Friday the 13th: Part 2 (1981)

DIRECTED BY: Steve Miner

WRITTEN BY: Ron Kurz

MUSIC BY: Henry Manfredini

DISTRIBUTOR: Paramount Pictures

RUNNING TIME: 87 minutes

STARING: Marta Kober; Bill Randolph; Kirsten Baker; Russell Todd; Tom McBride; John Furey; Amy Steel; Adrienne King(cameo); Betsy palmer(cameo)

PLOT:

About a month after the massacre from part one Jason killed Alice (Adrienne King). Because of rumors about Jason being alive no one goes near the camp for five years. When a new group goes to the councilor training center, which is right next to Camp Crystal Lake, a slaughter insues. The lone survivor, Ginny, slices into Jason's neck with a machete but he does not die.

MYTHOS INFORMATION:

Takes place in 1980; 5 years after the original.

Jason has tried to preserve his mother's head, an a cabin in the woods.

Jason has to eat, he has snare traps set in the woods.

STORY:

Once the original Friday the 13th became a huge hit the suits at Paramount immediately began work on a sequel. Original director/producer Sean S. Cunningham decided to have no involvement with this one. Part 1s associate producer Steve Miner was chosen as the producer and director. Paramount president Frank Mancuso appointed his son Frank Mancuso Jr. associate producer. First time screenwriter Ron Kurz was hired to write a script. Composer Henry Manfredini returned to write the musical score.

The film-makers decided that the thought dead Jason Voorhees would be the perfect killer. The original movie had several references to Halloween (POV shots, a specific date on which it takes place, Psycho references) this one took it even further. Jason was a large menacing killer who covers his face and never speaks much like Michael Myers. About 18 years later when Steve Miner was working on Halloween H20 he was talking about how great of a film the original Halloween was he mentioned that everyone ripped it off "I know because that's what we did on the Friday the 13th movies." Another bit of inspiration was The Town That Dreaded Sundown; Jason's costume looked exactly like the killer from that flick.

Even though this was not an independent film, Paramount decided to make the film with the smallest possible budget. Even though Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King, & Walt Gorney returned for small cameo roles all of the main roles were cast with young and completely own actors. They shot the movie with a non-union crew in Connecticut. The film had to be ready to release in less than a year. The movie was released May 1, 981 to more critical scorn but was a major hit at the box office.

TRIVIA

The pre-credit sequence is nearly 15 minutes long, one of the longest in film history, especially for a movie that runs only 87 minutes.

Grossed $19.1 million domestically.

Ties with part I for the lowest body count only 10.

Ties with Part VI for the shortest running time only 87 minutes.

Jason is played by 2 people in this movie. Struggling actor Warrington Gillette got the role after failing to land a speaking part. Stunt man Steve Daskawisz was Jason's stunt double.

DEATHS:

Alice (Adrienne King) stabbed in the temple with an ice-pick

"Crazy" Ralph (Walt Gorney) strangled with barbed wire

Cop (Jack Marks) hit in the head with the claw of a hammer

Scott (Russell Todd) throat slashed with a machete while hanging from snare trap.

Terry (Kirsten Baker) stabbed (off screen)

Mark (Tom McBride) Machete to the forehead

Sandra (Marta Kober) & Jeff (Bill Randolph) both impaled with a spear while in bed together.

Vicki (Lauren-Marie Taylor) stabbed

Paul (John Furey) disappears, presumably killed by Jason

SEX/NUDITY:

Terry (Kirsten Baker) goes skinny dipping. Several T&A shots, along with a full frontal as she gets out of the water.

Vickie (Lauren-Marie Taylor) is seen in her bra and panties while getting ready for what she hopes will be sex with Mark.

NOTE: This movie began a fashion trend that became rather popular among the youth of Crystal Lake; not wearing underwear, especially bras. (got to keep that 13 - 24 year old male demographic happy) Before going to bed with Jeff (Bill Randolph), Sandra (Marta Kober) clearly does not have a bra on underneath her shirt. When she decides to go skinny dipping Terry (Kirsten Baker) needs only remove a shirt and pair of pants. Vickie must have been a hold-out on the new trend.