Ranking the Friday the 13th openings.

Ranking the Friday the 13th openings.

- To celebrate our newest theme which will deal with everything Friday the 13th, let's take a trip over to Crystal Lake and see an epic ranking of the best opening from best to worst in this awesome slasher series!!!

1) Friday the 13th part 4 The Final Chapter

- Since this was supposed to be the last movie in the series, and I really gotta hand it to them, this was one HELL of an opening. What I really liked was how they recapped on the events in the pervious three films, displaying some of the best kills while showing the flashback of Paul from part 2 telling everyone the legend of Jason. The perfect haunted camp tale. What's even cooler is after the opening credits, it takes place directly after part 3 (really loved how they made the first few films all take place within days of each other, something I wish they would do again in the later sequels.) What's so cool about this is the fact it picks up at Higgins Haven, aka Chris' summer cabin with the police all over the crime scene. The fact they returned back to this very same location and paid such close attention to detail always floors me. Plus it also features my all time favorite line in the whole film series "Yeah he got seven kids and three bikers...this time they got him."

2) Friday the 13th part 5 A New Beginning 

- Lots of people don't like part 5. I on the other hand feel this was one of the last truly old school Friday films. This movie had a really awesome opening scene featuring the original Tommy Jarvis Corey Feldman. In fact, just a few nights ago I met Corey again and legit screamed "THE ORIGINAL TOMMY JARVIS." #YOLO This was a really cool nightmare scene showing Jason in all his glory. Makes you wonder, how cool this movie would have been if Feldman stuck with the character...

3) Freddy Vs. Jason 

- Freddy Vs. Jason in my eyes was sorta a let down. I mean after reading endless screenplays on the internet for years on this film that had been building since Jason Goes To Hell, the overall ending result was a tad lackluster. Still, it had it's moments, one of the best being the openings. Here we basically get shown how pissed Freddy is on being forgotten and how he had to search Hell to find someone or something to do his killing. Pretty cool to see Freddy's greatest hits over the years, and Jason opening this eyes being called aka tricked by Freddy to help him. I gotta be honest, when I originally saw this I was PUMPED. Great start to a not so great film.

4) Friday the 13th part 2

- Ah part 2. The true beginning of Jason. Many fans still are puzzled over what exactly happen. Was Jason alive all this time? Was he a vengeful spirit? A zombie? A frightened retard (Ginny's word people) crying for revenge? None of this is really clear, all we do know is Jason somehow witnessed his mother's death by the hands of Alice and is ready for revenge. I LOVED the opening shot of the rainy street, hearing the young girl sing before we see a pair of feet (fun fact, this shot of Jason's feet and legs were actually played by a woman.) before stopping in front of an apartment. Here we learn it's been about two months since the original massacre at Camp Blood. Alice has moved to the Crystal Lake area, living in town now as a way to deal with the trauma of what happened. Here we're shown flashbacks of what originally went down that night. Clearly Alice isn't over it. We even get to see some of her artwork she's been doing laying around her kitchen which shows Linda from the pervious film as her subject. After a brief argument with her mother over the phone, she showers, and after heads to her kitchen only to get spooked by her kitten. When she goes to open the fridge to get some milk out she sees the rotting head of Jason's mother sitting there between her bagels and creamer. Screaming, we witness Friday's original final girl get murdered as Jason steps behind her and shoves an ice pick right into her temple. What always kills me is that Jason is kind enough to lift the tea kettle off the burner. He may be crazy, but he believes in fire safety. 

5) Friday the 13th part 7 The New Blood

- Speaking of great recaps, this one after part 4 has one of the best. The New Blood may have a crazy plot, but it's a strong sequel for sure. I love that they got the actor who played Crazy Ralph to voice the narrator as he tells the tale of Jason and all of the murders at Camp Crystal Lake. Yet again we're treated to all of the best murders, leaving off after Tommy drowned Jason yet again at the bottom of Crystal Lake where he still waits.

6) Friday the 13th

- The movie that started it all. We get to see Camp Crystal Lake back in the 1950's as a group of councilors are jamming out in the main cabin. (I guess this is how teens back then used to party) Here we meet the two teens responsible for all of this starting. The year earlier both were supposed to be watching young Jason. Sneaking off instead to screw around, Jason is left alone and 'drowned'. Well thanks to a creepy P.O.V tracking show, we see somebody is watching them, and they are PISSED. I love Barry's iconic line "Hey we weren't doing anything, we were just messing around."

7) Friday the 13th part 3

- Again, this is a perfect example on how cool it was having the first few films all take place just days within each other. Recapping, we get to see Ginny battle Jason in his forest home, right next to his darling mother's head. After Ginny "kills" Jason and hobbles out with Paul, we get one of the coolest shots in the whole series. Here we see a much clearer image of Jason pulling the machete out of his shoulder, wounded, and slowly crawling up, looking at his mother's head before the epic part 3 disco theme comes blasting over the 3D credits. Totally awesome!

8) Friday the 13th part 6 Jason Lives

- Part 6 was the epic return of Jason. After laying low in part 5, we get to see him transform from murdering psycho, to unstoppable zombie. Tommy is back, having just left the mental hospital with his friend. Needing to prove to himself once and for all that Jason is in fact dead, they drive on stormy night to the cemetery to dig Jason's body up. (Always a smart idea.) Here in typical Jarvis luck, we see lighting strike, and make Jason awake. Between the heart ripping out, the maggots, and of course the classic James Bond credits, this is one HELL of a way to kick start this awesome movie.

9) Jason Goes To Hell

- I love Jason Goes To Hell. It's my guilty pleasure. I really dig the opening where we see a beautiful young woman drive out to Crystal Lake all alone and spend the night in a cabin. Between the beautiful shots of the water, forest, and woman as in typical Friday fashion strips down to shower, we see things aren't exactly as they seem. Jason pops out of nowhere, not looking very well (a tad bit swollen.) as he chases after the woman. I gotta hand it to her, she runs pretty quickly just wearing a towel. Here, we see it's acutely a trap. The government has hired S.W.A.T to take down Jason once and for all. Here in slow motion we watch as they blow him away. Seriously such a cool scene. About time they thought of doing this!

10) Friday the 13th (2009)

- We get a flashback of what was originaly supposed to have happened recapping the original film. I for one would have rather seen them remake the original film but maybe jazz it up a bit with a new twist. Still, cool enough scene, where we follow up with a group of kids camping aka looking for weed. Here they stumble upon Jason's shit, and he attacks. The death that really bothered me was the sleeping bag over the fire. A long opening, much like part 2...but sadly didn't pack much of a punch. I feel there is no excuse for this remake and the Nightmare On Elm Street one to be this awful. I mean the dawn Of the Dead AND My Bloody Valentine remakes were great. These movies just didn't have the heart the originals did. What a waste...

11) Friday the 13th Jason Takes Manhattan 

- I like this movie, nothing against it. Liked the theme song playing over New York as the very cheesy sounding DJ narrates. We then switch to Crystal Lake where we witness two very eye rolling worthy deaths (I think we remember Suzie's death, where she's fucking smiling before Jason attacks her.) also we learn that Crystal Lake opens up to the ocean...okay, sure. (...)

12) Jason X

- I hate this movie, I honestly can say I watched it maybe once. All I remember is David Cronenberg was in the opening which is pretty cool. Still...Jason in space. God help us all.

Which opening in this killer camp series are your favorites?