MovieChat Forums > Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985) Discussion > This was the first Friday the 13th movie...

This was the first Friday the 13th movie I ever saw

posted 9 years ago by TxSt
3 replies | jump to latest

And it will always hold a special place in my heart. I'm one the people who absolutely loves this installment.

I remember I saw this on TV when I was somewhere around 12 or 13 years old (I am 23 now). It was playing on AMC so it was heavily edited. This and part 6 were playing back to back, so they were the first two Friday films I watched. Not only was it my first Friday film, but it was one of the first horror films that I had ever seen. It was a period in my life where I was discovering horror films and my love for them. The only horror films I remember seeing before this one was Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer. So I was in love with slasher movies, but this film got me not only into the F13th franchise, but into an 80's slasher craze. After seeing this film I started watching every slasher I could get my hands on.

After seeing parts 5 and 6 on TV, I caught parts 1 and 2 on AMC as well. I couldn't get enough, so I rented all 11 films (part 1 through FVJ) to watch unedited in all of their glory. This series continues to be my favorite slasher franchise and possibly my favorite horror franchise in general (I did not care for parts 8-10 however, but I accept them).

*Spoilers*

However part 5 is one of my favorites in the series. Since I had no idea who Jason was, the twist did not upset me at the time. I was very confused, but still loved the film. Everything about it is great. I love the atmosphere; although it was not set at Crystal Lake it still has a very campy and Friday the 13th feel to it. Starting with part 6, I felt the classic Friday the 13th vibe was missing. The characters are another highlight for me. It's not another group of sexy, horny kids. A lot of the characters were unique and comical. The kills were not on par with some of the other films, but their were some really good ones I thought (loved Tina and Eddie's scene, as well as the scenes were Roy starts killing everyone in the halfway house).

Upon rewatching I do realize that this is not a quality film. But its flaws make it all the more better for me. The hilariously bad acting and dialogue, especially from Ethel and Junior, was great. Over the top amounts of unnecessary nudity. Several characters that show up just to die (seriously, the drifter "Raymond" has to be the most pointless character in any film). And why did Roy have to kill Vinnie and Pete?
My only complaint is the identity of the killer; no one remembered Roy. It would have worked better if the killer turned out to be a character that the audience would actually remember.

This is probably the cheesiest and sleaziest film in the franchise but I appreciate it and I am glad that more people seem to be voicing the same opinions.

[–] ConsumeConformSubmitObey 9 years ago

This is also the first one I saw. Back in like '95-96, I was my 11 or 12, USA Up All Night did a little marathon one Friday the 13th. They played part V which I watched at my buddies house. Afterwards I went home to catch parts VII and VIII and tape them on the old VCR. I was hooked.

[–] lukejbarnett (1869) 5 years ago

wow, me too. i also watched this film for the first time in 1996. but it wasn't the first film in this series i ever watched. it was the 5th i ever watched.

[–] lukejbarnett (1869) 5 years ago

you're wrong there is nothing wrong with roy being the killer. it was what made this an original idea. to make the killer not be jason and so it had to be someone not jason. so no matter who the killer is it would have been the same as it being roy, someone the audience doesn't know.

you're also wrong about this not being a quality film. the reason why it's so great is the over the top characters, they are larger than life and are so extreme that they are hilarious and the gratuitous nudity is what this series at it's best has always been about as well as gratuitous sex both things this film has at the best level. so no, the nudity isn't unnecessary, it's vital and essential to this film being the best version of a friday the 13th film.

no, this film doesn't have bad acting and it doesn't have bad dialogue. it keeps the standard friday the 13th funny characters and dialogue intact. the spirit of the best version of the friday the 13th films is in this film which is more than i can say for part 6. i don't like how they went the comedy direction with that film because it doesn't fit the tone and atmosphere of all the other '80s friday the 13th films. if you don't put this film in the top 6 friday the 13th films then you aren't a friday the 13th fan. no, this film is not cheesy, it's just friday the 13th at the most extreme and thus best level.

this film is everything the best friday the 13th films have at the highest level of quality. original kills, hardcore sex, and hardcore nudity, and hardcore violence, a great suspenseful and serious tone, and a great atmosphere, a great location and setting, great and memorable lines, and the best funny and lovable characters any of the best friday the 13th films have.