To date, teleplay writer Rob Hedden is only the second person to single-handedly write and direct a Friday the 13th feature. As such, the writer-director is not only to be commended for creating the best title within the Friday franchise, but for fashioning one of the most absurd-to-the-point-of-inane-designations for a film since Jim Clark’s Debbie Does Dallas (which “Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan” inadvertently evokes). That said, can one legitimately lodge a complaint, regardless of what lies between the first and final frames of a horror sequel skirting double digits?
As the graduating class of Lakeview boards the S.S. Lazarus to New York as part of their senior trip, unbeknownst to them, a recently resurrected Jason Voorhees (Kane Hodder) stows himself away. After the ship sinks, the survivors flee to the Big Apple in hopes of evading the killer.
Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan occurs nine months-to-the-day after the events witnessed in John Carl Buechler’s previous installment in the Friday series, Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood. One cannot justifiably state that Hedden breaks from Friday tradition by eschewing an opening video montage recap of everything that has gone before for, taking one’s pick, a critic can cite an either/or scenario with almost every facet of the Jason saga. However, a few things seem as if they will never change as our killer is forced to improvise his trademark grandiose doorway-cum-splinter factory entry by way of a double pane of glass (on account of New York being made exclusively of glass, asphalt, and steel . . . ). He also manages to scratch off the requisite surprise attack-via-window while onboard the Lazarus. Moreover, our Friday the 13th edition of the Shakespearian fool–introduced in Sean Cunningham’s original installment and sporadically cropping up throughout the remainder of the series–is lovingly, albeit a tad annoyingly given the codger’s persistence, back again as Alex Diakun–the actor who played the charter town loony, Crazy Ralph–dons the guise of “Deck Hand.”
Yet, a few things debut in Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan, such as a voiceover which opens the work as the narrative’s saga is later reviewed via an oral rendition of the legend. Furthermore–and depending upon whom you are speaking, either refreshingly or blasphemously–Jason leaves the Crystal Lake region for the first time as he plagues the horror equivalent to “The Love Boat” before taking on, though briefly, the Big Apple. But, surprisingly given the high number following the title (for few viewers care if such were present at this point in time), justification is given once more (therefore remaining faithful to the franchise’s history) for Jason’s return.
However much of an old dog that a Friday film may be, astride the fact that it can still learn new trick here and there, old habits die hard for, on occasion, Hedden’s film lapses into a lethargic rut. Jason is brought back to life in the same manner that he is reanimated in Tom McLoughlin’s Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI. As the newly reborn monster searches for his first victim, he finds the same weapon from Steve Minor’s Friday the 13th Part III, a harpoon (thereby committing the serial killer faux pas of being redundant in respect to execution methods, lest, of course, it be with one’s signature weapon). Lastly, the motif of the family is once more introduced, but–again–to little substantive consequence, with the father-son duo of Admiral Robertson (Warren Munson) and Sean Robertson (Scott Reeves) and the uncle-niece combination of Charles McCulloch (Peter Mark Richman) and Rennie Wickham (Jensen Daggett).
Aside from the history of what came before, Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan does offer some insight into the craft of filmmaking as the opening montage of the slimy side of New York (authentic in that it is the metropolitan region pre- Rudolph Giuliani) foreshadows the locales and deaths which will later appear once Jason hits New York’s shores. On two separate occasions, Charles is juxtaposed with the killer as, what we are first given to believe to be Jason approaching, is revealed to be the high school instructor. Ergo, Hedden subtly posits the teacher as a malevolent figure, not only in character, but by association. From a Freudian perspective, the theme of the psychosexual stalker is reinforced by Hedden presenting Jason about to stab Tamara Mason (Sharlene Martin) with a phallic shard of glass before cutting to an air horn ejaculating steam. Also, the production is one of the greatest illustrations of horror, and especially the slasher film, being a conservative medium as Jason rids New York of sin in the form of sex, crime, and drug use as he circumvents innocent bystanders (unless they threaten to impede his agenda) time and time again. Coyly, the boat’s title, “Lazarus,” echoes the theme of our antagonist’s return as the fabled figure’s legacy rests upon his notorious resurrection.
But Hedden’s feature, though it permits itself to pick and choose elements from previous Friday chapters at will and issues a handful of somewhat venerable aesthetic touches along the way–much like many of its forerunners–suffers from distracting internal and external inconsistency. A two-fold problem surfaces when Rennie stabs our villain in his left eye, which would make him blind by decree of Parts I-VI, as well as in our current feature (Jason’s maimed eye shifts from right to left in John Carl Buechler’s preceding installment, before returning, once again, to its rightful socket). Yet, when he removes his iconographic mask, both of Jason’s eyes seem to be functioning properly. On a similar note, and in Buechler’s film, Voorhees inexplicably dons yet another new set of clothes. However, the often cited gaffe that the finale is nonsensical overlooks the exquisite brushstroke, carried down through multiple Friday films, of our protagonist’s mental state being somewhat dubious–which also validates the seemingly careless appearance of the ghost of teenage Jason in various, contradictory guises throughout the feature due to a character’s subjective POV.
Rob Hedden’s Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan is often lambasted by fans. However, it is a solid effort–no more, no less–and, at that, one in which earnest energy is expended but misdirected. The most frequent grievance by such detractors is not the absurd premise (which is easily forgiven considering the late nature of the sequel), but rather that the title betrays its audience. Sadly, Hedden originally intended for the supernatural killer to spend a majority of his time ravaging the Big Apple (atop the satirical possibilities that are only hinted at it the present version) but, alas, Paramount financially bound the director’s hands, thereby disappointing viewers to the extent that the studio got theirs as a consequence: Box office returns were so low that the company sold the rights to the franchise. But, hey, at least we get to see what would happen if you challenge Crystal Lake’s resident zombie to a boxing match . . . .
Trivia tidbit: Elizabeth Berkley and Dedee Pfeiffer both auditioned for the role of Rennie Wickham.
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- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
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