Movies
45 Years of Fear: The Most Killer Moments from Friday the 13th
May 2025 marks the 45th anniversary of the release of the 1980 slasher Friday the 13th. In honor of this momentous occasion, I thought I’d break down the most important 45 minutes of footage from across the entire franchise that was spawned on that day nearly half a century ago. Some of these clips are historic, helping to shape the franchise. Some are shining examples of the franchise at its best and worst. And some are just a hell of a lot of fun. Because if you’re not having fun during a Friday the 13th movie marathon, something has gone terribly wrong.
May 2025 marks the 45th anniversary of the release of the 1980 slasher Friday the 13th. In honor of this momentous occasion, I thought I’d break down the most important 45 minutes of footage from across the entire franchise that was spawned on that day nearly half a century ago. Some of these clips are historic, helping to shape the franchise. Some are shining examples of the franchise at its best and worst. And some are just a hell of a lot of fun. Because if you’re not having fun during a Friday the 13th movie marathon, something has gone terribly wrong.
Note: If the video I share is longer than the clip I’m pointing to, specific timecodes will be included in a parenthetical at the beginning of the paragraph.
Ch-Ch-Ch Ha-Ha-Ha Begins (6 seconds, Friday the 13th 1980)
(1:12 to 1:18) Less than two minutes into the movie, you get to hear composer Harry Manfredini’s magnum opus for the first time. The atonal “ch-ch-ch ha-ha-ha” would come to define the soundscape of the franchise, more than any other individual piece of music.
Also, purists will tell you that it’s “ki-ki-ki ma-ma-ma,” because Manfredini put reverb on those syllables from “kill her, mommy” in order to create the sound. But when you’re mimicking it or writing it out, you gotta go with how it sounds, people, not where it started!
Annie’s Death (19 seconds, Friday the 13th 1980)
(1:18 to 1:37) Although two random counselors were killed in the opening sequence of the movie, their deaths are relatively bloodless. Annie is the first main character to be killed during the movie proper, and Tom Savini’s gross slit-throat prosthetic gets center stage here, pulling the rug out from under the first-time viewer who might have assumed we were getting a classy slasher like Halloween in addition to hinting at the carnage that is to come.
Crazy Ralph Rides His Bike (8 seconds, Friday the 13th 1980)
(0:31 to 0:39)
I mean, look at that posture. Impeccable!
Jack’s Death (44 seconds, Friday the 13th 1980)
While Annie’s death raises the curtain of Friday the 13th, Jack’s is the showstopper. From its unique weapon choice and (frankly, impossible) geography, to the geyser of blood that ensues, it is a sequence that drew up the template for the creative, jaw-dropping kills to come in future installments.
Mrs. Voorhees’ Monologue (1 minute & 59 seconds, Friday the 13th 1980)
(0:20 to 2:19) In addition to being impeccably delivered by a deliciously over-the-top Betsy Palmer, Mrs. Voorhees’ killer reveal moment introduces the character of Jason, who is – spoiler alert – going to turn out to be pretty important.
Mrs. Voorhees’ Death (38 seconds, Friday the 13th 1980)
(1:02 to 1:40) This decapitation is another important element of Jason’s backstory, but it’s also just a hella cool Tom Savini moment.
Jason’s Debut (22 seconds, Friday the 13th 1980)
(1:25 to 1:47) Jason arriving on the scene as a zombie child threw a wrench in continuity from square one, but it is important for multiple reasons. First, it provided the movie with an iconic last-minute jump scare that sent audiences out into the streets, singing the movie’s praises and building word of mouth. Second, it’s the first proper appearance of Jason, and that kind of history simply can’t be ignored.
Jason’s Adult Debut (21 seconds, Friday the 13th Part 2)
(0:00 to 0:21) Jason making his first appearance as a grown man (played in this moment by costume designer Ellen Lutter) might be a bit ignominious. He steps in a puddle, and that’s pretty much it. But that step in a puddle marks the glorious debut of a character who was about to become synonymous with the slasher genre.
Alice’s Death (31 seconds, Friday the 13th Part 2)
(6:15 to 6:46) Not only does Alice’s death promise that nobody is safe in this new installment, it marks the first and only time that a final girl from a Friday the 13th installment would appear in its sequel.
Paul Gives It To Us Straight About Jason (2 minutes & 12 seconds, Friday the 13th Part 2)
In addition to being an eerie scene-setting moment, Paul’s campfire story about Jason Voorhees provides audiences with the only real attempt at an explanation that they’re going to get about why the dead zombie kid from the last movie is now a very much alive, homicidal adult.
Mark’s Death (55 seconds, Friday the 13th Part 2)
How do you one-up a kill like the one that put an arrow through Kevin Bacon’s neck? Here’s one way.
Ginny’s Dress-Up Act (1 minute & 3 seconds, Friday the 13th Part 2)
(0:00 to 1:03) In addition to showcasing the cleverness of one of the franchise’s best final girls (and cementing the fact that the franchise will consistently embrace the final girl trope), the moment where Ginny dresses up as Jason’s mother had a huge ripple effect on the slasher genre at large and would be ripped off time and again, including in the finale of the Canadian slasher Humongous, which debuted just 13 months later.
The Disco Theme (1 minute & 52 seconds, Friday the 13th Part III)
Is this the second most important piece of music that Harry Manfredini contributed to the franchise? I think there are other contenders, but I’m not gonna come right out and say no.
Jason Gets His Hockey Mask (19 seconds, Friday the 13th Part III)
(3:00 to 3:19) Here it is, the moment that changed Friday the 13th forever. It didn’t seem like it at the time, really. It was just a cool look that he stole from that loser, Shelly. But the hockey mask became synonymous with Jason so instantaneously that it was featured on the poster for this movie’s immediate sequel. Mind you, the poster doesn’t even feature Jason. Just the mask.
Rick’s Death (40 seconds, Friday the 13th Part III)
Just like the disco theme, this moment highlights the fact that Friday the 13th wasn’t afraid to go a little wacky, even in the early installments that didn’t feature overt supernatural elements.
Crispin Glover Dances (31 seconds, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter)
I mean, this would be one of the most important moments of any franchise. If this happened in The Godfather Part III, more people would rank it higher. Just saying.
Jason Meets His (First) End (2 minutes & 32 seconds, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter)
(1:33 to 4:05) Ah what a sweet and innocent time it was in 1984. Jason was dead. It was the final chapter. The nightmare was finally over, right? Right?! In addition to beginning the trend of the franchise ending with Jason’s death and then starting back up again more or less immediately, this sequence is Tom Savin’s victory lap before departing the franchise. What better moment could have represented this than Jason’s face sliding down a machete, am I right?
Damn Enchiladas (1 minute & 45 seconds, Friday the 13th: A New Beginning)
(0:00 to 1:45) The Friday the 13th movies have always been reflective of the culture and trends of the time in which they were made, and this is perhaps the most beautifully bizarre interlude from the most coked-up era of cinema history.
It Was Roy? (42 seconds, Friday the 13th: A New Beginning)
(4:35 to 5:17) And now for the “huh?” heard ‘round the world. When Jason falls onto a bed of spikes (a pretty cool death, honestly), his mask splits open like a melon to reveal… who is that again? Oh yeah, Roy, the weird paramedic from like two earlier scenes in the movie. That’s right, we have a copycat killer on our hands! The resoundingly negative response to this is a major reason why the upcoming movies took on a supernatural twist with a zombie Jason (the popularity of Elm Street also helped).
Jason’s Return (3 minutes & 36 seconds, Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI)
(4:53 to 8:29) Jason’s back, y’all. And who should bring him back but Tommy Jarvis, the guy who is perhaps the most important recurring character in the franchise whose last name doesn’t begin with a V.
Cort Has Sex (26 seconds, Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI)
(1:25 to 1:51) Even for Jason’s most overtly comic outing, this sequence perfectly highlights how out of touch these filmmakers could sometimes be from even the most basic of human experiences.
Tina Fights Jason (2 minutes & 13 seconds, Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood)
We already have a supernatural Jason, so why not throw in a telekinetic final girl? In an installment that was butchered by the MPAA and thus does not have much gore to speak of, the silly but compelling battle at the end of the movie likely went a long way toward ensuring that the franchise would live to slay another day.
Jason Goes On Arsenio Hall (5 minutes & 43 seconds)
Jason’s appearance on The Arsenio Hall Show was the beginning of the end for the big lug. This flop-sweaty talk show moment is as embarrassing for Jason as it is for Arsenio, and it highlights both what a massive phenomenon the franchise was and how little Paramount could figure out what to do with it in the tail end of the 1980s. It makes sense that they sold it off to New Line right after Jason Takes Manhattan (which Jason is promoting here) took in the most diminished of returns at the box office.
Julius’ Death (1 minute & 56 seconds, Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan)
It may not have made the money that Paramount was hoping for, but Jason Takes Manhattan still knew how to have fun when it wanted to.
Jason (Finally) Takes Manhattan (32 seconds, Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan)
(0:36 to 1:08) In one of the scant few moments of the movie that both 1) takes place in Manhattan and 2) was shot in Manhattan, the movie ever-so-briefly lives up to the glory promised by the title and poster. Alas, this wasn’t long enough to win anybody over.
Jason Meets His (Second) End (3 minutes, Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan)
Jason’s second death in the franchise is cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. It is thus a fitting end for his original run at Paramount, who fumbled this project in every possible way.
Game Over (5 seconds, Friday the 13th NES Game)
(0:10 to 0:15) I’m sorry to report that you and your friends are dead, but what an honor for your demise to have come at the hands of Jason Voorhees.
Jason Meets His (Third) End (1 minute & 20 seconds, Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday)
(1:40 to 3:00) Jason’s third demise came a lot quicker than anybody thought, in the opening sequence of the next movie. Frankly, the surprise SWAT sting is pretty fun, too.
Jason’s Autopsy (1 minute & 41 seconds, Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday)
(0:45 to 2:26) Here is the moment where New Line announced exactly what they were going to be up to as the new stewards of the Friday the 13th franchise. Even though I secretly enjoy this movie, it perhaps makes sense why things went off the rails more or less immediately.
Creighton Duke Makes His American Casefile Debut (20 seconds, Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday)
Say what you will about the new direction for the franchise, but the world is better off with Creighton Duke in it.
Jason (Finally) Goes to Hell (1 minute & 19 seconds, Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday)
(1:15 to 2:34) Never say these movies don’t live up to the promises made by their titles. Eventually.
Adrienne’s Death (27 seconds, Jason X)
(0:25 to 0:52) This kill in Jason’s bizarre spacefaring adventure proves that New Line still had some tricks up their sleeves when it came to having filmmakers craft exciting kills.
The Camp Simulation (30 seconds, Jason X)
Here’s another fun kill (with the nudity cut out for YouTube censorship reasons, because violence is fine but god forbid you see a rogue nipple), but the VR Crystal Lake sequence also brings the franchise full circle in the last of its proper installments.
Jason Raves (2 minutes & 9 seconds, Freddy vs. Jason)
This sequence is proof that you can’t keep Jason Voorhees down. You can send him to hell, send him to space, kill him a half-dozen times, it doesn’t matter. This crossover with the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise proved that this murdering machine just ain’t gonna break.
Nolan & Chelsea’s Deaths (1 minute & 54 seconds, Friday the 13th 2009)
(1:10 to 3:04) In what unfortunately remains the most recent installment, this pair of deaths is probably the best at evoking what the reboot does best. It has a solid shock gag followed by a thrilling cat-and-mouse moment, ending with a sublimely tasteless kill that combines nudity and gore in a single shot. It’s the entire Friday the 13th franchise in a nutshell.
Trent Has Sex (10 seconds, Friday the 13th 2009)
This is the amount of time it takes for Trent to speak the most iconic lines of dialogue in the history of western drama, namely “Your tits are stupendous,” “You got perfect nipple placement, baby,” “These would win in a fucking titty contest,” and “Your tits are fucking just… so juicy, dude.” Shakespeare could never.
Looks like another July will be spent getting cozy with Shudder in this house. Between all the new (to me) international titles and the conclusion of Hell Motel on July 29th, the app has filled my calendar for the month. Hold my texts, keep your emails in the draft folder, and don’t look for me outside. My TV and I are on a mission, and we’re prioritizing the five titles below. I hope they grab your attention and make it into your Shudder viewings this summer as well. However, I’ll be too busy watching them to know what anyone else is doing, so happy streaming whatever you decide to get into.
While we have you here, you should consider joining us for Bloody Brunches! Every Sunday at 11 AM CST / 12 PM EST, we’ll be livestreaming a new episode of Hell Motel. Who know’s who you’ll see, sometimes Ian Carpenter and crew stop by!
The Best Movies to Stream on Shudder This Month
Lake Placid (1999)
A small group of people try to capture a gigantic crocodile terrorizing the people of Black Lake, Maine. I am not an aquatic horror girl, and I am usually unimpressed with 90s action horror titles. I make a special exception for Lake Placid though. Sure, it stars Bridget Fonda, Bill Pullman, and Oliver Platt. However, real film buffs know that it’s really the late Betty White who carries this movie. Her foul-mouthed character stood on business and is the reason most of us revisit this title during the summer.
You can watch Lake Placid on July 1st.
Nyi Blorong (1982)
The South Sea Queen’s daughter rises to take a human lover. I have a long history of disliking snakes and movies about snakes. However, I’m leaning into this 1982 film because I deserve a retro Indonesian horror fantasy moment. I am also excited because it stars the late Suzzanna, the queen of Indonesian horror. I only learned about her a few years ago and wanted to spend some time with her work. As usual, Shudder is making it too easy to become a better cinephile.
You can watch Nyi Blorong on July 7th.
The Housemaid (2018)
An orphaned girl is hired as a housemaid at a haunted rubber plantation in 1953 French Indochina. Once there, she falls in love with the landowner, which sends the ghost of his dead wife into a jealous rage. I was excited to watch this just because it sounds chaotic, and I do not see enough Vietnamese horror for my liking. However, I recently discovered it is also an IFC Midnight title, so now my expectations are through the roof. IFC has been the home of upsetting, weird, and unique horror since 2010. I have a date with Shudder on July 14th, because I want this movie in my eyeballs the second it becomes available.
You can watch The Housemaid on July 14th.
Swallow (2020)
A pregnant housewife is compelled to eat dangerous objects, leading her husband and in-laws to become more controlling. Swallow had the misfortune of debuting during the top of the pandemic, so many people missed it. I found it on accident during Thanksgiving back when Showtime still had its own app. It’s quiet chaos that surprised me in a good way. I have been trying to make everyone I know watch it, and Shudder is making that so much easier this month. I am overdue for a rewatch myself, so I will also be hitting play while it’s available this July.
You can watch Swallow on July 21st.
Monster Island (2024)
A Japanese ship transporting prisoners of war and a British POW are stranded on an island where a mythical creator hunts them. Can they work together now that their very survival depends on it? I was bummed I missed this movie at Overlook Film Fest this year because all my friends loved it. So, obviously, I am thrilled Monster Island (also known as Orang Ikan) is hitting the Shudders streets so soon. I do not know what the other monster movies are doing this July because my heart belongs to this baby.
You can watch Monster Island on July 25th.
So, as usual, I will be hiding in my apartment and trying to make Shudder Saturdays my personality. I’m running at their international titles like it’s my job and revisiting a few movies I never spend enough time with. I hope your Shudder watches spark as much joy for you as I expect mine will this July.
In the 90 years since its release, The Bride of Frankenstein is still the Universal Monsters franchise’s strongest film.
I first watched The Bride of Frankenstein on cable around 15 years ago. Director James Whale’s fable of a misunderstood creature’s quest for a bride really stayed with me after subsequent viewings. Speaking of The Bride, she’s the Universal Monster with the most potential for a gripping and modern reimagining that hasn’t been fully tapped into yet. Universal’s newest theme park Epic Universe, opening back in May, inspired a deeper dive into The Bride of Frankenstein, the titular role and its legacy.
Unveiling The Bride: The Plot and Power of the 1935 Classic
Immediately following 1931’s Frankenstein, The Bride of Frankenstein centers on Henry Frankenstein (Colin Clive) as the sinister Dr. Pretorius (Ernest Thesiger) urges him to collaborate on creating a mate for The Monster (Boris Karloff). In the meantime, The Monster travels across the countryside, learns to speak, and meets Pretorius. When both scientists complete and unveil The Bride (Elsa Lanchester), she rejects The Monster, motivating him to pull a lever and famously say, “We belong dead.” Pulling the lever ignites an explosion, killing The Monster, The Bride, and Pretorius.
Just as it took two scientists’ minds to create her onscreen, two individuals gave life to The Bride’s characterization and look: Lanchester and makeup master Jack Pierce, who designed nearly all the original Universal Monsters.
The Bride’s Hiss: How Lanchester Stole the Show with Limited Screentime
The Bride not being the film’s main protagonist is ironic since she’s the title character. Making the most of her brief performance, Lanchester’s swan-like mannerisms as The Bride sharply contrast with the humanity Karloff brings out of The Monster. After her dual role as The Bride and author Mary Shelley herself in the film, Lanchester took on more horror film roles like Henrietta Stiles in Willard (1971). It’s not hard to imagine what could’ve been for her career if she reprised her role in The Bride of Frankenstein’s sequels Son of Frankenstein and Ghost of Frankenstein. If a lab explosion couldn’t kill The Monster, wouldn’t it be the same for The Bride?
Besides the white streaks, Lanchester surprisingly didn’t wear a wig to portray The Bride since Pierce shaped her red hair to look the way it does. Pierce’s work on The Bride is just as iconic if not more so than Lanchester’s performance, ensuring the character became inseparable from her intended suitor in pop culture’s eyes. Case in point: There’s so much officially licensed merchandise playing up a romance between the two characters, even though The Bride can’t stand her intended mate. Beyond Lanchester and Pierce, there is one man responsible for how the film itself would come out.
James Whale’s Masterpiece: Directing The Bride of Frankenstein
Whale stitched great set designs, fantastic performances and composer Franz Waxman’s eerie score together to create a masterpiece.
Having Frankenstein, The Old Dark House and The Invisible Man under his belt by the mid-‘30s, it’s clear Whale creatively peaked while working on The Bride of Frankenstein. Although so much about Whale’s talents has been said, there’s a reason why his work on the film stands out across his filmography: He really went wild when directing it. Every character is practically cartoony, the sets are more elaborate and the plot is thematically richer than the original’s. Being an openly gay filmmaker, he cranked up The Bride of Frankenstein’s camp to legendary heights.
The Bride of Frankenstein is the final horror movie Whale directed. The novel Father of Frankenstein and its film adaptation Gods and Monsters, starring actor Ian McKellen as Whale, dramatize his life after directing the film. According to the reference book Universal Horrors by Tom Weaver, Michael Brunas and John Brunas, he initially didn’t want to direct his horror work’s apex. Just like Henry Frankenstein’s relationship with the monster he created, The Bride of Frankenstein’s production is a case of life imitating art. The Monster’s in-universe infamy further parallels Whale’s Frankenstein duology’s lasting popularity.
How The Bride of Frankenstein Shaped Horror Sequels and Adaptations
The Bride of Frankenstein’s influence can be seen across other horror films and Frankenstein adaptations.
Having “Bride of” in a horror sequel’s title is synonymous with including the main character’s female counterpart, leading to Bride of Re-Animator, Bride of Chucky, etc. The similarities go further than the titles, with The Bride of Frankenstein inspiring the former’s plot and furthering Tiffany’s arc in the latter. The Bride of Frankenstein inevitably shaped Frankenstein’s future adaptations as well.
Directed by Kenneth Branagh, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein from 1994 closely follows the original novel. Breaking away from the novel’s narrative, its third act pays homage to The Bride of Frankenstein when Victor brings Elizabeth back to life with similarly brief screentime. Mia Goth’s seemingly red hair on the set of Guillermo Del Toro’s upcoming Frankenstein may hint at her character similarly becoming The Bride.
The Bride’s Untapped Potential for a Modern Horror Remake
With Warner Bros. releasing its own take on the character with The Bride! in 2026, it makes Universal’s reluctance to make a new remake downright egregious.
The Bride is still the literally redheaded stepchild among the Universal Monsters. When it comes to being neglected by Universal, The Creature From the Black Lagoon is the only character who rivals The Bride, but that’s another story. Universal did plan a remake directed by Bill Condon, who helmed Gods and Monsters, for its aborted Dark Universe film franchise.
The Bride’s Absence in Epic Universe’s Monsters Unchained Ride
Looking at Epic Universe, the Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment ride apparently leaves The Bride out, even though she makes more sense to be in it than The Phantom of the Opera. However, The Bride does make meet-and-greet appearances across Dark Universe’s grounds.
Several ideas can be incredible for when Universal finally releases a remake of The Bride of Frankenstein someday. Based on what I’ve heard about 2023’s Poor Things, it’s exploration of a mad scientist’s creation’s experiences in a restrictive society is closer to what a modern reimagining should be. Having a woman behind the camera can lead to a feminist vision, delving into The Bride questioning her life’s purpose.
Until the day a proper remake debuts, the original 1935 film remains The Bride of Frankenstein’s definitive incarnation.
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