Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter

Joseph Zito
1984

Seeing the remake rekindled my interest in the Friday the 13th franchise and I decided to haphazardly scope out old installments to try and figure out which ones I’ve seen and which ones I haven’t. A viewing of the amusingly titled “Final Chapter” (actually part 4 of a film series that’s now in double digits) proves it to be the best of the FT13 pictures I’ve seen (or remember seeing) so far. It’s a little astonishing how shamelessly the first few minutes of this one rip off “Halloween II” (1981) with the presumably dead slasher brought to a hospital where he promptly revives to wreak havoc. There’s also shades of the Halloween series in the ending, which suggests that another individual unhinged by the terrifying experience will adopt the mutilator’s mantle. What sets this sequel apart from other efforts is a few recognizable faces in the cast, and letting Tom Savini work his magic on a slightly broader, bloodier scale. Crispin Glover is amongst the soon-to-be-sliced teens, and his nervous insecure nerd performance is a hoot. Corey Feldman also stars as a youngster with a penchant for monster masks and special-effects movie makeup, a chuckle-worthy bit of self reflexivity that gives the sprat a leg up in dealing with the real bogeyman. Comparing this with the remake I was amazed how well Savini’s effects stand up today. Slicing through a foam latex appliance with squirting blood is still horrifically convincing, and I’m surprised that modern filmmakers are so staunch in the belief that quick cutting, low lighting, and suggestion (with an inevitably boring shot of the freshly deceased victim) is the end all be all of providing thrills.