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Who Played the Best Jason Voorhees?

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A few days ago, Adam posted about Kane Hodder, who was injured while doing mocap for the official Friday the 13th video game. The comments quickly began talking about Hodder’s years of portraying Jason and what made him so special in the minds of the horror community. And that got me thinking about the various actors who portrayed the iconic masked killer and how each brought their own presence and feel to the role.

So to get a discussion going about who portrayed the best Jason, I’m going to give you information about each actor, such as which movies they starred in, what their kill count was, etc… Then, at the end of this post, there’s going to be a poll where you can cast your vote. Let’s see who you love the most!

Ari Lehman – Friday the 13th

Ari’s portrayal is limited entirely to the first film as Young Jason. He’s got no kills under his belt and the only scare he gave us was erupting from the lake to drag Adrienne King into the water. Still, that’s one of the most iconic moments in the series, so maybe there’s something to it?

Warrington Gillette – Friday the 13th Part II

Mr. Gillette was the introduction of the masked slasher that we’ve come to know and love and that alone deserves our respect and admiration. Gillette’s version of Jason managed to rake up an impressive 9 kills, although it should be noted that this is actually the movie with the smallest body count in the series.

Richard Brooker – Friday the 13th Part III

Mr. Brooker gets a big leap in my personal favorites because it showed Jason running (he doesn’t always walk, okay?!) AND it was in this movie that Jason donned the iconic hockey mask that would become the cultural icon that we know and love today. He amassed a very respectable 12 kills, including the ridiculous yet awesome spear in the eye sequence.

Ted White – Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter

White’s Jason met his match in this movie against Tommy Jarvis but put up one helluva fight, netting himself 13 kills (hehe). Plus, we got this amazing dance sequence from Crispin Glover. How that ups the vote potential for White, I don’t know. I just wanted to embed the video.

Dick Wieand – Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning

Technically, we can’t really count Wieand as portraying Jason. After all, the whole movie ends with the twist that Jason actually IS dead and that Wieand’s “Roy Burns” is seeking revenge on all the people he blames for the death of Joey, who is Roy’s son. However, I love this movie and think it’s a whole heap load of fun. Plus, he axed off (pun intended) 18 people*! That’s pretty damn impressive!

*Neil and Les were in Tommy’s dream and Roy dying obviously doesn’t count

C.J. Graham – Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives!

The return of Jason! While it was hinted at before, this film drove in the point that Jason is an undead supernatural killer, one that cannot be killed. Graham’s portrayal of the killer in this movie added 18 deaths to Jason’s growing kill count, including the 3-for-1 machete sweep! Plus, Graham got to do a James Bond-esque opening walk/attack. Obviously he already has a license to kill. HahahahI’ll show myself out.

Kane Hodder – Friday the 13th Part VII through Jason X

Here he is! Kane Hodder holds an impressive four Friday the 13th films under his belt, which is obviously more than anyone else in the franchise. His portrayal took him from Camp Crystal Lake to Manhattan and even to space, where he amassed a grand total of 58 kills. Unfortunately, due to how Jason Goes to Hell played out, we can’t give him the 23 kills in that movie because, well… “Jason” kept changing. Still, he’s the clear leader in terms of kills and he brought a badass physicality to Jason that many feel wasn’t present beforehand.

The below kill will probably always be my favorite. So brutal.

Ken Kirzinger – Freddy vs. Jason

Kirzinger got himself a great gig as he not only got to play Jason and kill off a bunch of stupid teenagers but he also got to face Freddy Krueger! He added a very solid 17 kills to his total, which doesn’t include the dream kill in the beginning because, let’s face it, dream deaths aren’t real deaths. Also, I’m not adding Freddy because wink wink.

Derek Mears – Friday the 13th (2009)

In my opinion, Mears brought us a Jason that was crafty, cunning, and damn scary. That opening sequence with Jason running and swinging back to attack Amanda Righetti’s “Whitney Miller” was simply fantastic and showed that Jason wasn’t going to hold back nor was he going to be a joke. This Jason meant business, even though he was a pot farmer. JUST KIDDING!

Mears added 13 kills (once again, hehe) to Jason’s phenomenal body count. He also went from the sack mask to the hockey mask in one film. Overall, I’d say he did pretty solid!

Alright readers, it’s time to answer the question of the day! Who do you think played the best Jason Voorhees?

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‘Leprechaun Returns’ – The Charm of the Franchise’s Legacy Sequel

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The erratic Leprechaun franchise is not known for sticking with a single concept for too long. The namesake (originally played by Warwick Davis) has gone to L.A., Las Vegas, space, and the ‘hood (not once but twice). And after an eleven-year holiday since the Davis era ended, the character received a drastic makeover in a now-unmentionable reboot. The critical failure of said film would have implied it was time to pack away the green top hat and shillelagh, and say goodbye to the nefarious imp. Instead, the Leprechaun series tried its luck again.

The general consensus for the Leprechaun films was never positive, and the darker yet blander Leprechaun: Origins certainly did not sway opinions. Just because the 2014 installment took itself seriously did not mean viewers would. After all, creator Mark Jones conceived a gruesome horror-comedy back in the early nineties, and that format is what was expected of any future ventures. So as horror legacy sequels (“legacyquels”) became more common in the 2010s, Leprechaun Returns followed suit while also going back to what made the ‘93 film work. This eighth entry echoed Halloween (2018) by ignoring all the previous sequels as well as being a direct continuation of the original. Even ardent fans can surely understand the decision to wipe the slate clean, so to speak.

Leprechaun Returns “continued the [franchise’s] trend of not being consistent by deciding to be consistent.” The retconning of Steven Kostanski and Suzanne Keilly’s film was met with little to no pushback from the fandom, who had already become accustomed to seeing something new and different with every chapter. Only now the “new and different” was familiar. With the severe route of Origins a mere speck in the rearview mirror, director Kotanski implemented a “back to basics” approach that garnered better reception than Zach Lipovsky’s own undertaking. The one-two punch of preposterous humor and grisly horror was in full force again.

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Pictured: Linden Porco as The Leprechaun in Leprechaun Returns.

With Warwick Davis sitting this film out — his own choice — there was the foremost challenge of finding his replacement. Returns found Davis’ successor in Linden Porco, who admirably filled those blood-stained, buckled shoes. And what would a legacy sequel be without a returning character? Jennifer Aniston obviously did not reprise her final girl role of Tory Redding. So, the film did the next best thing and fetched another of Lubdan’s past victims: Ozzie, the likable oaf played by Mark Holton. Returns also created an extension of Tory’s character by giving her a teenage daughter, Lila (Taylor Spreitler).

It has been twenty-five years since the events of the ‘93 film. The incident is unknown to all but its survivors. Interested in her late mother’s history there in Devil’s Lake, North Dakota, Lila transferred to the local university and pledged a sorority — really the only one on campus — whose few members now reside in Tory Redding’s old home. The farmhouse-turned-sorority-house is still a work in progress; Lila’s fellow Alpha Epsilon sisters were in the midst of renovating the place when a ghost of the past found its way into the present.

The Psycho Goreman and The Void director’s penchant for visceral special effects is noted early on as the Leprechaun tears not only into the modern age, but also through poor Ozzie’s abdomen. The portal from 1993 to 2018 is soaked with blood and guts as the Leprechaun forces his way into the story. Davis’ iconic depiction of the wee antagonist is missed, however, Linden Porco is not simply keeping the seat warm in case his predecessor ever resumes the part. His enthusiastic performance is accentuated by a rotten-looking mug that adds to his innate menace.

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Pictured: Taylor Spreitler, Pepi Sonuga, and Sai Bennett as Lila, Katie and Rose in Leprechaun Returns.

The obligatory fodder is mostly young this time around. Apart from one luckless postman and Ozzie — the premature passing of the latter character removed the chance of caring about anyone in the film — the Leprechaun’s potential prey are all college aged. Lila is this story’s token trauma kid with caregiver baggage; her mother thought “monsters were always trying to get her.” Lila’s habit of mentioning Tory’s mental health problem does not make a good first impression with the resident mean girl and apparent alcoholic of the sorority, Meredith (Emily Reid). Then there are the nicer but no less cursorily written of the Alpha Epsilon gals: eco-conscious and ex-obsessive Katie (Pepi Sonuga), and uptight overachiever Rose (Sai Bennett). Rounding out the main cast are a pair of destined-to-die bros (Oliver Llewellyn Jenkins, Ben McGregor). Lila and her peers range from disposable to plain irritating, so rooting for any one of them is next to impossible. Even so, their overstated personalities make their inevitable fates more satisfying.

Where Returns excels is its death sequences. Unlike Jones’ film, this one is not afraid of killing off members of the main cast. Lila, admittedly, wears too much plot armor, yet with her mother’s spirit looming over her and the whole story — comedian Heather McDonald put her bang-on Aniston impersonation to good use as well as provided a surprisingly emotional moment in the film — her immunity can be overlooked. Still, the other characters’ brutal demises make up for Lila’s imperviousness. The Leprechaun’s killer set-pieces also happen to demonstrate the time period, seeing as he uses solar panels and a drone in several supporting characters’ executions. A premortem selfie and the antagonist’s snarky mention of global warming additionally add to this film’s particular timestamp.

Critics were quick to say Leprechaun Returns did not break new ground. Sure, there is no one jetting off to space, or the wacky notion of Lubdan becoming a record producer. This reset, however, is still quite charming and entertaining despite its lack of risk-taking. And with yet another reboot in the works, who knows where the most wicked Leprechaun ever to exist will end up next.


Horror contemplates in great detail how young people handle inordinate situations and all of life’s unexpected challenges. While the genre forces characters of every age to face their fears, it is especially interested in how youths might fare in life-or-death scenarios.

The column Young Blood is dedicated to horror stories for and about teenagers, as well as other young folks on the brink of terror.

Leprechaun Returns movie

Pictured: Linden Porco as The Leprechaun in Leprechaun Returns.

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