Non-FRIDAY-THE-13TH...Friday the 13th Movie Recommendations

Feel like watching something other than a Friday the 13th movie on Friday the 13th? Well, I've got a few Friday the 13th movie recommendations that aren't Friday the 13th movies that I think you should consider. Check'em out and let me know what you think in the comments section below.

• JUST BEFORE DAWN (1981). Give another 80's slasher a shot! Just Before Dawn boasts an effectively eerie score and atmosphere, complimented by beautiful cinematography and an overwhelming sense that something just ain't right in these woods! Though mostly overlooked by horror fans, Just Before Dawn is a cut above most slashers of it time.
• DARK NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW (1981). Following the killing of a falsely accused mentally handicapped man at the hands of an angry mob, we discover that revenge is a dish best served...from beyond the grave! An exceptionally well made and acted TV movie.
• THE TOWN THAT DREADED SUNDOWN (1976). Fact-based docu-horror finds a small Texas town terrorized by a twisted serial killer. The film was relegated to bootlegging circles for years before SCREAM! Factory finally released it on Blu-ray. Jason's look in Friday the 13th Part 2 was clearly influenced by the killer's sack-headed attire. Check out my full review of The Town That Dreaded Sundown here.
• BAY OF BLOOD (TWITCH OF THE DEATH NERVE) (1971). Both Friday the 13th and its sequel clearly drew inspiration from Italian giallo movies, none more so than Mario Bava's Bay of Blood (Twitch of the Death Nerve), which finds a group of inheritance-seekers and horny teens meeting their demise in increasingly gory fashion. It moves a bit slower than the traditional American slasher movie, but has all of the nakedness and bloodshed that Friday the 13th fans will undoubtedly appreciate.
• SESSION 9 (2001). This chilling psychological thriller finds a crew of men removing asbestos at an abandoned mental hospital with a horrifying past that may be repeating itself. Exceptionally well written, directed and acted, Session 9 is a must-own and one of the best horror films of the 2000's.

Entertainment Weekly Ranks the Friday the 13th Films

To celebrate the announcement of the upcoming FRIDAY THE 13TH television series, Entertainment Weekly recently posted an article ranking the movies. You can find the complete article here, along with some info on the series. Personally, I think the list is bunk (Freddy Vs. Jason is ranked the fourth best film on the staff writer's list!), but check it out for yourself. Sound off in the comments section below, and share your own rankings of the Friday movies from best to worst.

Also, remember to mark your calenders for 13 Days of...FRIDAY THE 13TH beginning Sunday, June 1st on my YouTube channel. Check out the video below for more details.

13 Days of...FRIDAY THE 13TH

To commemorate the one and only Friday the 13th of 2014, I've decided to celebrate the date with a special series of reviews I'm calling: 13 Days of FRIDAY THE 13TH! 

Beginning next Sunday, June 1st and continuing through Friday, June 13th -- I'll be uploading a daily review of every FRIDAY THE 13TH film. The videos will go live on my YouTube channel each day at noon eastern time. Then, on Friday the 13th, join THE SAUSAGE FACTORY as we sit down to do a special live commentary for the original FRIDAY THE 13TH beginning at 7PM EST. The full schedule is listed below.

• Sunday, June 1st: FRIDAY THE 13TH (1980)
• Monday, June 2nd: FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2
• Tuesday, June 3rd: FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 3
• Wednesday, June 4th: FRIDAY THE 13TH PART IV: THE FINAL CHAPTER
• Thursday, June 5th: FRIDAY THE 13TH PART V: A NEW BEGINNING
• Friday, June 6th: FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VI: JASON LIVES
• Saturday, June 7th: FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VII: THE NEW BLOOD
• Sunday, June 8th: FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VIII: JASON TAKES MANHATTAN
• Monday, June 9th: JASON GOES TO HELL: THE FINAL FRIDAY
• Tuesday, June 10th: JASON X
• Wednesday, June 11th: FREDDY VS. JASON
• Thursday, June 12th: FRIDAY THE 13TH (2009)
• Friday, June 13th: THE SAUSAGE FACTORY live commentary for FRIDAY THE 13TH (1980) beginning at 7PM EST.

Make sure you're subscribed to my YouTube channel, as well as THE SAUSAGE FACTORY to join in on the FRIDAY THE 13TH fun!

My YouTube channel.

The Sausage Factory YouTube channel.

The Sausage Factory website.

FRIDAY THE 13TH Part 4 Panel at Mad Monster Party 2014

Check out the FRIDAY THE 13TH: THE FINAL CHAPTER panel discussion footage I shot at Mad Monster Party 2014 in Charlotte, N.C.

Release Date Set for New FRIDAY THE 13TH Sequel/Reboot!

Exhibitor Relations announced on their Twitter (@ERCboxoffice) yesterday that Paramount has officially set a release date for their upcoming FRIDAY THE 13TH sequel for March 13, 2015.  However, according to Exhibitor Relations the next FRIDAY film will not be a sequel at all, but another reboot of the franchise.

Whether or not the film will deal with "found footage" or not has yet to be announced, and release dates are apt to be postponed or dropped entirely.  So, until further information regarding the film is released, as my grandmother would say, don't count your chickens before they're hatched.

Sound off in the comments sections below.  Are you cool with another reboot?  Is "found footage" the right way to do it?  Let me know what you think. 

FRIDAY THE 13TH & HALLOWEEN Found Footage Sequels?

"Found footage" sequels to both HALLOWEEN and FRIDAY THE 13TH have been rumored for years.
Unfortunately those rumors are very true.  Peter Bracke, author of CRYSTAL LAKE MEMORIES, confirmed it on THE SAUSAGE FACTORY (videos below) and several filmmakers have corroborated that they've been approached by The Weinstein Company and Paramount to bring audiences "found footage" sequels to both popular franchises.  Though the idea of either horror franchise adopting the now tired gimmick sounds like an abysmal idea, both studios appear keen on the idea and are actively pursuing making both films a cinematic absurdity. I mean, reality.

"Found footage" movies only work if we believe what we're seeing is really happening or could potentially happen.  Films that deal with paranormal subject matter - PARANORMAL ACTIVITY, for instance - work nicely inside this milieu.  Slasher movies?  Perhaps.  Slasher movies involving characters like Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees?  NO!  The HALLOWEEN franchise dabbled in such "real world", techie terrain with HALLOWEEN: RESURRECTION and we see how that turned out.  A chill ran down my spine just thinking about it.  We know Michael and Jason are, for lack of a better word, fake.

Why either studio won't simply make a film featuring these two genre favorites doing what they do best, sans gimmicks (remake/reboot/3D/found footage) is beyond me.  It's not like these movies are rocket science to make.  Give fans what we want.  Not a tired gimmick.

What say you?  Leave your thoughts on the topic in the comments section below.  And check out our FRIDAY THE 13TH MEGASODES with special guest Peter Bracke: