Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)

Though there could be an argument made for a chunk of the Paramount entries, it’s wild to think that the 4th movie in a slasher franchise would be considered the series high. Add on to that this was advertised as the final chapter in what was thought to be a dying sub-genre; we ended up getting one of the best damn horror movies of the 1980s. And, of course, in the Friday the 13th series. Let’s lay it all out. Corey Feldman, who was on his way to becoming an 80s staple, debuted as Tommy Jarvis, who would become the series’ main protagonist. Tom Savini, the original makeup artist from the OG, was brought back. And we got one of the best iterations of Jason Voorhees, courtesy of icon Ted White. So let’s dance like no one is watching, no dead f***s allowed!—sorry, not my words—and let’s once again head back to Camp Crystal Lake as we explore the making of a classic slasher and ask, What Happened To Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter?

For every trend that feels like the sky’s the limit, we always get the sobering reality that life is constantly changing, and what’s cool now quickly becomes irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Slashers didn’t quite have the same epic length in their golden era as others, but like that of a beautiful star full of blood, boobs, and mayhem, they burned twice as bright for half as long. The subgenre was already waning by the time Friday the 13th Part 3-D was released, and the mood over at Paramount was shifting. Though it was a success, Producer Frank Mancuso Jr. felt that the violent slasher resentment from family groups and significant publications (Chicago Tribune Issue on November 18th, 1980, for example) was becoming an issue and decided that the fourth Friday the 13th would be the last. How does one walk away on such a high note? Well, the thought was that you could kill your horror franchise before it gets stale, hence The Final Chapter moniker.

It should be said that there’s no guarantee this would have been the last entry and that Producer Frank Mancuso Jr was more the one who wanted to move on and expand his reach within the company. But everyone involved believed, at least at the time, that this would be the final nail in the proverbial coffin of Jason Voorhees. After directing duties on Parts Two and Three, Steve Miner politely declined to return for the Final Chapter, saying, “The success of that series is based on remaking the same film over and over again. As a filmmaker, I wanted to go on to something different.” Enter Joseph Zito. After his little special-effects heavy slasher The Prowler caught the attention of Paramount, Mancuso took a meeting and a liking to Mr. Zito, trusting that he understood what types of movies they were trying to make. With a director on board, what would make The Final Chapter unique? How does one go “out with a bang” four movies in? Even if there were noticeable differences story-wise, each entry was essentially the same thing, with the same vibe. But, as Joseph Zito put it, he pitched a smarter movie that would focus more on the characters alongside the ultimate Set-From-Hell ideas.

-Shooting mostly at night? You got it!
-Putting a middle schooler as the main protagonist, along with his family and the main characters? Absolutely
-Add in an adorable golden retriever since animals are always easy on set? Damn right!
-Put some of the most important scenes in the rain while shooting in the middle of winter? Easy!

Now, it was time to put pen to paper, and according to Zito, they wanted him to write the script and direct it. Paramount wanted a ‘single vision’ idea for their last hurrah with Jason Voorhees, but the only problem was that Zito wasn’t a writer and never claimed to be one. However, he knew of one with whom he could hash out an outline. One that he was working with on a script before he was hired onto The Final Chapter. Bruce Hidemi Sakow came aboard and helped work out the general idea for part 4, while Barney Cohen was brought in to help write the actual screenplay. Bruce sketched out the general story and deaths, and Cohen brought in the family angle and helped strengthen the characters. We don’t get great interactions from the likes of Ted and Jimmy without the heart of Cohen’s writing. They both agreed that nothing would be worth a damn if we didn’t care about the fate of the screencast. It may sound ridiculous now, but killing for the sake of it, only goes so far. We needed to give a damn about the teens if The Final Chapter had any chance of actually feeling… well, final. “Don’t think of any new ways to kill kids ’cause people have seen everything. Just make them real like your Afterschool Special kids, and whatever we do to them will be horrific.” -Joseph Zito to Barney Cohen

Casting-wise, they knew they needed more than your cookie-cutter teens, so the idea was to aim for a tad of recognition—something a bit more trendy than what was used before. So, we got a few semi-recognizable faces in the crowd for the first time. Pretty boy Peter Barton, famous for the 80s TV series Powers of Matthew Star, was cast as Doug. Lawrence Monoson of The Last American Virgin played Ted. And, of course, there are the Double Mint Twins (you just had to be there) as Tina and Terry. Now, we can’t leave out Crispin Glover. Though his dad, Bruce, was quite well known at the time, the Glover family’s eccentricities were not a one-off. Very clearly passed down to his son, Crispin’s Jimmy character was strange yet sincerely charming. The kind of casting that would stand the test of time. There’s a reason he was then and still is, a fan favorite. You can’t just wing sick dance moves like Crispin does and not be one of the greatest. But one significant change, and a quite ballsy one at the time, was to cast a kid as the protagonist and his family as the heroes. Enter Mrs. Jarvis (Joan Freeman), Trish (Kimberly Beck), and, of course, Tommy, played by Corey Feldman. Soon to be a household name as this and Gremlins would release only a few months apart, Zito immediately saw the young Feldman’s charm, relatability, and passion in his craft. But there was a lingering doubt. A concern, if you will. Would Feldman be able to lift and swing the machete? Could he make the defining scene, the death of Jason, believable? You’re goddamn right he did! We got our first introduction to what would be the recurring character in the Friday franchise with Tommy Jarvis, and it all started with Mr. Corey Feldman.

But it was Ted White’s casting as Jason Voorhees that tied this proverbial rug together. A long-time stuntman who doubled for legends like Clark Gable and John Wayne, White brought a visceral intensity to the role not really seen prior. Zito wanted a slightly more intelligent Jason who would think a bit more and plan his attacks. White’s intense and menacing physical presence perfectly captures the embodiment of what we think of as Jason Voorhees. And it all started here with Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter. For all of the hoopla (and yes, I’m bringing that word back) about how Jason should NEVER run, Ted White and his cowboy attitude clearly shows that… You. Are. Wrong.

Starting with the first day of shooting on October 31st, 1983, The Final Chapter would be a grueling, freezing, and physically demanding shoot for all involved. Joseph Zito was known as somewhat of a perfectionist, which led to some tense moments on the set. These were run-and-gun shoots that, at best, were stressful and, at worst,… Well, let’s just say White and Zito had more than a few arguments, with White saying, “Joe Zito and I, we started off pretty good for about the first six of seven days, but after that, he became kinda a bully.” Judie Aronson’s death as Samantha was difficult to shoot and led to an unpleasant confrontation. The raft kill was shot in an actual lake. The Final Chapter was a low-budget movie, so there’s no surprise that a water tank wasn’t used. But this was in the middle of a southern California winter, and wouldn’t you know it, the water was bone-chillingly cold. Though her lower half was in a wet suit, for the effects to look real, her top half needed to be exposed and required to be in the lake for hours. Judie has said it nearly broke her, and all the time spent freezing in an awkward position brought her to tears. Now add onto that a case of hypothermia, and this pissed off Ted White. He had had enough and called for her to be pulled out. Zito allegedly responded, “Why don’t you do Jason, and I’ll do the directing.” This caused White to threaten to leave if Judie wasn’t taken out of the freezing water. This led to more than a few occasions of Ted telling Zito to rightfully “Kiss my ass!”

A Friday kill is only as good as the effects artist behind it, and who would be the one to put Jason out of his misery once and for all? Tom Savini. Who was Kid Jason’s inventor and had previously worked with Zito on the effects-heavy movie The Prowler. Now, originally, special effects artist Greg Cannom (Bram Stroker’s Dracula, The Howling, MJ’s Thriller) was hired for the gig but left because of “Personality Differences.” Now, this is more than a bit vague, but based on the overall vibe on set, it seems he probably didn’t get along with Director Joesph Zito. And as much as I’m curious about what that could have looked like, Savini bookending his creation just feels right and ended up being the better decision for the franchise overall. Whether it’s Doug’s head being crushed against the shower wall, Tina’s fantastic car stunt, Glover’s double corkscrew / meat cleaver demise, or Paul’s spear to crotch. There is just something magical about a Friday the 13th death, and The Final Chapter does NOT disappoint.

Now, teens dying is par for the course, but since this whole movie would be advertised as THE FINAL FRIDAY, how would they ultimately do away with Jason? How would Mr. Voorhees perish once and for all? Ironically, Tom Savini wasn’t a fan of the machete head split, even if it’s one of the most iconic deaths in the series, courtesy of his immense talent. But he actually pitched a far more gruesome ending. This would change some characteristics and set up Tommy as not only an effects lover but one who is also into science. He’d take a microwave apart and tweak the power settings with a voltage controller. As a kid, he’d likely show this off by melting his plastic toy soldiers early in the movie. He would end up jamming this device into Jason’s head, giving us an epic brain melt and head explosion. Though Savini’s idea would fit into the budget, the financial wing of the studio thought it was too far off from the Friday the 13th formula. One of Savini’s assistants, John Vulich, happened to be messing around with a machete that had previously been put in a zombie’s head from Dawn of the Dead and, in an off-the-cuff remark, mentioned that maybe they should use the machete to kill Jason. After all, it is HIS weapon. The machete idea was pitched to producers, and the rest, they say, is history. However, it should be mentioned that poor Corey Feldman had to do so many days with the bald cap that he got the flu.

So when you watch the final scene in the movie, it’s impressive to know Feldman filmed it sick as a dog. But we should all be able to admit, even if it’s a low-key death, the head sliding down the blade, followed by Feldman’s Jarvis going batshit crazy, does feel somewhat epic. There’s a rawness to it, and it fits perfectly in closing out the series, maybe not in scope, but emotion.

Released on Friday, April 13th, 1984, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter grossed $11.2 Million in its opening weekend, setting a record for the series AND Paramount. The reception from fans was ecstatic, grossing right under part 3-D with 32.9 million and becoming the second most successful entry. And what of its legacy? Well, it’s become a fan favorite and considered the best, if not the top two in the entire series. And it’s not hard to see why. Ask any Friday lover if it’s beloved, and you get a resounding Fucking-A right it is.

We have a charming cast with excellent chemistry, great kills, and a fantastic portrayal of Jason Voorhees. We cared enough to laugh and scream and, in the end, cheered on Tommy going to town with Jason’s machete. To look back at part 4, with a grueling shoot, set drama, and the foolish attempt to kill a series prematurely, the fact that this is even enjoyed is a triumph. But to come out as an agreed upon high for Friday the 13th is damn near a miracle.

We were lucky to get something this fun, violent, and cool, and we are damn happy it’s grown a following with the new generation. Jason will never die and will continue to live on, as passed down by generations. Whether on Blu-ray with friends or at a midnight showing, The Final Chapter did prove one thing… Jason Voorhees was here to stay.

A couple of the previous episodes of What Happened to This Horror Movie? can be seen below. To see more, head over to our JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channel – and subscribe while you’re there!