Freddy vs. Jason

mdamien13 · August 13th, 2003, 12:28 PM

Get psyched.

www.freddyvsjason.com

For fans of the genre, this is something we've been waiting for since New Line cinema acquired the rights to the Friday the 13th franchise from Paramount. New Line's first Friday the 13th film was supposedly the last (raise your hand if you really believed that for a second, though). At the end, Jason's hockey mask lies on the ground until Freddy's razor-fingered glove reaches up from hell and drags it down.

This was in 1993. Ten years later, we're finally seeing the culmination of almost 30 millions dollars of development on New Line's part (money spent paying screenwriters for scripts that were later rejected). Most notably, Peter Jackson was commissioned to write a screenplay following Dead Alive. New Line suits were so disturbed by his script that it's never been seen by anyone else. The only other screenwriters of note would be Trey Parker and Matt Stone (of South Park fame), who also had a script rejected.

As a fan of horror, I believe the movie is in good hands with Ronny Yu. He is most famous for Bride of Chucky and some rather forgettable action fare, but his movies always have a very sick sense of humor and fast-paced action. This is the right combination for Freddy vs. Jason. Advance reviews have been favorable (New Line has kept the final reel a complete secret - even from test screenings) and all reports indicate that the same level of violence and nudity will be accounted for.

So who wins? Who deserves to win? I find it hard to believe that New Line (the house that Freddy built) will allow Jason to come out on top. Jason is clearly the physical favorite (and according to the site's poll, leads in the voting). He also has the edge in killing experience - he has 128 spread out over 8 movies to Freddy's 30 over seven (I have accounted for the fact that the killer in Friday the 13 parts 1 and five isn't Jason).

What Freddy does have is what matters in the real world - commercial success. Both of the original films in the series did very well, but while the Fridays have tapered off disappointingly, Nightmares have done well in each of their outings.

Friday the 13th films tend to be manned by veterans of the genre who are unbeknownst to most. The most famous names to come from the world of Friday the 13th are Kevin Bacon and Kelly Hu (Erin Grey and Steven Williams were in part IX but both were screen veterans at this point).

In terms of cast, Nightmare on Elm St. can only boast a few more - Johnny Depp, Patricia Arquette, Laurence Fishburn, Breckin Meyer. But in terms of filmmakers, the list is impressive. Wes Craven is a respected director in cinema. Chuck Russel helmed part 3, Renny Harlin part 4. Frank Darabont penned part 3. Friday the 13 can only boast Steven Miner of parts 2 and 3, who went on to do some impressive television work.

What this all leads to is that Nightmare on Elm St. is the more successful of the series and it was this franchise that turned New Line into the juggernaut studio that it is today. Were it not for Freddy there'd be no Lord of the Rings trilogy. Does this lean the odds heavily in his favor? I think so, but I'm still pulling for Jason.

The Nightmare on Elm. Street franchise has the success, the filmmakers, and the talent on screen, but Freddy Krueger never killed two girls by bashing them together in their sleeping bags. That's gotta count for something.

It'll be interesting to see how this film does. It's been over a year since Jason X, which raked in a disappointing 15 million. New Nightmare came out in 1994 and took in 20 million. Let's see if a combination of the two can turn them on to a new generation.

SirStefan32 · August 14th, 2003, 10:00 AM

Can't wait to see this movie.

Go Freddy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chaplin · August 14th, 2003, 10:37 AM

Word on this film is that the regular actors spend waaaay too much time talking.

mdamien13 · August 16th, 2003, 08:02 AM

Went and saw this baby twice yesterday. If you're a fan of the series/genre, you have to see this with a packed house cheering for one or the other. Quite a cool experience.

I've been waiting for ten years and didn't feel slighted. Do the teenagers spend a bit too much time talking? Yeah. But the first half of the movie plays like a pretty well done slasher flick. Imagine a Nightmare on Elm St. movie with a cameo by Jason and you have the right idea. While Ronny Yu has admitted he hadn't seen movies from either series, he did his homework. The nightmare sequences and Jason kills are done with a hat tipped to their predecessors.

On the "teenagers" - as is the case in every horror film, they're called spam cause you don't expect them to last long. Ronny Yu is a very good director and he has directed good performances before (it should be noted that Bride of Chucky had two Academy Award nominees in its cast) so I get the feeling that he went out and hired some good looking girls to get nekkid and ham it up for the screen to ensure the feel of a slasher flick. Mission Accomplished. The acting is horrendous without exception but at least the lead, Monica Keena, hams it up so over the top that it's amusing.

Jason and Freddy duke it out at the end of the film, but it's an extended fight sequence. Plenty of SFX and thank God they avoided any wire-fu or slo-mo. It was fun to hear the fans start cheering on their favorite monster when one or the other would get the upper hand. And the fight swings back and forth quite a bit. Freddy utilizes his nightmare world, and Jason still owns Crystal Lake.

Craig Outhier of the Tribune said that the violence is "soul-crushing". That is quite possibly the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. The violence is plentiful and gratuitous cause it's a slasher film. If you expected Jason to take off his mask and quote Shakespeare you're in the wrong movie. Should Jason and Freddy round up the teenagers for a little heart-to-heart pow wow around the campfire? Gimme a break. You come to this movie because of the violence, and it delivers.

So if you go see the movie, you know what you're getting into. And I'm happy to say that the positives far outweigh the negatives. I'll be seeing this one a few more times.

SirStefan32 · August 16th, 2003, 10:17 AM

I loved it.

thirty-two · August 16th, 2003, 12:29 PM

I havent seen all of the past movies with Freddy and Jason.

Do I need to see the others to really get a feel for it? Or is it just a straightout horror flick which anyone can enjoy?

Evil Ash · August 16th, 2003, 01:23 PM

I saw this baby last night and I absolutely loved it! Two thumbs up!

This movie was not just a normal slasher flick but it is an OLD SCHOOL SLASHER FLICK! Blood and guts everywhere! If you are a fan of slasher movies from the 70s and 80s then you'll love this movie. Also, for somewhat of suprise the movie also has a good plot!

Were there times where it seemed like the regulars actors spent too much time talking? Yeah, but actually it wasn't that bad and the body count was still incredibly high.

Was the acting bad? Of course ... its a true slasher movie!

For what people should expect from this sort of movie ... this movie delivers and then some!!

Evil Ash · August 16th, 2003, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by thirty two
I havent seen all of the past movies with Freddy and Jason.

Do I need to see the others to really get a feel for it? Or is it just a straightout horror flick which anyone can enjoy?

You don't need to see all of the Jason and Freddy flicks to enjoy this one! They give plenty of background for Jason and Freddy (IMO in this one movie they gave as much background info on the two ... then the rest of their movies).

Its just a good old-fashioned slasher movie that anyone can enjoy!

Stout · August 16th, 2003, 01:46 PM

I simply canNOT make myself go and watch this film. It's so cliche it's pathetic. The Jason movies went for FAAAAAR too long. Freddie went for too long but not as badly.

The point is, these franchises were too old years ago. Now they try to bring them both together, make a cheesy film with an even worse title, and get us to watch.

It is apparent to me that the movie doesn't matter here. The title doesn't matter to them, nor does the plot. All that matters is taking retread movies, characters, plots and actors and milking it for a bit more money. No way will they get mine.

SirStefan32 · August 16th, 2003, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by thirty two
I havent seen all of the past movies with Freddy and Jason.

Do I need to see the others to really get a feel for it? Or is it just a straightout horror flick which anyone can enjoy?

I don't think seeing every single Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th. is essential to enjoying this flick, but I do think that the more familiar you are with the two characters, the more you'll appreciate Freddy vs. Jason

This was definitelly the best slasher movie in a long long time. As somebody pointed out, blood and guts everywhere.

Billythekid · August 17th, 2003, 10:56 PM

I read a rumour they might be doing a sequel with Ash in it. Anyone else here this?

That would be f**king mad!

Evil Ash · August 17th, 2003, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Billythekid
I read a rumour they might be doing a sequel with Ash in it. Anyone else here this?

Yeah I have heard it ... and it would be awesome to see Ash trade one-liners with Freddy.

Here's the link to what you are talking about.

Link: http://www.creature-corner.com/news3/aug11fvsj.php3

mdamien13 · August 18th, 2003, 11:54 AM

30+ million at the box office this weekend. Highest opening for a Friday the 13th or Nightmare on Elm St. movie.

"Experts" only predicted 20 million. Ha-ha!!!!

Shane · August 20th, 2003, 09:36 PM

All I have to say is this thing sucked!

Not scary at all. The graphics were cheesy. the whol epremise of th emovie was stupid the more I got into it. How does anyone kill someone whos already dead? Seems pretty pointless to have them duke it out!

Chaplin · August 20th, 2003, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shane H
All I have to say is this thing sucked!

Not scary at all. The graphics were cheesy. the whol epremise of th emovie was stupid the more I got into it. How does anyone kill someone whos already dead? Seems pretty pointless to have them duke it out!

A movie you actually didn't like, Shane??

Mark down the day--August 20th, 2003.

Personally, I might be surprising some when I say I actually enjoyed the movie.

It's not the best movie, in fact, it is an absolutely horrible movie, but darn it, I sure had a lot of fun with it.

It wasn't scary, but really, was it supposed to be? It was basically just gratuitous violence, with a bunch of death scenes that were pretty unoriginal. (except for the very first one)

But I had fun, and with a movie like this, that is all that matters. Even if the rest of it is inept and utter trash. This is why Plan 9 from Outer Space has such a following.