INT: Peter Bracke

The
Arrow interviews Peter Bracke

I’m
a gigantic Friday the 13Th franchise fan! I love those freaking
movies to death! Thankfully, one fanboy has FINALLY taken his
adoration for old hockey puss to the next level via an extensive
book that covers what "was" and "is" the series.
The Voorhees bible is called 
"CRYSTAL LAKE MEMORIES"
and it hits the shelves on
October 24th 2005. So what exactly
is "in" the book? Well read the interview below and find out!

What’s your favorite Friday The 13^Th
entry and why?

Always a hard question to answer!
Since writing the book, my perspective has so changed these past two
years that I have no longer have any objectivity. And I have
certainly dedicated myself to not playing favorites in the book and
covering all the installments equally. But, truly – and not to hide
behind diplomacy – I don’t really have a favorite.

What I find unique and fascinating
about the Friday franchise is that, in many ways, there is no one
single definitive entry. This is touched on in the book – in most
other horror franchises, the first installment is widely regarded to
be the best. Certainly, you could argue that with Halloween and
Nightmare on Elm Street, as well as Hellraiser, Child’s Play and
Texas Chainsaw. But Friday the 13^th is an anomaly. The
first film doesn’t even really feature Jason, who has become iconic.
I would argue that, in many ways, the first F13 is really a prequel
of sorts.

It gives us the back-story of
Jason, almost as if to set up a sequel. Yet who knew at the time
this would happen? It is some weird, demented stroke of unconscious
genius that it worked out to inspire ten sequels, and counting. And
had the series started with Part 2, would we still be here talking
about the franchise? Because while Jason has become the icon and not
his mother, I don’t think he would be as resonant of a character
without that back-story, if we did not have Mrs. Voorhees. So it is
a very unusual progression.

But to not completely dodge your
question, I am partial to the first four films. Because those were
the ones I grew up on. They really connected with me, and I was at
that perfect age of the early teens when I think horror really
speaks to you. They are also the darkest and least ironic of the
franchise. After that, it was a case of a series of directors coming
aboard, all trying to bring something fresh to the formula but still
attempting to keep some of the flavor of the original.

Obviously, there is great debate on
the success of the various attempts. But in writing the book, I have
come to have an even greater respect for each film – every director
tried their best to make a fresh, fun and scary film that would not
insult the fans. That is a tall order. So what I’ve tried to do in
the book is highlight those struggles while still not pulling any
punches – yes, each film has its supporters and detractors, but all
had a genuine effort behind them to deliver a quality sequel.

How did your love affair with
Friday the 13^Th begin?

I suppose I was like a lot of fans
– I spent most of my teen years feeling isolated, and yearning for
something greater. And movies were what I lived for. That is what I
wanted to do. That was where I wanted to go. But I lived outside of
a major city, in this case a suburb of Chicago. And unlike today,
there was no Internet, no TiVo, no megaplexes. So horror movies were
still largely the province of the drive-in, and hence had a more
dangerous, subversive quality to them. They just seemed so exotic,
so alluring, so mysterious. As did filmmaking and the possibility of
working in the industry. All I had was Fangoria magazine and the
occasional newspaper article. There was no DVD, no Access Hollywood.
So I would just pour over every little thing I read. It really kept
me going and filled up my daydreams.

A new Friday the 13^th
movie, or a new Halloween, or a new Elm Street – they would just
magically appear out of nowhere. And the fact that there was so
little pre-publicity, so little information, heightened their almost
outlaw appeal. I suppose it is impossible to fully pin down why
horror – I just remember, around nine years old, being fascinated by
Halloween and The Fog – especially the latter, which was the first
R-rated movie I ever snuck into. I began to make photo albums out of
newspaper ad clippings. Geeky, yes. But I was just entranced by
ghost stories and monsters and maniacs – I connected with the
struggle of the heroines, the need to confront darkness, to pull out
the bogeyman in the closet and somehow deal with my growing
adolescent anxieties.

While I have never experienced any
real sort of violence in my life, I was certainly aware of fear.
Perhaps growing up in a household without a father, and with
grandparents who enjoyed spinning spooky stories, helped. And I was
also very much in my own imagination – believe it or not, until I
was eight, only the sound of the radio kept me up at night – we
didn’t have TV! I think that all somehow shaped my interest in the
forbidden, the unknown, the dark and the mysterious. I was just
young and impressionable and ate it all up.

So when I first saw Friday the 13^th,
it was just tremendously exciting. I remember I snuck in with a
school chum to see it. This was back in the day before the rise of
video, so films would just play and play, and then be reissued
months or years later. So I wasn’t actually able to see the film
until they paired it with F13 Part 2 – I remember the newspaper ad
promised “A Deadly Combination!”, and it delivered. I was scared
shitless. And I remember the movie theater’s heat was broken – and
this was May in the Midwest, where it can still get very cold at
night.

So we were shivering both from
fright and from freezing. It was great! It is still one of the most
indelible movie-going experiences of my life. And Mrs. Voorhees
scared the shit out of me! And Jason with that bag over his head,
chasing poor Amy Steel for what seemed like hours. And I also think
Mrs. Voorhees also reminded my of grandmother, who promptly began to
torture me thereafter by jumping out of the closet. I still hold
these memories near and dear to my heart.

What is it about the franchise that
makes it so special in your opinion?

While I enjoyed other films and
genres, of course, horror movies and slashers were my Star Wars. I
just couldn’t wait until the next one. And the next one. And the
next one. And of the slasher franchises, F13 has a lack of
pretension that makes it unique. As a film school graduate, I can
certainly revel in waxing philosophical about the artistic
intentions of a Carpenter or a Craven. But sometimes you want a meat
and potatoes horror movie, one that makes no excuses for what it is.
Nor tries to appease “high brow” tastes. Friday the 13^th
is just a campfire tale, and its very simplicity is what makes it
special. Again, while I love Halloween and Nightmare on Elm Street,
amongst other slashers, they always attempted to integrate other
elements – whether it is the mythic evil overtones of Michael Myers
or the Jungian dream imagery and Freudian subtext of Freddy Krueger.
Which is all terrific.

But sometimes you just want
something basic and primal and of the gut. Friday the 13^th
is a lot like JAWS to me – there is not a lot of philosophizing in
the Spielberg film. No one has big debates about man versus animal
and the rights of sharks. It is just, “People are in trouble, so
let’s go kill the shark.” Friday the 13^th is much like
that – there is someone trying to kill you. You can’t reason with
it. It doesn’t care about your morality. It is not about being
guilty of a crime. It is just there. A force. And you have to
confront it and defeat it, or least escape it until the sequel.
Undoubtedly, these films are exploitation. No one denies that. But
there is something about that purity I find laudable. The critics be
damned. And that is exciting to me, and something I wanted to
explore and write about.

Your book “Crystal Lake Memories”
hits the shelves on October 24 2005. How did your research process
take place? Was it mostly done from behind a computer or did you
pack your bags and hit the road into Friday the 13^Th
land?

Ha, mostly behind a computer.
Certainly, these days, the Internet has become the new best friend
to anybody doing serious research. While I was able to use all the
guilds to contact people, and build up connections with each new
interview, I was also able to find so many F13 alumni who have left
the business thanks to the Internet. So many hours were spent
surfing and making phone calls. Which in itself was a blast.

But I am also fortunate that I live
in LA. A great many cast and crew reside out here, so I felt like
the luckiest guy alive – I got to enjoy plenty of lunches and
meetings at coffeehouses with cast and crew. Purely as a fan, to
walk in to a Starbucks and see Amy Steel waving at me to come sit
down was simply surreal. I had to pinch myself – I was doing
something I loved and getting to meet so many people that meant so
much to me growing up. I still feel like one fucking lucky schmuck!

Is there anybody from the Friday
the 13^Th family that you wanted in the book but didn’t
get to interview?

Sure, a few. I actually made a list
at the beginning of everyone I wanted to interview and it was like
200. I just laughed and said to myself, “Well, if I can get a fourth
of these, that will be great!” Well, now we’ve got 200-plus
interviews to pull from. It is rather ridiculous – I’ve had the fun
of going through over 1.5 million words total from all these
transcripts. Just so much stuff – enough for five books. But too
much is better than too little.

But, yes, absolutely, there were
some disappointments. A few people are on different spiritual paths
and don’t want to go back to F13 – such as Jennifer Cooke and Renee
Jones from Jason Lives. And some just weren’t interested at all –
like Rachel Howard from Part 3. Some had bad experiences, like
Martin Kitrosser, who worked on the first three films. Then there
are a few that didn’t give any answers – I hoped to interview Iain
Paterson, who produced Part VII, but just got a simple and direct
no.

But what can you do? Because I
prefer to look at all who did say yes and honor their participation.
It is just exciting to know that folks like Sean Cunningham and Wes
Craven and the directors and both Frank Mancuso Jr. and Sr. and all
these actors and crew gave very detailed, extensive interviews.
Stuff that I don’t think has ever been discussed before. That more
than makes up for the few who did not want to go back.And there are
a few people who just seemed to have disappeared. If anyone out
there knows where Jeannine Taylor, Barry Abrams or Kirsten Baker
are, please feel free to let me know!

What type of content
can we expect from your book? Is it all interviews? Do you review
the films? Nude shots of Kane Hodder? What’s in store for us?

I’m sure if I published nude shots
of Kane Hodder, something bad would happen to me. Although there is
a funny little story about a little prank he pulled on the set,
involving a certain Jason appendage. Too bad the photo has
mysteriously disappeared…Anyway, the book did undergo some changes
in focus. I felt it was impossible to cover absolutely every angle.
For example, I think someone could create a terrific book about the
art of special effects makeup, using the F13 films as a guide. But
while of course there is plenty of discussion about the effects in
the book, and pictures, it is not a how-to on bladders and latex and
that sort of thing. Ultimately, I had to really focus, and decide
what is the story being told?

My biggest choice was to remove
myself out of it. There are plenty of reviews of the F13 films in
print and online. I don’t feel fans want to pay for a collectible
book that is self-aggrandizing or that buckles under the weight of
opinions. I felt my voice will shine through via the editing – the
stories that are told and the pictures that are chosen. And, during
the interviews, by the questions I asked. I tried to get at the
heart of three themes: 1.) why the formula has transcended its time
and crossed over to a new generation, 2.) the emotional and
professional journeys of cast and crew, 3.) and how the success of
the series has impacted the industry, specifically the production,
distribution and marketing of horror films. Those are the three
things that interested me the most, and that is the story that will
be told in words and pictures – a true oral and visual history.
Taking us from the beginning through the end – or at least Freddy
Vs. Jason.

But rest assured, there will also
be plenty of fun stuff – a body count with notes and quotes on the
kills in each film, a box office breakdown with updated sales and
comparisons between franchises, various rare archival documents like
script excerpts, MPAA notes and storyboard and production reports,
and even a couple of looks at the credit sequences. So I hope it
will be an in-depth analysis of the series’ cultural impact and
resonance, as well as just a great collectible book filled with fun
stuff for the real diehard fans.

Will there be a promotional event a
la “Fango Friday the 13^Th Reunion” to push the book?

Yes, we have some fun stuff in the
works. I will be attending the upcoming NecroComicon and Fango
conventions, but we also have a couple of LA-based events in October
planned – some signings, radio appearances and screenings with
special guests. We’ll also be offering cast and crew autographed
copies of the book early via the book’s website. And maybe a few
more surprises to be announced in the months ahead. I’m also
committed to updating the book for future F13 installments (hint,
hint), as well as keeping the website overflowing with great
material that couldn’t make the book. I hope it will be a lasting
resource for as long as the series continues. Which, it seems, will
be forever. Or at least until I’m dead!

Who was the “Friday alumni”
highlight for you to meet in person and why?

That is really tough. Just so, so
many. I suppose Sean Cunningham would be one – because I got to go
to his home, “the house that Jason built,” as it is called. He of
course created the series, so to have his support just meant a great
deal. It was truly the moment when I felt this was really happening.
And now that he is contributing a Foreword, it is just even more
special. I am also grateful to Frank Mancuso Jr., as well as Sr.
Frank Jr. really was gracious, and I was scared to death to talk to
him – so that was a thrill to land that interview.

I also have to say Adrienne King.
Because I contacted her in late 2002, and at that time she had
simply retreated from view and had not talked about F13 in many,
many years. She had some personal issues dating back to the first
film involving a stalker, so we had a very emotional talk and it was
cathartic for her. And she has since said some very nice things
about me, which is just a true honor. If I could have helped her,
someone I admired, come to grips with some painful past memories,
well, that made it all worth it. I know this probably sounds
schmaltzy, but to make true friends and connections out of this is
just tremendous. I’m also really lucky to have been able to make
other friends out of the experience, including Larry Zerner, Geoff
Garrett and Tom McLoughlin, who have been instrumental in the
completion of the book. I am just really, really lucky!

Zombie Jason VS Human Jason; what’s
your poison?

Hmmmm, I would say human Jason.
This is also brought up in the book, and something I find very
interesting – is a human villain actually scarier, because there is
that small chance that you might actually stop him? Zombie Jason is
almost like a tornado, a force of nature – you really can’t do much
but get the fuck out of his way. The best you can do is keep him at
bay. But with human Jason, there is a real struggle and he is far
more fallible, albeit until his inevitable resurrection in the next
sequel.

For me, there is something a bit
more exciting and nail-biting about those last thirty minutes of the
first four Friday films (as well as, I suppose, Part 5). Going
mano-a-mano against a mongoloid is, to me, a little bit scarier. I
also like it when Jason really runs – he totally books in Parts 2, 3
and The Final Chapter! Slow ‘n’ stalking Jason is fun, but not quite
as creepy. But then I am sure there will be many who will disagree
with me!

Where do you stand
in the whole Kane Hodder was cheated out of Freddy VS Jason debacle?
Was it a big deal for you?

I must say that was a hard part of
the book to deal with. I suppose it saddens me most of all because,
here is a guy who really went to bat for the franchise for over a
decade, yet there seemed to be little loyalty towards him at the
studio. But it is important to say that there were many who pushed
for him, notably Sean Cunningham. Yet ultimately it is about a
particular filmmaking team and what their vision is for the film and
the character. And they just decided to go in a different direction.

But purely as a fan, even if I had
never met Kane and was not able to see just how much he cares about
this character and this franchise, I would still find it an odd
decision. It was clear the fans liked him and respected him and
there was a very vocal contingent that wanted him to stay. So it is
just strange to me that the studio and filmmakers would risk
negative publicity when, as many would counter, does it really
matter who wears the mask? So why not just use Kane? So I will be
interested to see what the fans think when they read the book and
the various comments from all involved – and on why, ultimately,
Kane was not chosen.

If you’d write Friday the 13^Th
Part 11 what would it be about?

Well, I will probably get killed
for saying this, but I may be one of the few that likes the idea of
a remake. I wonder how many more sequels can there be? When it is
wise just to take a break and start over? And now certainly seems to
be the era of the remake. Also because the first Friday is a bit
unusual – in that Jason is not in it – a remake could be truly
surprising. It would be fun to play with the audience’s
expectations.

Otherwise, I would just like to see
a back to basics, balls-to-the wall Jason movie. Back to the camp,
back to the patented F13 three-act structure, with lots of mood and
build-up, then a series of creative kills, then a kick-ass
heroine-against-Jason climax. That would be my ultimate F13 sequel/redux.
No bullshit, no gimmicks. Just classic Jason.

What’s next on your plate? Another
book?

To be honest, I am not sure. I am
actually very grateful that there has been some interest for not
only updated versions of Crystal Lake Memories when new films
arrive, but also similar books on other horror franchises. We are
also toying with the idea of a “pocket book” series on smaller, more
cult favorites – books on movies that can’t really sustain a big
coffee table sized book. I’ve also heard from a studio about doing a
book on another upcoming horror film, so I may do that. I also have
outlined my first novel, which is, surprise, a horror story. I
definitely plan to start on that by the end of the year. So we’ll
see what happens.

In your opinion, what
differentiates the hardcore Friday the 13^Th fans from the
more general genre fans?

I certainly have asked many in the
book about that, and there is not really one definitive answer. I
believe there is something in the appeal to the diehards in the
character of Jason – his specific iconography and single-mindedness.
I think we all struggle with the dark side – we are attracted to it
and the outlaw freedom it implies. Who hasn’t wondered what it would
be like to run that annoying driver off the road, or push that old
lady out of line at the bank? Get revenge in a violent way? Or even
kill someone? Of course, we never do these things. Nor are we
supposed to talk about it. But like slowing down on the side of the
road to look at a car accident, I think we all have these impulses.

Characters like Jason are
attractive in that dark way because they operate outside the law,
outside the purview of morality. They are elemental. And I think
anyone who is intrigued or enticed by that character has issues in
that area. I certainly do – I struggle with what is right behavior
and what is wrong behavior all the time. I think that is also why it
appeals, generally, to an audience of about 12 to 35 and largely
male. I think these concerns are of prime importance to that
demographic. Men are the hunter-gathers. Yes, that is probably a
silly and maybe archaic way of looking at it, but in my gut it just
rings true.

The basic structure of the films
also provides a very specific frisson for the audience. One of the
most controversial aspects of the F13 films, even compared to the
other popular slashers such as Halloween and Nightmare on Elm
Street, is that the audience slides very easily between points off
view. We side with Jason when he is killing obnoxious characters,
but then we root just as strongly for the heroine to kick his ass.
It is this shifting that really has angered many critics, yet the
phenomenon is precisely what attracts fans to return again and again
to the series. We like to play with both these sides of our
humanity. We like that danger, that freedom to act on our dark
impulses, we are attracted to it, but ultimately we want good to
triumph.

Maybe, in a way, F13 allows us to
have it both ways – to be the hunter and the hunted, to kill or be
killed. Just a silly tagline, maybe. But in the dark of the movie
theater, we can pull out all that nasty, dark stuff, then return to
the real world better, saner, healthier people. Or maybe I’m just
nuts?

I’d
like to thank Peter for slashing through the site and giving us all
that sweet joo-joo on his upcoming book. I can’t wait to read it
dude! BRING IT!

VISIT THE OFFICIAL CRYSTAL LAKE MEMORIES HERE

PRE ORDER CRYSTAL LAKE MEMORIES HERE