Halloween Movie Month 2 [Friday the 13th Part II]

The Friday the 13th series is one of the staple long running horror series that started in the early 80s. While Jason Voorhees is definitely one of the best killers of all time. Last year I did Friday the 13th and I really liked it. I don't think the first movie of any of the 70s or 80s series was bad for me. And with this part two the trend continues. Jason and the new camp where Camp Crystal Lake was about to have a rough night.

We start off Friday the 13th Part II with Alice (Adrienne King), the lone survivor of Mrs. Voorhees' (Betsy Palmer) rampage of the first movie at Camp Crystal Lake, in her home. After discovering Mrs. Voorhees' head in her refrigerator, Jason (Steve Daskawisz) stabs her in the head with an ice pick. Five years later Paul Holt (John Furey) opens a camp where Crystal Lake used to be. On the first night he tells the story of Jason to the other counselors, but assures them Jason is dead. In the coming days though it is quite apparent that Jason is alive and well and wants to avenge anyone who crosses him, or his dead mothers, path.

This, like I said before, is another good sequel. I think of it as repackaging, like in Halloween 2, while filling in story points and really establishing the Jason lore. While there's not much more of a story to talk about, Jason killing camp counselors in the woods, you really don't need Earnest Hemingway writing in movies like these. The music is updated, but keeps the feel of the first movie and when jump moments or kills happen it heightens the sense of the situation. CHI-CHI-CHI, AH-AH-AH. Speaking of the kills I love them. Barbed wire choke out, machete to the wheel chair guy's face and impaling two lovers with a spear. What more could you want? Acting was almost non-existent, but it never bother me one way or the other. This was horror in the early 80s.

All this month has been three for three so far. I like Jason as a killer (as most people do) and really not changing much from the first movie helped the appeal for me. Like I said, the acting is what it was, but the move as a whole made the lore grow. The music and kills were good and it was definitely a good follow-up to it's predecessor. Another duo of movies you should have no fear in watching one evening.

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Halloween Movie Month 2! Movie #1: Halloween II

Halloween Movie Month 2! Movie #2: The Devil's Rejects