Afternoon folks,
I've never gone into it before, but I am a huge fan of the Early-80's Slasher films. The genre eventually became quite tired, and I haven't watched a (new) slasher in decades... They've simply lost their charm... So I'm going to go over my feelings on the genre, and why it will most certainly remain a Lost Art.
In the earliest days of Slasher films (which ubiquitously involved a Summer Camp and a maniac) the world was a very, very, VERY different place. Television was the major commercial art-form available to the public, precisely for purposes of commerce. It was always about selling advertising space, after all.
There was (and remains) a desperate need for simplicity, for (getting-back-to-nature) as it were. Summer Camp was a cost effective means of unplugging your children from the world (as well as getting some time alone, in which parents could get wasted and screw like teenagers, because that never goes out of style) Anywho...
One of the things that few people know is that early horror directors including nudity in their films as a selling point. They knew it would be Rated-R based on violence alone, so why not throw sex and nudity into the mix? Simply put, Breasts are Awesome. They make people happy in their pants... Ladies love having them, Guys love seeing them, Everybody Wins... This was the cause of my early-childhood love of horror movies... Cause where there it blood, there are breast...
So in other words, I watched lots of slasher films as a kid. I never really considered the ramifications of these films as an artistic statement until much later...
You see... B-Movies have a certain advantage on A-Movies.. A-movies involve HARD MONEY.. Big spending, and so the investors and studios aim them at the lowest-common-denominator... They have to insure a big return on their investment, because show-business has always been 99% Business and 1% Show...
B-Movies, on the other hand.. are often relatively low-budget.. These are grindhouse films, designed to put asses in seats, as always but most specifically -NOT- aimed at the lowest common denominator. So, believe it or not... B-Movies are realm of geniuses and artists.. folks who will push boundaries, form culture and history.. Because nobody is -forcing- them to appeal to the mainstream.
Make no mistake.. It takes staggering courage and work-ethic to produce a B-Movie.. This has been recounted many times by Sid Haig, John Carpenter, Adrien Barbou, and many other luminaries of the B-Films.. When you don't have lots of money.. You gotta make up for it with Brains and Sweat.. particularly Sweat..
Out of all the various slasher movie villains out there, my favourite has always been Jason Voorhees. I know it might sound odd, but... well.. he speaks to my heart. I won't go deep into recounting his story here, other than to say that you should absolutely watch the first 4 Friday the 13th movies, then follow it up with Jason vs Freddy (of all things)... Because here's the thing about Jason..
This is a common meme among amateur psychologists... Those who are abused will often become abusers themselves, particularly in the realm of their abuse; as a means of insulating themselves from further harm. I'm not apologizing for their crimes, I'm simply trying to explain the mechanism via which this occurs.. Those who are physically abused will often either become physically abusive, or else become UTTERLY passive, in an attempt to control themselves.. Those who have been emotionally abused, will do the same.. Either becoming monsters, or becoming extremely Un-Emotional creatures.. In an attempt to stop their rage from erupting and hurting innocent people...
Neither is a formula for Long-term Success...
He lives a continual nightmare, desperately afraid of all those he kills. More than anything else, he simply wants to be left alone. He is, primarily, a victim engaging in a nonstop self-defense effort against humanity... He is terrified of being hurt again, and so he will destroy any possibility of human interaction. He is the textbook example of a Victim becoming a Victimizer...
During the filming of one of the films (not sure which) when Kane Hodder was chosen to play Jason.. The director instructed him to pause to kick a victims dog while stomping after his prey. Kane Hodder refused to do so.. He accomplished the scene without any problem, but he simply -WOULD NOT- assault the dog, under any circumstances... Why?
Because he felt it was unfair to the character of Jason Voorhees. Though he will kill any Two-Legs that comes near him.. he would never hurt an non-aggressing animal.. Because animals are innocent. Animals do not make enemies. Animals are not bullies.
Hodder literally threatened to quit the job over this... Because he cared.
This entire article has been a lead up to a work that I discovered today.. Hands down the best Jason Voorhees film in the last 30 years.. This is excruciatingly well done, and anybody who knows the franchise will likely Shit-Their-Pants over the ending cameo performance...
Make the Time... This is an utter delight...
