STEVE MIRKOVICH, Editor, Part VIII:
I have done a few horror movies, and I am not afraid of doing more. It is a fun genre to work in. It is not always the biggest money or the most prestigious, and you are never going to win an Oscar. But nothing is more satisfying than watching the reaction of an audience being scared to death. You do not always get those opportunities with conventional love stories or action pictures. There is just something about the electricity that goes through a crowd when they know something is about to happen, and then you get to spring it on them. It's a terrific feeling.
SHARLENE MARTIN, "Tamara," Part VIII:
The continued success of Friday the 13th just shows there is still a huge desire for it. I think we all want to escape—day-to-day life can get a little monotonous, so it's fun to live through these characters. It is scary, but we also know it's not real. So that's the fun part about it.
For me, Friday the 13th, it's been a wild ride. It has been 20 years since we shot Part VIII, and it is amazing that there is such a loyal fanbase. We're all so appreciative of that. I mean, I still get fan mail! It's fantastic. I'd like to say I can speak for everyone involved with our film when I say I think we're all just really proud of what we did. We continued the legacy, and we're happy about the end result. I certainly don't look at Friday the 13th as a negative day. It really helped my career at the time, and launched a lot of other opportunities for me as an actress. And working with Rob Hedden, he's just so lovely, so it was an amazing experience. For me, it's a lucky day. Friday the 13th will always be something that I remember with great fondness.
KELLY HU, "Eva," Part VIII:
You really can't go wrong with doing something like Friday the 13th. It's a fun franchise to be a part of. To this day, I still get people asking me for autographs. The fans are really the most important part of doing this—knowing that Friday the 13th is one of these cult franchises that people are going to remember for a very long time. Once you become a part of something like this, you know you'll have fans who will follow your career and always be very supportive. Friday the 13th fans stick with you forever.
ALEX DIAKUN, "Deck Hand," Part VIII:
I've been working for 35 years, and only once in a while will people say they like that character in Part VIII. And they are always horror fans. But I remember even at the time we made the movie, Rob Hedden told me that I'd be quoted a lot as that character—that the fans would remember him.
The only thing is that I kind wish there wasn't so much lost. We shot a lot more than what was used, and I wish there was a better set-up. Maybe a chase and a fight with Jason or something before my character dies? But still, it's fun to be part of the Friday the 13th series. I don't mind it at all.
JENSEN DAGGETT, "Rennie," Part VIII:
I learned so much about life, acting, and being a responsible adult from Jason Takes Manhattan. I know that it left me with a desire to work harder, and a love of taking jobs on location. I also learned a lot about teamwork and professionalism. So I am very happy that I took that job.
If nothing else, it has made me a cool aunt to my nieces, who force their friends to watch it at slumber parties. And I am sure that one day my son will be equally impressed. Who knew?
SCOTT REEVES, "Sean," Part VIII:
It's just unbelievable to me what that franchise has created, as far as what an incredible fanbase it still has. It is its own entity. But it didn't really hit me until people started say, "Man, you killed Jason!" I forgot, just about everyone else got killed in previous episodes, or the survivors from one movie would die in the next. So it was pretty cool to think that I was one of the only male characters, too, to take Jason out. For a certain amount of time anyway. I did this movie 20 years ago, and people are still coming up to me now going, "Man, you were in Friday the 13th!" And I'm finding that it is through my music career where I get most of requests for pictures and autographs. Sometimes at our band's shows we'll do a signing afterward, and people still bring me the DVD of Part VIII to sign. It just blows my mind.
Jason and Freddy, these characters have become iconic, like Dracula or Frankenstein. I don't think anyone anymore goes camping in the woods, and doesn't think for a second, "Is there a crazy killer out here? That has been dead at the bottom of the lake for 30 years and is gonna come crawling back and kill me?" It's just pretty cool to be a part of something that will probably live on forever. I think Friday the 13th, it has a place in history. So to be a part of anything that is probably going to be around forever, it's an honor.
JOHN D. LEMAY, "Steven Freeman," Jason Goes to Hell & "Ryan Dallion," Friday the 13th: The Series:
Whatever else happens in my life, I'll always be remembered as one of the survivors. And I'll always be able to say that I helped kill Jason. Not too many people can say that.
ERIN GRAY, "Diana Kimble," Jason Goes to Hell:
For as long as I've known him, Sean Cunningham's always been mentoring kids. Telling them, "Sure you can do it!" Making them believe in themselves. I did a short film for him, and the whole thing was made by college kids. Sean's like, "Let's do it in my driveway, and we'll have a thunderstorm and we'll get a hose and we'll make it work!" That's so Sean. He's always had this attitude of, "Let's just go do it!" And somehow, he makes it happen. And that's a wonderful gift, it truly is. I think what I remember most about my Friday experience is being in Sean's presence and feeling that energy on the entire set and being part of that joy and playfulness—you don't always get that on a film set. I guess I learned, "Don't take life too seriously. None of us are gonna get out alive." That kind of said it all.
KARI KEEGAN, "Jessica," Jason Goes to Hell:
After Jason Goes to Hell, I said, "If I never work again, at least I can say I had one moment where I was in the company of great talent." I'll probably never win an Oscar; I'll probably never win an Emmy—and that's okay. I got to do a major movie and it was seen by millions of people. There were some things about the film that weren't so great, but in general I walked away going, "I did something that so many people would kill to do."
GREG NICTOERO, Makeup Effects Supervisor, Jason Goes to Hell:
It always intrigues me that so many people had such a backlash towards these movies, and always stood by their guns that violence in cinema instills violence in its audience. I never believed that adage. Because if that was true, why wouldn't the converse be the same? Couldn't we show Disney movies to a bunch of convicts and rehabilitate them?
One of the largest reunions of Friday the 13th cast and crew ever assembled, MonsterMania 2009 brought together nearly two dozen alumni from all eleven of the original Friday films. Top row, left to right: Richard Brooker, Ken Kirzinger, Ted White, CJ Graham, Kane Hodder. Middle row: Larry Zerner, Kimberly Beck, Erin Gray, Kevin Spirtas, Lar Park Lincoln, Adrienne King, Steve Daskawicz, Betsy Palmer. Bottom row: Dick Wieand and Ari Lehman.
STEVEN WILLIAMS, "Creighton Duke," Jason Goes to Hell:
It got me an interview for this book. This is the payoff for Jason Goes to Hell.
KANE HODDER, "Jason Voorhees," Part VII, Part VIII, Jason Goes to Hell & Jason X:
Friday the 13th has been a tremendous boost to my career, and the best part of my career. It really has. There are lots of side opportunities that have happened because of it. And the thing that will always be in my favor is that I don't believe anyone will play Jason more times than I did. Maybe I'm not the most recent, but I don't anticipate anyone else ever doing more than four movies, if they even go that far. That feels good.
CHUCK CAMPBELL, "Tsuarnon," Jason X:
When you're an actor, people will always ask you what you've done. And I always include Jason X, because not only was it fun to make, but everyone knows Friday the 13th. Trust me, they don't care if you have played Hamlet, but they sure want to know all about Jason.
ETHAN WILEY, Song Composer, Jason X:
I think Friday the 13th came along at the right time, when the horror genre needed to be brought back to its
most elemental aspects. From Vincent Price and Boris Karloff onward, horror has always had a very theatrical and fantastical side to it. But Friday the 13th and Jason, similar to Halloween and Michael Myers, stripped that all away and became about cold, stark evil with no apologies. I think they pulled people back to that primal fear of the bogeyman, of the fear of that thing in the dark that is relentless, that you can't reason with. Back in the old days, maybe you could reason with Boris Karloff or Vincent Price. But you can't reason with Jason.
NOEL CUNNINGHAM, Producer, Jason X:
I have a theory. I think one of the big allures of Friday the 13th is that it came at a time before HBO, before Showtime. It was the only place you could see really cool gore. The Porky's movies capitalized on this, too. You could see tits and sexually explicit material, and you didn't have to go to the Pussycat to see a Marilyn Chambers movie. But once you could turn on "Cinemax After Dark" and see softcore porn in the comfort of your own home, then all of a sudden the appeal is gone. Now you can click on the computer and see whatever the fuck you want. But in the early days, you didn't have that kind of access. I think that is why the kids of 1980 found Friday the 13th exciting and titillating, and the kids of today probably find it boring.
TODD FARMER, Screenwriter, Jason X:
If it were ten years later and I was now your waiter, I'd probably be a little bitter about Jason X. But I got lucky. I knew ahead of time that Jason X wasn't going to help my career—I just had to get over that as quickly as possible and start writing what I wanted. Then I wrote a spec script that was very well-received and I recreated my career. But nobody called me up and said, "Wow! Jason X rocks!" That never happened.
JIM ISAAC, Director, Jason X:
To tell you the truth, I don't think Jason X helped me. In fact, it has been an obstacle in my career that I've had to get over. Since that movie, when I've gone up for other projects, I've had to convince people of a lot of things. They'd say, "We saw Jason X and it was fun, but it wasn't scary. It didn't kick our asses. What happened there?" So I would tell the whole story of the problems on that movie, but then reassure them that it wouldn't happen again—that I'm not going to let other people influence my vision, that the producer has to support and fight for the same things I want, and that the movie I am initially pitching is going to be the same one that ends up on the screen. The whole experience of Jason X was really difficult for me, for a long time. It is only now, a few years later, that I can talk about it at all.
RONNY YU, Director, Freddy vs. Jason:
The only thing different I can sense now is that since Freddy vs. Jason, I get to read a lot better scripts. I didn't really believe what people were telling me when I first came to Los Angeles to try and make Hollywood movies—they kept saying, "The only important thing is the box office." But I understand now that is so true. I've had bad experiences and good experiences with my past movies, and the big difference with bad box office is that people don't return your calls. At least, for now, people are returning my calls.
PAULA SHAW, "Mrs. Voorhees," Freddy vs. Jason:
The late Shelley Winters was a good friend of mine—we were in the Actors' Studio together and we've been close for 20 years. My generation knows her as an Academy Award winner, but kids today know her as Roseanne's grandmother on the Roseanne show. Yet I know that tickles her to death. Now, I'm not trying to compare myself to Shelley, but I've done a lot of far more serious roles than Freddy vs. Jason. And we all want recognition, so it's exciting—I never would have thought I would have found a little piece of immortality this way, you know? It's my tiny slice of the pop culture pie. I am now part of a tradition that I had never even thought about.
KYLE LABINE, "Freeburg," Freddy vs. Jason:
It's really cool knowing that no matter what happens for the rest of my life, I'll always have this. Even if I end up selling shoes, I'll always be a part of this legacy. I also think I've progressed a lot as an actor since Freddy vs. Jason. I'm still growing, and there are changes in your life. So it's nice to have this little reminder—I can always pop in Freddy vs. Jason and instantly be reminded of exactly where I was at that time.
CHRISTOPHER MARQUETTE, "Linderman," Freddy vs. Jason:
I never thought about Freddy vs. Jason only as good for my career—I thought it would be an amazing experience to be a part of something so big. And it didn't even hit me until about halfway through the movie—"Wow, I'm actually making Freddy vs. Jason!"
It's definitely great. It's definitely something that in thirty years, no matter how many movies or amazing things I hope I get to do, I'll look back on it and be so happy I was a part of it. Maybe I'll always be "Chris Marquette from Freddy vs. Jason," but that's still terrific. There are a million other films that could be judged as being better than Freddy vs. Jason, but these movies will always be a part of our culture. Friday the 13th will always be a standout on your resumé.
KELLY ROWLAND, "Kia," Freddy vs. Jason:
When you're doing music, you have to do tours. You have to go from one side of the world to another, all the time. But with movies, you film in one place for a good stretch. I never felt more settled than on the set of Freddy vs. Jason—it really made me feel like I had some stability. I love my music, of course, but being part of this film was really cool. I wish I could actually start over and just have the experience all over again. I was very lucky to have worked with such incredible people. I was very blessed.
KEN KIRZINGER, "Jason Voorhees," Freddy vs. Jason:
I'm certain playing Jason will affect my life, but I don't know if it'll change it all that much. It's been fun to be Jason for a while, and already I do get to travel more. But I'm sure they'll be making Friday the 13th movies long after I'm out of the business. The next guy will come along and put on the suit and my turn will be over. So I'll be happy if I can just stretch my 15 minutes out as long as I can.
JESSE HUTCH, "Trey," Freddy vs. Jason:
In A Nightmare on Elm Street, Johnny Depp was killed in bed. And in Freddy vs. Jason, I was killed in bed. And after the movie came out, I actually saw a little write-up that said, "Jesse Hutch ends up dead in a bed—just like Johnny Depp!" It was such an honor just to see my name in print next to his. I think that's what all of us hope for when we do one of these movies. That not only is it another job, and another chance to keep on moving up and doing bigger and better things, but that we'll end up being the next Johnny Depp.
MONICA KEENA, "Lori," Freddy vs. Jason:
I never worried about a Friday the 13th curse until this interview. Especially these days, because people are peppering their careers with all types of movies. There are actors who were in Scream who are doing wonderful, dramatic independent movies. I don't think Friday the 13th can really hurt you. I don't think any project can make or break your career. You will probably get typecast if you choose to only do horror movies, but most actors wouldn't do that.
FRANK MANCUSO, SR., Former President of Production, Paramount Pictures:
I believe the success of the Friday the 13th films was, in part, representative of a communal moviegoing experience. One that, today, is in danger of disappearing. Because kids used to be the first ones to the theater on a Friday night to see something new and different. They would be the ones to establish it, bring it home and talk about it, which then created this kind of widening of the market: "Boy, I just saw this movie, it's amazing! You have to see it!" That would then attract people who might not normally come, because even a great review isn't enough.
I believe retaining this experience is of primary importance to the future of the motion picture industry. Movies have to create something that delivers an emotional resonance, and that needs to be experienced communally. That reaction was a large part of the success of Friday the 13th. And we shouldn't allow that to be lost.
FRANK MANCUSO, JR., Producer, Part 2—Part VIII:
If all anyone ever remembered me for was Friday the 13th, would that bother me? Probably. But my response to
day would be different than it would have been six or seven years ago, because I hadn't yet made films like Species or Stigmata or Ronin. Because I have been able to show other sides of myself, creatively.
You have to have perspective. You have to know that different films you make are going to affect different people in different ways. Friday the 13th came at a time and a place in certain people's lives when they weren't totally ready for it, and it hit them point blank. It resonated. And as any kind of creative being, you want to engage people in a way that sticks. Ultimately, I have no regrets. If some people still want to talk about and love the Friday the 13th movies, that's great. Let them have their bliss. People have just started to relate to these movies in a way that has taken them to a whole other level. No one can control that. I just want to be gracious and say, "Thanks." And off we go.
DANIEL FARRANDS, Filmmaker & Documentarian:
When I was 14 years old I was obsessed with Friday the 13th and Halloween. I spent an entire summer writing a Friday the 13th script which I was absolutely convinced I was going to sell to Paramount. Being the "professional" that I was, I sent a query letter to Frank Mancuso, Jr. pitching him my story and basically telling him why my script would make the best Friday the 13th ever. Astoundingly, I received a reply from him a couple of weeks later. I couldn't believe it! In his letter, Frank said that although he was currently in production with The Final Chapter, he was so impressed with my letter that it was the first time he'd ever taken time out to respond to anyone regarding the series. He encouraged me to keep writing and welcomed me to the motion picture industry.
For me, a kid from Santa Rosa, California who could only dream of writing movies, especially horror movies, his acknowledgment was like a blessing from the Pope. I still keep the letter framed in my office—but I always have a laugh when I read the part that says, "With The Final Chapter will come the end of the series and of Jason." And 20 years later, I'm still waiting for him to buy my script!
JEFFREY SCHWARZ, Documentarian:
Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th (Enhanced Edition) Page 92
