The movie has some good gore effects, but unfortunately this is not an uncut version. Whether or not the extended footage still exists is still in question. You will see in the film where the kills are cut to help get around some of the blood, with the most egregious being the infamous double-impalement. It is a shame, hopefully one day the footage will be found and be able to be reintegrated into the movie.
Another interesting thing to note is the head of Pamela Voorhees is not always a dummy head; there are parts where it is someone in makeup. The original plan had been for the eyes to open at the end. Fortunately, they decided not to go that route. Of course, this leaves the ending a little nebulous. If there is one big problem, it would be the ending that doesn't really make sense.
Audio/Video. Considering the age and budget of the film, my questions going in concerned what sort of improvement the Blu-ray format would offer. All questions were answered as I pressed play. The image is nothing like the latest Hollywood blockbuster, but it is a significant improvement over the soft image from the disk in the From Crystal Lake to Manhattan box set. There is a good amount of film grain, but the image is more than acceptable, it is easily the best it has ever looked for me (not having seen it on the big screen). The detail is good, even in the darkness and the colors have a realistic look to them.
The audio is presented in both a new 5.1 TrueHD mix as well as the original mono. The surround mix is nice, but for my money I prefer the mono track. It has a brightness and a front and center feeling that appeals to me. Whichever track you choose, you won't be disappointed. Everything is crisp and clear, with the highlight definitely being the ever insistent score by Harry Manfredini.
Extras. This release contains a nice selection.
- Inside "Crystal Lake Memories." This is an interview with Peter Bracke by Del Howison (proprietor of a horror shop in California), author of "Crystal Lake Memories," a book that covers the history of the franchise. It is an interesting interview. I want to get the book!
- Friday's Legacy: Horror Conventions. Take a look inside the world of horror conventions. This is fun, fans and stars mingling together and celebrating what they love. Footage includes Betsy Palmer, Tom Savini, Ari Lehman, and Harry Manfredini.
- Lost Tales from Camp Blood - Part 2. I haven't seen Part 1, but this looks like a fan film version of a slasher flick. It features a couple with a broken down car who begin to hike. Guess what happens?
- Jason Forever. This is a half hour long panel discussion with four of the previous actors to portray Jason. They were: Ari Lehman (Part 1), Warrington Gillette (Part 2), CJ Graham (Part 6), and Kane Hodder (Parts 7-10). It was a good panel moderated by Peter Bracke. We get tales of how they came to get the part and how they approached creating it. This originally appeared on a Best Buy bonus disk for the Crystal Lake to Manhattan box set. This version has a little more footage with behind the scenes photos, and some new cutaway interview bits throughout.
- Theatrical Trailer. The trailer looks like it has gone through some cleanup. It starts a bit rough, but overall it looks pretty darn good.
Article Author: Chris Beaumont
Christopher Beaumont spends much of his time writing about music and movies when he isn't indulging in them. He is always ready to talk about his favorite form of entertainment and offer up recommendations. Follow: Twitter and Tumblr. Visit: Critical Outcast. …
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