, Lar Park-Lincoln, Kevin Spirtas, Terry Kiser, Susan Blu,
Extras: Commentary with Kane Hodder and the Director John Carl Buechler
Specifications: Widescreen, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, English Ultra-Stereo
MPAA Rating: R

Friday the 13th: Part 8 - Jason Takes Manhattan
Directed by: Rob Hedden
Starring: Todd Shaffer, Tiffany Paulsen, Tim Mirkovich, Kane Hodder, Jensen Daggett, Barbara Bingham, Scott Reeves
Extras: Commentary by Director Rob Hedden
Specifications: Widescreen, Dolby Digital Ultra-Stereo
MPAA Rating: R

Disc 5:
Extra Features
The Friday the 13th Chronicles 8-Part Featurette
Secrets Galore: Behind the Gore 3-Part Featurette
Crystal Lake Victims Tell All
Tales From the Cutting Room Floor
Friday Artifacts and Collectibles
Scary Trailers

Studio: Paramount
Region 1
Release Date: 10/5/2004
Website

We'll give Friday the 13th: The Ultimate Edition DVD Collection an A.