For a horror fan, there is no escaping Jason Voorhees or Friday the 13th. Even if you have never seen a single movie (for shame!), you know who he is, what he does, and what he looks like. But that’s from my perspective. I grew up in the 80s, played the video game on a system known simply as Nintendo (now referred to as “The 8 Bit”), and suffered the indignity of that comic where he fought a talking Leatherface.

But what about those who grew up in the Jason-starved 90s? The only Jason films they might remember in theaters are the ones where he fights Freddy or goes off into space. The remake may be their first real introduction to the hockey masked behemoth that stalks teenagers at a place known as Crystal Lake. So for them, Bloody Disgusting and Horror Movie A Day would like to present this retrospective series: 13 Days Of Jason. Each day leading up to the remake’s theatrical release, BC will be showcasing one of the original films, with trivia, factoids, thoughts, and his own full blown review.

Bloody will also be presenting a few other articles that highlight some of the series’ traditions, such as the lovesick nerd character and Jason’s habit of using unique weapons. Because even if you don’t agree with BC’s assessment of each film, there’s one thing we can all agree on: Jason fucking rules.

AKA: “The one in 3D” or “The one where he gets the hockey mask”
RELEASE: August 13, 1982 (1,079 theaters)
GROSS: $36,690,067 (includes re-release)

PLOT: A few hours after the non-conclusion of Part 2, Jason gets back and up and kills some folks a few trees down. After a guy named Shelly provides him with a new mask that he really likes, he is bested by the worst actress in the entire series – a character whom he had apparently raped a few years before.

THOUGHTS: When you watch this one in 3D, in a crowded theater, it’s a blast. But without the crowds and gimmicks, it’s the weakest of the early entries for sure. The main girl is horrible, the kills are way too hit or miss, and you spend half the movie looking at popcorn and yo-yos. Luckily Shelly’s antics, Vera’s hotness, Jason’s iconic “first” appearance, and the occasional entertaining moment (Harold’s “diet”) keep it afloat, and the final chase is pretty great to boot. Also, Jason’s best non-killing moment in the entire series comes right after he kills Vera: he tosses down the spear gun and sort of shuffles off looking for something else to do.

(Read BC’s full review at Horror Movie A Day)

BEST KILL: Eye popping out of a head! Eye popping out of a head!

MOST “HUH?” MOMENT: How the fuck does Ali survive his initial attack?

FUTURE STARS: None whatsoever, though Steve Miner plays the newscaster. Since the dude refuses to appear in any of the series’ retrospectives or documentaries, it’s sort of nice to have his on-screen presence in something Friday-related.

TRIVIA: This is the only film in the original series to be shot in the 2.35:1 aspect ratio. If you notice, the clips at the beginning (from Part 2) are cropped to fit the wider screen size.

Check back tomorrow for Friday the 13th Part 4: The Final Chapter!

Click here to keep up with all of our 13 Days of Friday the 13th coverage!