Ah, February. So far this month seems to be devoted to all sorts of FRIDAY THE 13TH goodness, as Parts 1 – 3 are hitting Deluxe Edition DVDs this week, as well as the brand-spankin’-new documentary HIS NAME WAS JASON. Also on DVD, killer bugs in BLACK SWARM and killer kids in KILLER MOVIE. Whoa. That’s deep. And on the theatrical side of things, the animated opus CORALINE is hitting theaters to treat that child-like imagination you have hidden inside. And next week? That’s right… Jason’s back! Hard to believe it’s almost here already!
CORALINE
Rated: PG for thematic elements, scary images, some language and suggestive humor.
Starring Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Ian McShane
Directed by Henry Selick
Run Time: 1 hr. 40 min.
Coraline Jones is a girl of 11 who is feisty, curious, and adventurous beyond her years. She and her parents have just relocated from Michigan to Oregon. Missing her friends and finding her parents to be distracted by their work, Coraline tries to find some excitement in her new environment. She is befriended–or, as she sees it, is annoyed–by a local boy close to her age, Wybie Lovat and visits her older neighbors, eccentric British actresses Miss Spink and Forcible as well as the arguably even more eccentric Russian Mr. Bobinsky. After these encounters, Coraline seriously doubts that her new home can provide anything truly intriguing to her, but it does; she uncovers a secret door in the house. Walking through the door and then venturing through an eerie passageway, she discovers an alternate version of her life and existence. On the surface, this parallel reality is similar to her real life–only much better. The adults, including the solicitous Other Mother, seem much more welcoming to her. Coraline is more the center of attention there–even from the mysterious Cat. She begins to think that this Other World might be where she belongs. But when her wondrously off-kilter, fantastical visit turns dangerous and Other Mother schemes to keep her there, Coraline musters all of her resourcefulness, determination, and bravery to get back home–and save her family.
HIS NAME WAS JASON
Rated: UnRated
Starring Seth Green, Amanda Righetti, Derek Mears, Tom Savini
Directed by Daniel Farrands
Run Time: 84 Min.
HIS NAME WAS JASON: 30 YEARS OF FRIDAY THE 13TH is a two disc set loaded with over 4 hours of bonus material. This film is a behind the scenes look at the franchise that broke horror box office records and made Jason a pop culture icon. With over 80 interviews from the cast and crew of the Friday the 13th film franchise, including the new Friday the 13th film, these firsthand accounts of never-before-told stories and rare behind the scenes photographs offer the ultimate look at the history of FRIDAY THE 13TH!
FRIDAY THE 13TH: UNCUT DELUXE EDITION
Rated:UnRated
Starring Kevin Bacon, Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King
Directed by Sean S. Cunningham
Run Time: 95 minutes
At Camp Crystal Lake, a group of young counselors begin to get ready to lead guests in the summer. Unfortunately for the counselors, someone isn’t happy about what’s going on in the camp and enjoys playing ‘kill the counselor’. As bodies fall to the ground, no one is safe in the camp.
FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 3: 3D DELUXE EDITION
Rated: R
Directed by Steve Miner
Starring Richard Brooker, Gloria Charles, Steve Daskawisz
Run Time: 95 min.
The tender, tragic saga of Jason Vorhees, the world’s unhappiest camper, continues when yet another batch of hormonally advanced teens decide to ignore past history and spend some time at the woodsy, pine-scented slaughterhouse known as Camp Crystal Lake. It may be a bit of a stretch to describe any of the entries in this interminable series as “good,” but this creatively grotesque installment manages to come surprisingly close with a welcome sense of humor and some quick glimmers of real menace (courtesy of director Steve Miner, who would later go on to helm the far more accomplished Halloween: H20). Originally presented in 3-D, which explains the never-ending slew of objects (knives, pitchforks, yo-yos, cats, eyeballs, etc.) that are repeatedly thrust in the viewer’s general direction.