Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5196 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-09-29
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 83 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
No matter how many sequels they've made or how big a hit it was in 1980, it's difficult to view the first Friday the 13th as anything but a quickie designed to cram in as many elements from horror movies that had been hits in the late 1970s--most obviously, Halloween and Carrie--while adding as little as possible to the formula. Director Sean S Cunningham has an archetypal plot at his disposal as a group of attractive, shallow teenagers out in the woods to reopen a once-cursed summer camp are murdered in manners designed to show off Tom Savini's gore effects. Kevin Bacon, killed early (arrow through the throat), is the only player who went on to have a career, and he hardly stands out from the strip-Monopoly-playing, goon-acting meat-on-the-hoof teens who fall prey to the mostly unseen murderer. That it's not a total write-off is down to a few neatly edited bits of classical suspense and, two decades on, a simmering nostalgia for a world of bouffant-haired bubbleheads in short shorts (and that's just the guys) observed by edgy subjective camera as the music hisses "kill kill kill".

On the DVD: Friday the 13th may be the least worthy of all horror "classics", but it's still nice to have an edition that (unlike earlier video releases) offers a 16x9-enhanced 1.85:1 restored image and a healthy dose of extras. The hard-sell trailer gives away most of the big scares, and so should be sampled after the film. The making of the movie is covered by a 20-minute "Return to Crystal Lake" featurette and a commentary track with input from many of the creatives (Cunningham, composer Harry Manfredini, stars Adrienne King and Betsy Palmer, writer Victor Miller). Some anecdotes get repeated, but there's a lot of solid background material. --Kim Newman

Synopsis
Despite repeated warnings to stay away, a group of fun-loving but none-too-bright teenagers set out to reopen the eerie Camp Crystal Lake, which closed 20 years earlier after a series of bizarre and unexplained deaths. Now someone is lurking in the woods, spying on the happy campers, and plotting a gory, grisly revenge on those who would disturb the camp's slumber. A classic of the horror genre.

Customer Reviews

Pretty Good
Friday the 13th is a pretty good slasher flick. It has a solid story, creative deaths (arrow through Kevin Bacons throat), evil killer and girls running round with almost no clothes on!

Yes, the film is incredibly cheesy, dated and the acting is pretty bad (with the exception of Betsy Palmer), but overlook that and you will see a hugely enjoyable horror classic.

A good film.
Don't get me wrong, I think this is a good horror but it wasn't up to the standerds I espected. Espeicially with the budget they had...

a question
This isnt actually a review as such, but an enquiry and a response to the other reviews on here....I have the original British VHS release of this film, which is one of my most treasured collection items. I am aware that the UK video release was in fact the full uncut version (the only fully uncut video release outside of the US I think). Sadly, the tape itself is barely watchable these days and I want to replace it with the DVD release. Can anyone tell me if the standard UK DVD release is uncut? Thanks.