DVD Review HTF REVIEW: Friday the 13th: From Crystal Lake to Manhattan (1 Viewer)

[Joe Karlosi]

The Bonus Disc contains a half hour Fangoria Convention panel discussion from last January with four of the actors who played Jason. Some of what they talk about is already covered in the "chronicles" section of the Killer Extras, but there is some different stuff too. It's not the biggest loss if you miss it, but it's nice to have if you're a big fan.

 

[Porfirio]

Thanks.

 

[Ric Easton]

For those who want to combine the last two movies in the set, I made made a cover to fit a seven disk Alpha case...



It's just a slight mod of the existing design. You can download it right here.

Ric

 

[Steve Phillips]

What about FREDDY vs. JASON? Cool, though.

 

[Ric Easton]

Yeah, but is it a Nightmare sequel or a Friday the 13th sequel? I think that one has to stand on it's own! Besides, FvJ came in a two disc set, and there are no nine disc cases (that I know of). Now if it was only a oner, I could have fit it in with one of those "Add-a-Pages" from Sleeve City.

Ric

 

[Matt Thompson]

FVJ is a Nightmare sequel, namely because it's generally a continuation of the NOES series plotline.

 

[Steve Phillips]

So what is FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLFMAN ?

 

[Ryan Wishton]

Freddy vs Jason is a direct continuation of Jason goes to Hell, but not Freddy's Dead. Thats how the script was written anyways. Much has happened between Freddy's Dead and Freddy vs Jason. Lori's mothers murder, the hypnocil epidemic, more murders, etc., all happened after Freddy's Dead. Basically the ending of Freddy's Dead didnt kill Freddy. It just shot him back into the Dream World. So Freddy still continued his rampage after Freddy's Dead (when everyone forgot Freddy and started to rebuild the town) for several years until the parents started with the hypnocil.

Much of the character development, references, and overall storyline the script did have was basically left on the cutting room floor. About 50 or so pages worth or something like that.

Even Jasons trip to the rave where he gets hit by a car and the majority of the those scenes were left out. The death of a 13 year old was also left out.

With the horrible cast the movie had, it was probably better off. The characters would have made it painful to sit through exposition IMO. Lori especially. Just an all out terrible and uninteresting cast who couldnt die soon enough. For storyline, you would need characters we cared about which is what the script aimed for. But terrible casting would have made exposition a pain.

Freddy was never suppose to be as strong as he was in the real world. He was originally suppose to result to ways that a human would need to to beat Jason. Ronny Yu turned Freddy into the strong karate guy. None of that was in the original writings. It also goes against the rules as Freddy inst generally very strong in the real world.

So, yes. Technically it is a sequel to both series, but from how the movie plays you might not be able to tell the difference.

A new scene was shot to connect this directly to Jason goes to Hell (where Freddy's hand grabs Jasons mask), but was ditched. You can see it in one of the tv spots.

Like people saying what about Jason X in reviews? No explanation of how Jason got back. Well, no explanation is needed for Jason X because it never happened yet. Though you will probably never see it in any storyline again. New Line would have never made the movie if they had a second chance. I highly doubt any further movie no matter what it is would reference Jason X due to the disasterous results the movie had upon the public.

One idea was to say that Jason X was one of Jasons nightmares that Freddy gave him when he was in hell. Thats how they could possibly write it off in a followup so it doesnt contradict the timeline.

The script actually did have a timeline that made sense, but it's all just but an afterthought in the movie.

 

[Porfirio]

Ryan,

Where did you get all that info? Are there any stills or video clips of the "deleted" scenes you described? I'm really interested in seeing them, if they are available.

 

[Erin C]

Whats up with the "Scary Trailers" featurette?
Was it dropped from the set? Hidden somewhere??

 

[Matt Thompson]

Porfirio, the original Shannon/Swift draft is online, before David Goyer came into to cut down its length (it ran around 130 pages, I believe).


True, it was Yu's idea, but nothing in the films has said Freddy couldn't do that in the real world. Nightmare 1 definitely makes it look like he's incompetent, but in Freddy's Dead he's walking on the ceiling, and shifting to his "unburned" appearance.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

I agree with you that JASON X takes place sometime after FREDDY VS JASON. And I actually think that turns out to work beautifully... because JASON X may always be able to serve as the absolute, all-time FINAL story whenever the series ends. No matter how many more JASON's they make - be it 3 more, 15 more, or whatever - JASON X is always the way the series will end (unless, of course, they go way into the future to continue its storyline). I don't like JASON X much at all, but I think the way Jason is "finished off" at the end is the perfect way to get rid of him forever.

 

[Ryan Wishton]

Matt,

I forgot about Freddy's Dead ending. I actually tried to erase the entire movie from my state of mind. I havent seen it in ages. Anyways, your right about that ending which makes no sense and also went against the rules Craven established for the character. Then again, so did Part 2. But, then they returned to it for Part 3.

Freddy's Dead said that Freddy was killing out of revenge for them taking his daughter away??? Say what???

Parts 1, 3, and 4 clearly stated he was taking revenge for being burned alive by the parents. So did the tv show. The daughter never existed before any of this. As the series went on, they all resulted to using Family members which was really kind of lame.

Halloween started in Part 2. John Carpenter made Laurie Michaels sister while he was drunk because he couldnt think of any other ideas.

Michael Myers also has a son still out there (if you follow H6 at all).

Jason goes to Hell??? Jason now has a sister and neice, etc? Say what?

He was established as an only child way before this in the first movie. I highly doubt someone as insane as Pamela Voorhees would just forget she had a daughter. Way out of character.

Then you had Freddy's Dead. Once again, we have another daughter who kills him (well, not really) with pipebombs. Huh?

We resort to trying to kill our Madmen with Magic Daggers, Pipe Bombs, and ritual stones. It all really just sounds kind of ridiculous.

 

[Ryan Wishton]

Joe,

I am sorry, but I did think Freddy vs Jason had one of the most horrible and grating casts of all time. Laurie was one of the worst actresses I have ever seen in my entire life. Her lines and facial expressions were just an absolute nightmare to sit through. But, thats just my opinion of course. Even her movements were just horrible. For example when she is trying to act scared in the police station. She looked as if she had to go to the bathroom instead.

"By fire, by water" and whatever nonsense she was spurting. I really felt like throwing daggers through the theater screen. So did half the audience I was with.

When she gives the final line of "Welcome to my world bitch", you could hear half the theater groan. No, I am not making that up. I am dead serious. The tone of it was just horrible. Absolutely horrible.

Then we had Jason Ritter who would smile in the middle of attacks, not to mention Destiny's Child who gave Freddy one of the lamest speeches in the history of cinema. Freddy should have been the one to kill her for being annoying. The scene makes no sense whatsoever in the movie. Who is going to do this? The script did have it making sense.

That was also a re-write though. Originally in the very first draft, her character originally gave the speech to Jason (thinking he was Freddy and hearing about how he doesnt have power without fear). Then Freddy reminds her it's the wrong guy and Jason plows her with his weapon.

Mark with his really bad lines in the school. "You know whyd they sing that donch you? Because dats when he comes for yu?"

Someone please end the pain. Wheres Jasons Pitchfork or machete when you need one?

Even poor Katherine Isabelle sucked here. And she has done a good job in other films in more serious roles to boot. Katherine Isabelle auditioned for Laurie. She should have got it because I would have rather spent the time with her for the 90 minutes.

Linderman was ok as a side character. He didnt do bad when it came to playing the dorky teen. Could have been better, but was nowhere near the worst.

P.S. Also, I kind of hate to think of Jason blazing through Space as Super Shredder as the last time we ever see him. That just doesnt sit easy with me, but nothing I can do about it. SO, no need to worry about it.

Actually, the beginning of Jason X happens in 2008 (or somewhere around there. I dont remember the exact year). If any movies come out after that, they will have to in some way contradict it unless they pull an H20 and just pretend it never happened at all.

 

[Michael Elliott]

I've never really considering "acting" an important part to these slasher type horror films. Sometimes the worst it is the better it is for the film. I mean, just take a look at what we were getting in the 80's. "Kids" in their 30's acting like they were 16-18.

The acting in FvsJ was no worse than any other film of its type IMO.1

 

[Robert Ringwald]

But the characters in the NOES series were typically well developed, with at least good acting for the movies they were in.

FVJ was done in the visual and story style of the other NOES movies, with the execution of the F13th ones...

bad choice.

 

[Matt Thompson]

Robert, that's actually what I thought as well. It's developed like a Nightmare film, with Nightmare production values and a Nightmare plot... and then Friday level acting. Somewhere, somehow, I'm thinking they could have balanced it out somewhere else down the line.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

IMO, this is a great way for us to get rid of him.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

It took 10 years to come out with FVJ and there were all sorts of horrendous storylines that stalled it. Acting of the teens aside, I believe FVJ was well worth the wait, and much better than I believed it ever could have been. If the acting is on the level of a F13 film, so be it. After all, the storyline was all ELM STREET; so I'm glad they had something that resembled the FRIDAY series, too (dopey teens).

 

[BrandonJF]

The short-stocked Best Buy bonus disc is going for upwards of $80 on Ebay.

That was fast. That bonus disc could pay for the set AND another DVD.