Friday the 13th Part II (1981, 4K UHD Blu-ray) Review
Paramount Pictures
Release Date: 10/1/2024
Rating: R
Film Grade: C
The Story: Five years have passed since the deadly carnage at Camp Crystal Lake. Now, a new campsite has opened near the old, abandoned murder site. Paul has assembled a new group of athletic and nubile young counselors for a dedicated training session prior to opening. At the group’s first evening campfire, they hear the tale of Jason, who some believe is still lurking in the surrounding woods, watching, waiting for his chance of revenge.
My Take: I have not watched this movie since it first came out and was eager to view it once again it with older, adult eyes. (Admittedly, I may not be any more mature.) My reaction was pretty much as I would have expected. It’s an average slasher horror movie that picks up where the first movie ended, but that also adds a bit to the story.
For anyone that may not have seen the first one, Part II starts with a recap, from the viewpoint of the sole survivor, Alice. Between that and the explanation provided by the characters later in the movie, the story of Jason is adjusted to allow the creation of a franchise. In this second entry, he still doesn’t have the trademark hockey mask; you’ll have to wait for Part III to see that one. Instead, he covers his head with a makeshift sack that has a single eye hole, which doesn’t exactly inspire terror. Besides Jason and Alice, Crazy Ralph makes an appearance, with his customary warning to the new camp workers that they are doomed.
Of course, it’s not long before Jason makes himself known to the newbies, indiscriminately taking them out one by one. The overall acting is about what you would expect, with some characters standing out more than others. Among them is Stuart Charno, looking like a real-life Mortimore Snerd, he injects a welcome dose of nerdy humor and offbeat antics. His time on screen is limited, though, with most of it being devoted to more stereotypical jocks and hotties.
While much of the crew from the first movie returned for the second, director Sean S. Cunningham was involved with other projects and declined to take the helm. He had also envisioned the franchise as an anthology of disconnected horror movies that could be released every year on that date, and the thought of centering the sequel on Jason wasn’t interesting to him. Instead, directing chores were handed over to Steve Minor, who had been an associate producer on the first movie. Minor would go on to direct Part III, House, Halloween H20: 20 Years Later, along with a slew of TV episodes for a variety of series. He obviously understood the appeal of Jason and gave it the new direction that the studio was after.
Perhaps the biggest change from the original was the loss of Tom Savini, who had to decline due to other commitments. His special effects makeup work was a huge part of the first movie’s success. Audiences were unprepared for such a shocking variety of convincing on-screen kills, which created a massive word-of-mouth market for what was expected to be a tiny little release. Instead, the second movie features less innovative effects. Coupling that with a tightening down by the ratings board meant that the on-screen effects couldn’t match the prior entry. To be fair, one of the most elaborate sequences had to be almost completely cut from the film to get an R rating, so we only have a partial view of what was actually made to judge it by.
Visuals: For a low budget movie from the early 80s, this looks great. Colors are bright and vivid, from the outdoor woods to the cabins’ wooden interiors. There are some spots where details are obscured by the darkness, but overall the movie looks surprisingly clear. The 4K offers more detail and sharpness, with some changes to the color. Comparing the two, the most obvious changes are visible in the flashback clips from the original movie. The Blu-ray image is much noisier, with a general splotchiness. The 4K disc is much clearer, with more distinction seen in Mrs. Voorhees' sweater, for example. The change is not subtle.
There is still grain to the picture, as one would expect. This disc gives the audience a good sense of what films looked like in that era, and a pleasant surprise.
Audio: The 5.1 Dolby TrueHD is what you would expect from an 80s horror movie. Harry Manfredini returned to expand upon his distinctive score which has become as identifiable with the general public as Jason’s hockey mask. The rest of the mix is standard fare for this kind of movie. Surrounds are typically used for music and things like rain. Like the video quality, it’s about all you can ask for from a film that’s over 40 years old.
Special Features: None on the 4K disc, but the Blu-ray contains some good information for fans.
- Inside 'Crystal Lake Memories' (HD)
- Friday's Legacy: Horror Conventions (HD)
- Lost Tales from Camp Blood - Part 2 (HD)
- Jason Forever
- Original Theatrical Trailer (HD)
Final Verdict: If you’re reading this, you probably have a good idea of what to expect from the movie. While the plot is relatively thin, it does build on the lore of Jason, allowing him to become the headliner of a successful franchise. The movie does take one back to the early 80s, with representative fashion and the attitudes of those of us that were in our teens back then, so nostalgia can play into how much you’ll enjoy this film.
It does look as good as one could reasonably expect, so it’s recommended for anyone that loves it, or wants to own the entire series.
Fun Fact: The closing scene of the movie focuses on a shot of Mrs. Voorhees’ mummified head. It was shot with the intent of her eyes suddenly opening, but that was cut due to how fake it looked. One wonders what the audience might have made of it, or where the story might have gone, if it had looked as intended.
This review is just one part of the Paramount Scares Vol.2 box set.
The review for the physical set itself can be found here:
Paramount Scares Vol. 2 Collector SetAnd here are the links to the other three movies:
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