It’s Friday the 13th!
By the time you read this, it’ll be Friday the 13th. Yay!
It’s my favorite horror franchise, and I don’t see that ever changing. If you’re a virgin to the series and think you might wanna marathon a few of the movies this weekend, here’s my breakdown:
F13 P1: Great final act but otherwise not my favorite. I don’t watch it often.
F13 P2: My favorite in the series, but I think you need to see some of the others before you can really appreciate just how good it is.
F13 P3: The 3D one. Great, cheesy fun. A strong pick if you’re new to F13.
F13 P4: Probably THE one to start with. Corey Feldman and Crispin Glover help. This is F13 at its F13iest.
F13 P5: Trashy, sleazy and dumb, but I love it. Not a good marathon starter, but might be a good ender.
F13 P6: Lots of folks love this one and it’s the film that marked Jason as a more supernatural entity, but I find it a little too lighthearted.
F13 P7: The charm of this one is that it feels like SUCH a direct-to-video movie, even though it wasn’t. A good closer for your marathon.
F13 P8: Jason Takes Manhattan has grown on me, but if you’re new to the series, save it for later. It’s unlikely to hook you.
F13 P9: Conceptually interesting, but it’s barely a F13 movie in many respects. Skip for now.
F13 P10: Jason X. It’s more of a spoof of the series than a true sequel, but I dig it. Still, wait until you’ve hit the classics.
Give one or two or ten of ‘em a shot!
Oh, and here’s Jason Voorhees accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 1992 MTV Movie Awards. Okay!
I haven’t decided if Friday’s “main site” article will have anything to do with Jason, so in case it doesn’t, here’s a little F13 love from the Dino Drac archives:
8-Bit Jason Figure | Vintage TV Spots | Rating the VHS Boxes
The Future is Wild!
Here’s the first episode of The Future is Wild, a kind of stoic mockumentary that wondered how life might evolve if mammals died off.
It’s the most awesome thing, guys. Imagine it: A world ruled by giant, air-breathing squid!
If you dig what you see, most of the series is on YouTube. I loved this ridiculous show.
Old Zelda Cartoon…
I was a big fan of The Super Mario Bros. Super Show, because everyone my age was. As I recall, it ran on weekday afternoons, with Cap’n Lou throwing to his animated equivalent from Monday through Thursday.
Fridays were extra special. That’s when we got the Zelda cartoon. I don’t know if I’d say that it was objectively better than Mario’s, but at the time, it sure as hell seemed cooler. Ganon was especially awesome, looking like Bebop with the flu and a voice like Krang’s grandpa.
Here’s the very first episode, The Ringer, from 1989. Let’s see if it holds up!
The Making of Jaws 3-D!
Here’s The Making of Jaws 3-D: Sharks Don’t Die, which aired as a TV special back in ’83. The thumbnail alone should sell you on it:
I’d never argue that the original Jaws wasn’t the objective best in the series (and by miles, to boot), but if I’m being honest, I’m more drawn to both this movie and Jaws: The Revenge. Maybe I just feel like they need me a little more, I dunno.
Jaws 3-D ruled my world as a kid, because even if the execution had some dopey moments, the concept of a great white shark invading a futuristic-yet-flimsy aquarium-at-sea was irresistible. Plus, for as much as the infamous “glass breaking” scene has been ridiculed over the years, I always thought it was a damn cool moment!
