Before sitting down to review this new Deluxe Edition of Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (because why would any of us settle for a sucky “Special Edition?”), I considered this entry in the Friday canon my favorite along with Part VII, but I gotta tell ya, as fun as all my viewings of The New Blood have been, after watching this movie a couple more times it’s just confounded me how it hasn’t been my favorite in the series for years. I think I watched it the least over the years because of its pacing, but all-in-all it’s a powerhouse of a slasher movie. It hits almost every right note, is cut brilliantly and makes its characters its focus. Its climax elicits a great response time and time again, and for such a sad ending as the death of Jason “Awesome” Voorhees, that’s a real, rousing success.
DVD Audio/Video:
Not much to say here. The visual presentation is good for a standard-def release of a 25-year-old slasher flick, but could use some work in the fine detail department. Much of the film is very meticulously shot extremely dark, and this brings out some grain in the background, but it rather adds to the aesthetic. Even in stereo the soundtrack is crisp and loud and awesome, accentuating some of the dynamic foley work in the film. Listen to those necks break, kids!
DVD Bonus Features
The first commentary is with director Joe Zito, screenwriter Barry Cohen and editor Joel Goodman. It’s about as dry as you’d expect, but it can prove to be informative. The next one up is what you’re looking for though.
The fan commentary by Adam Green (Hatchet) and Joe Lynch (Wrong Turn II) may be one of the best commentaries I’ve ever listened to. Green and Lynch don’t just have fun with the movie or point out minutia (though there is a nice assortment of it), but focus on why the movie works and how all of the things it does work from a thematic standpoint. Listening to them you can really tell they get the theory involved in something like this, and mixing all that with advice for future filmmakers and their wealth of knowledge on the series just brings them down to earth. I would recommend anyone take a listen to the track.
"Slashed Scenes" is somewhat misleading as it’s not so much deleted segments as silent outtakes showing how some of Tom Savini’s wondrous effects work was achieved. I’d consider this a rather priceless feature actually, especially if any of you, like me, are interested in getting into this type of thing. Sure seeing how the effects worked destroys some of the illusion when separate from the film, but the magic of the movie comes from how Savini and Zito’s work is still effective even after seeing the props and wires in their full, fake glory.
"Jason’s Unlucky Day: 25 Years After Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter" is an extremely liberally titled featurette with some interesting stories, but unlike the similar features on Part 1’s Deluxe Edition, they don’t make the film seem like some arcane artifact that needs to be laughed about, but instead make it seem like an interesting story and something worth discussing. It’s also mercifully short, so thanks Paramount.
"The Crystal Lake Massacres Revealed Part I" is an inspired mockumentary, flawlessly structured like those dumbass conspiracy shows on the Sci-Fi channel. Newspaper clippings scroll through in deliberately manipulative montages just like they would if this were an actual show, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t crack up at some of the hilarious Crystal Lake residents interviewed. If this were on a lesser entry in the series like Parts 2 or 3, I’d recommend scoping out a deal on the disc just to see it, but since Final Chapter kicks ass, I don’t feel the need.
"Lost Tales from Camp Blood – Part 4": How the hell did whoever directed this get it on a special edition of Final Chapter? Like the one on Part 1’s disc (and, I’m assuming those on Parts 2 and 3), it’s written and shot horribly, but in this case it actually appears out of focus pretty much half the time. I just don’t understand why if they wanna give us a little something extra they decided to give us a series of shot-on-digital bullshit shorts with zero production design. It doesn’t match the aesthetic of any entry in the series (including that of Jason X, which was shot on 35mm despite its high-tech appearance). Come on guys, Jason’s wearing a hoodie in this thing and doesn’t even have a mask on. This shit ain’t right.
"Jimmy’s Dead F*ck Dance Moves" is just wonderful.
Then there’s an ominous trailer and a preview for The Uninvited, which just doesn’t belong.
"Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter" is on sale June 16, 2009 and is rated R. Horror. Directed by Joe Zito. Written by Barney Cohen. Starring Corey Feldman, Crispin Glover, Richard Brooker.
