Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)

User Rating:

4.5/10   

Director:

John Carl Buechler

Writers:

Manuel Fidello (writer)
Daryl Haney (writer)

Release Date:

13 May 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror

Tagline:

On Friday the 13th, Jason will meet his match.

Plot:

Years after Tommy Jarvis chained him underwater at Camp Crystal Lake, the hulking killer Jason Vorhees returns to the camp grounds when he's released accidently by a teenager with psychic powers.

Plot Keywords:

Crystal Lake | Telekinesis | Jason Voorhees | Teen | Murder

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Kane Hodder	...	Jason Voorhees
Lar Park-Lincoln	...	Tina Shepard
Susan Jennifer Sullivan	...	Melissa
Kevin Spirtas	...	Nick (as Kevin Blair)
Terry Kiser	...	Dr. Crews
Susan Blu	...	Mrs. Amanda Shepard
Heidi Kozak	...	Sandra
William Butler	...	Michael
Staci Greason	...	Jane
Larry Cox	...	Russell
Jeff Bennett	...	Eddie
Diana Barrows	...	Maddy
Elizabeth Kaitan	...	Robin
Jon Renfield	...	David
Michael Schroeder	...	Dan

Also Known As:

Birthday Bash (USA) (fake working title)

Runtime:

90 min | UK:84 min (DVD)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

Canada:13+ (Quebec) | USA:R (certificate #29206) | Singapore:(Banned) | Sweden:15 | Netherlands:16 | Brazil:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Argentina:18 | Australia:M | Canada:R | France:-12 | Norway:18 | UK:18 | West Germany:18 | Mexico:C | South Korea:18 | Finland:K-18

Filming Locations:

Bay Minette, Alabama, USA

Company:

Friday Four Films Inc.

Trivia:

John Carl Buechler was so impressed with Kane Hodder when he ate live worms on the set of Prison (1988), that he pushed for Paramount Pictures to let him cast Hodder in the role of Jason. If it had not been for Buechler's persistence, the role of Jason Voorhees would have been reprised by C.J. Graham.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Tina's mother takes out the video cassette she doesn't close the video cover. When it cuts to Crews entering, the cover is closed.

Quotes:

Sandra: [while skinny-dipping] You need a formal invitation? Russell party for two, right this way place.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Friday the 13th: Scarlet Cinema (#2.16)" (1989)

Soundtrack:

Dream Girl

Jason Vs. Carrie...sort of

Weepy Tina Shepard arrives at Crystal Lake with her mom and her doctor. Tina is a wreck of a girl - plagued by a powerful telekinetic ability, Tina killed her drunken and abusive father in a fit of rage many years ago and has been trying to deal with her guilt ever since. Unfortunately, her sadistic doctor wants only to exploit Tina's powers and drives Tina to the breaking point with his cruelty. In yet another emotional fit, Tina attempts to raise her dead father from the depths of Crystal Lake, but instead raises the rotting carcass of Jason Voorhees instead, who emerges with his hockey mask intact and his bloodlust stronger than ever. Jason immediately heads into the woods and starts killing, gradually working his way to the house next door to Tina's, filled with vacuous partying teens. Tina, who is also precognitive, tries to warn those around her of impending death, but no one will believe the stressed out girl. Finally, Tina must battle Jason herself is she hopes to save her new boyfriend and herself from death.

This is Kane Hodder's first outing as Jason Voorhees and its a really great one. Jason is a hulking killing machine of pure, cold rage and the deaths the accrue have never been more vicious or grimly satisfying. The now-famous sleeping bag bludgeon makes its first appearance in this 6th installment, and its one of my favorites - really nasty and brutally hilarious. Lar Park Lincoln is great as Tina - perhaps a bit too weepy, but almost as angry as Jason and erupting in great displays of rage, both verbal and telekinetic. Lincoln did a lot of her own stunts in this one too, which is always impressive.

The make-up effects in this movie are my absolute favorite. Jason is a wet, rotting cadaver, his spinal cord clearly visible through the shredded remains of his clothes, his ribcage poking out, his flesh dark with rot. The unmasking scene is a truly shocking and "wow!" inspiring awesome moment, as Jason's face is revealed to be little more than an animated skull - but animated it truly is! Beneath the hideous make-up, Hodder impressively expresses the evil wrath of Jason with one empty eye socket and half a mouthful of teeth. The telekinetic effects are a lot of fun as Tina "throws" every weapon at her disposal at Jason: a couch, a jar full of nails, a light fixture and finally a can of gasoline and the flames from the basement furnace. It was great to see someone give Jason a run for his money instead of just screaming and running away.

All in all, one of the better sequels to follow the original Friday the 13th. 7 out of 10.