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Late to the Party: ‘Friday the 13th: Part 2′ (1981)

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Carrie

Jason is back and he has a new group of hormonal teenagers to hunt down. Friday the 13th: Part 2 is exactly what you expect it to be, a follow-up to the first film but with more blood and less logic.

It is a fun time seeing Jason stomping around the woods, but let me break it down for you in this week’s Late to the Party.

Fair warning, there will be some spoilers in my review but I will try to keep it to a bare minimum.

An eerie, dark, street offers the opening images to the movie. Jason’s feet appear in an angle shot, presumably to trick viewers.

Upstairs in the house lays Alice, our sole survivor from the first Friday the 13th. She is lying asleep in her bed, consumed by flashbacks of her final battle with Mrs. Voorhees.

Alice seems to be plagued by PTSD from her stay at Camp Crystal Lake. She seems on edge in her quiet apartment. The only thing that keeps her company is her art….and her cat.

Fun Fact: Actress Adrienne King, who plays Alice,  is the only person to return to the series to reprise her role (besides Kane Hodder as Jason, of course).

Friday the 13: Part 2

Via IMDB

The rest of the film seems to follow the same format as the first: an unknown killer in the woods by Crystal Lake stalks a group of teens. However, this time around, the camp is a training program for camp counselors.

“We’ll probably all get a brownie badge to wear if we survive,” jokes one of the counselors.

No one seems to listen in Friday the 13th: Part 2. The teens all seem preoccupied in scoring with one another. But, the dynamic works and the allure of friendship seems true. Even the townspeople we get to meet seem genuinely worried for these knuckleheads.

Friday the 13: Part 2

Via IMDB

Naturally, the teenagers, again, do the opposite of what is told and venture into the garden of evil. One by one, the counselors are picked off with a vast array of weapons: from a kitchen knife to a spear, and the infamous machete.

Unlike the first film, this group of teens is very much aware of the fable that surrounds Jason. It isn’t until about midway through the film that we are introduced to a theory on what made the Voorhees clan snap.

Camp counselor Ginny analyses Jason as a human, traumatized by the death of his mother. Previously, we didn’t know much about the Voorhees family and the full dynamics behind the mother and son duo.

Jason’s mom is the only person he has ever known.

Ginny from Friday the 13: Part 2

Via IMDB

As a child, Mr. Voorhees was never in the picture. School was not an option for disfigured Jason. He had never trusted anyone other than his beloved mother.

Ginny alludes to Mrs. Voorhees’ killing spree as an act of revenge against the mistreatment of her son. Against the love she lost.

“I doubt that Jason even knew the meaning of death, or at least until that horrible night,” said Ginny at the bar. “He must have seen the whole thing happen — he must have seen his mother get killed and all because she loved him.”

This humanized version of Mrs. Voorhees and Jason might give some viewers a change of heart.

Friday the 13: Part 2

Via IMDB

Overall, the movie is very repetitive, but you know what you are signing up for when it comes to this franchise. The kills are definitely amped up.  I think I went in expecting much more out of this chapter of Friday the 13th.

I did really enjoy learning more about Jason and his mother. Even as ruthless killers, there is still love at the root of the film. So, I guess you can classify this a wholesome family movie.

The best kill definitely goes to wheelchair Jimmy — I mean Mark. It is brutal and the descent down the stairs is pure comedy gold.

Now for the best twist and OMG moment, in my opinion: the uncovering of Jeff and Sandra. I was not expecting that at all. I literally had my jaw to the floor.

Friday the 13: Part 2

Via IMDB

It should be noted the era this film was released. There were not many movies like this out on the market. It paved the way for many horror films that followed, such as Sleepaway Camp (one of my all-time favorites). With so many stalker/slasher films, this entry to the Friday the 13th franchise seems a bit lackluster.

Nonetheless, Jason proves to us why we should always treat others how you would want to be treated. You never know if that person might come back from the dead and seek revenge with a machete.

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‘The Strangers’ Invaded Coachella in Instagramable PR Stunt

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Renny Harlin’s reboot of The Strangers isn’t coming out until May 17, but those murderous home invaders are making a pit stop at Coachella first.

In the latest Instagramable PR stunt, the studio behind the film decided to have the trio of masked intruders crash Coachella, a music festival that takes place for two weekends in Southern California.

The Strangers

This type of publicity began when Paramount did the same thing with their horror movie Smile in 2022. Their version had seemingly ordinary people in populated places look directly into a camera with an evil grin.

The Strangers

Harlin’s reboot is actually a trilogy with a more expansive world than that of the original.

“When setting out to remake The Strangers, we felt there was a bigger story to be told, which could be as powerful, chilling, and terrifying as the original and could really expand that world,” said producer Courtney Solomon. “Shooting this story as a trilogy allows us to create a hyperreal and terrifying character study. We’re fortunate to be joining forces with Madelaine Petsch, an amazing talent whose character is the driving force of this story.”

The Strangers

The movie follows a young couple (Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez) who “after their car breaks down in an eerie small town, are forced to spend the night in a remote cabin. Panic ensues as they are terrorized by three masked strangers who strike with no mercy and seemingly no motive in The Strangers: Chapter 1 the chilling first entry of this upcoming horror feature film series.”

The Strangers

The Strangers: Chapter 1 opens in theaters on May 17.

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‘Alien’ Returning to Theaters For a Limited Time

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It’s been 45 years since Ridley Scott’s Alien hit theaters and in celebration of that milestone, it is headed back to the big screen for a limited time. And what better day to do that than Alien Day on April 26?

It also works as a primer for the upcoming Fede Alvarez sequel Alien: Romulus opening on August 16. A special feature in which both Alvarez and Scott discuss the original sci-fi classic will be shown as a part of your theater admission. Take a look at the preview of that conversation below.

Fede Alvarez and Ridley Scott

Back in 1979, the original trailer for Alien was kind of terrifying. Imagine sitting in front of a CRT TV (Cathode Ray Tube) at night and suddenly Jerry Goldsmith’s haunting score begins to play as a giant chicken egg starts to crack with beams of light bursting through the shell and the word “Alien” slowly forms in slanted all caps across the screen. To a twelve-year-old, it was a scary pre-bedtime experience, especially Goldsmith’s screaming electronic musical flourishes playing over scenes of the actual movie. Let the “Is it horror or sci-fi?” debate begin.

Alien became a pop culture phenomenon, complete with kid’s toys, a graphic novel, and an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. It also inspired dioramas in wax museums and even a frightening setpiece at Walt Disney World in the now-defunct Great Movie Ride attraction.

Great Movie Ride

The film stars Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, and John Hurt. It tells the tale of a futuristic crew of blue-collar workers suddenly awakened out of stasis to investigate an undecipherable distress signal coming from a nearby moon. They investigate the source of the signal and discover it’s a warning and not a cry for help. Unbeknownst to the crew, they have brought a giant space creature back on board which they find out in one of the most iconic scenes in cinema history.

It is said that Alvarez’s sequel will pay homage to the original film’s storytelling and set design.

Alien Romulus
Alien (1979)

The Alien theatrical re-release will take place on April 26. Pre-order your tickets and find out where Alien will screen at a theater near you.

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Home Depot’s 12-Foot Skeleton Returns with a New Friend, Plus New Life-Size Prop from Spirit Halloween

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Halloween is the greatest holiday of them all. However, every great holiday needs amazing props to go with it. Luckily for you, there are two new amazing props that have been released, which are sure to impress your neighbors and frighten any neighborhood children who are unfortunate enough to wander past your yard.

The first entry is the return of the Home Depot 12-foot skeleton prop. Home Depot has outdone themselves in the past. But this year the company is bringing bigger and better things to their Halloween prop lineup.

Home Depot Skeleton Prop

This year, the company unveiled its new and improved Skelly. But what is a giant skeleton without a loyal friend? Home Depot has also announced that they will release a five-foot tall skeleton dog prop to eternally keep Skelly company as he haunts your yard this spooky season.

This bony pooch will be five feet tall and seven feet long. The prop will also feature a posable mouth and LCD eyes with eight variable settings. Lance Allen, Home Depot’s merchant of decorative Holliday gear, had the following to say about this year’s lineup.

“This year we increased our realism within the animatronics category, created some impressive, licensed characters and even brought back some fan favorites. Overall, we are most proud of the quality and value we are able to bring to our customers with these pieces so they can continue to grow their collections.”

Home Depot Prop

But what if giant skeletons just aren’t your thing? Well, Spirit Halloween has you covered with their giant life size Terror Dog replica. This massive prop has been ripped out of your nightmares to appear frighteningly on your lawn.

This prop weighs in at almost fifty pounds and features glowing red eyes that are sure to keep your yard safe from any toilet paper throwing hooligans. This iconic Ghostbusters nightmare is a must have for any fan of 80s horror. Or, anyone who loves all things spooky.

Terror Dog Prop
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