Friday the 13th franchise overview

CAIRO – 13 October 2017: October 13 also happens to be Friday, which adds a spooky layer to a day considered in the West to be particularly unlucky. Thus, it was fitting for a popular horror movie franchise takes its name after this day, and since its debut in 1980 the series been a staple of popular culture, pioneering the slasher movie genre.

Egypt Today takes a look at each of the films.

1-Friday the 13th (1980) - Dir. Sean Cummingham

Friday the 13 poster via IMDB
The film that started it all was, funnily enough, first released on May 9. The plot was set in the Crystal Lake Camp, which was shut down after a child drowned. Said child was none other than Jason Voorhees, back from the dead to seek revenge on the camp counselors.

Thanks to this movie, the Slasher genre helped take permanent hold in the world of horror and Jason became one of America’s most iconic characters.

2- Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) - Dir. Steve Miner

Part 2 poster via IMDB
Even after the evil is vanquished in the first film, it seems a camp next to Crystal Lake has begun suffering its own spree of killings. A survivor of the first film is swiftly murdered by Jason, who begins his reign of terror all over again.

3- Friday the 13th Part III (1982) – Dir. Steve Miner

Part III poster via IMDB
Picking off where the last film left, Jason gets back on his feet to stalk a whole new group of victims, a bunch of teens partying in the woods he lurks in.

4- Friday the 13th the Final Chapter (1984) – Joseph Zito

The Final Chapter poster via IMDB
Despite the name, this installment is far from being the end of the franchise. Here, despite having died in the last film, Jason recovers from his mortal injuries and escapes the morgue, slaughtering his way back to the camp, where it seems that Jason will finally meet his true end.

5- Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985) - Dir. Danny Steinmann

A New Beginning poster via IMDB
Five years after the Final chapter, Tommy Jarvis, the boy who put an end to Jason, finds himself traumatized by the events of his battle with Jason. As he cycles through various mental hospitals and suffers recurring nightmares about Jason, a new killer in a hockey mask begins continuing what Voorhees started. Is this Jason back from the dead, a copycat, or has Tommy himself put the mask on?

6- Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI (1986) - Dir. Tom McLoughlin

Jason lives poster via IMDB
Jason just won’t die! When Tommy tries to dispose of Jason’s corpse buried in the graveyard, in an effort to finally stop his nightmares, a bolt of lightning brings the killer back, stronger and deadlier than ever. How will Tommy be able to match him now?

7- Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988) - Dir. John Carl Buechler

The New Blood poster via IMDB
Chained to the bottom of Camp Crystal Lake, it seemed that Jason was finally down for good. But when a girl with psychic powers accidentally awakens the killer, it’s up to her to stop him.

8- Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989) - Dir. Rob Hedden

Jason Takes Manhattan poster via IMDB
A boat carrying a group of graduating high-school teens picks up some very unfortunate cargo; Jason Voorhees himself! Now the teens must stop Jason after he sinks the ship and begins a whole new killing spree.

9- Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993) – Dir. Adam Marcus

Jason Goes to Hell poster via IMDB
Exploring the origins of Jason’s supernatural powers, it’s up to the last members of the Voorhees family to stop his evil once and for all, dragging him down to the place he belongs; Hell!

10- Jason X (2001) – Dir. Jim Isaac

Jason X poster via IMDB
This installment provides a sci-fi twist to the film’s formula, with Jason revived from a cryogenically frozen body on-board a spaceship, where he continues his endless killing spree far away from Earth.

11- Freddy vs. Jason (2003) – Dir. Ronny Yu

Freddy vs Jason poster via IMDB
Jason now crosses over with another iconic horror movie franchise, the Nightmare on Elm Street, to battle dream haunting killer Freddy Kreuger, with a hapless group of teenagers stuck in-between.

12 - Friday the 13th (2009) – Dir. Marcus Nispel

Remake poster via IMDB
A remake of the 1980 film and thus far the final film installment for Jason. Updating the original film’s iconic scenes, this remake features more slick directing and even upping the scare factor and a script that pays homage to one of modern America’s most iconic horror films.