SYNOPSIS | PRODUCTION NOTES | TRIVIA | PRESS | QUOTES | KIM NEWMAN ARCHIVE | MEDIA

Friday the 13th  The Final Chapter (1984)

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 1984
Running Times: 86 mins (Australia) 87 mins 13 sec (UK - video (1987)) 90 mins (USA) 91 mins 13 sec (UK - theatrical) 91 mins 18 sec (UK - video (2001))
Format: colour 35mm
Ratio: 1.85:1
Sound: mono

(Full Credits)

PRODUCTION
Production Company: Paramount
Executive Producers: Lisa Barsamian, Robert M. Barsamian
Producer: Frank Mancuso Jr

SCRIPT
Script: Barney Cohen
Story: Bruce Hidemi Sakow

DIRECTION
Director: Joseph Zito

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Joao Fernandes

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editor: Joel Goodman
Co-Editor: Daniel Loewenthal

MUSIC
Music: Harry Manfredini

SOUND
Sound Mixer: Gary Rich
Boom Operator: David Platt

COSTUMES AND MAKE-UP
Make Up: Robin Neal
Hair: Kim Phillips

SPECIAL MAKE UP EFFECTS
Special Make Up Effects: Tom Savini, Alec Gillis, Kevin Yeager, Jill Rockow, Jim Kagel, Larry Carr, Mike Maddi

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects: REEL EFX Inc
Special Effects Co-Ordinator: Martin Becker
Special Effects Unit: Frank Inez, John Hartigan, Dave Walton, John Godfroy

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Shelton H. Bishop III
Art Director: Joe Hoffman

STUNTS
Stunt Co-Ordinator: John Sherrod
Stunts: Pamela Bebermeyer, Sheryl Brown, Bob K. Cummings, Michael de Luna, Tracy Lyn Keehn

CASTING
Casting Assistant: Jerry Anderson
Extra Casting: Complete Casting Service Inc

CAST
E. Erich Anderson (Rob)
Judie Aronson (Samantha)
Peter Barton (Doug)
Kimberly Beck (Trish)
Ted White (Jason)
Tom Everett (flashlight man)
Corey Feldman (Tommy)
Joan Freeman (Mrs Jarvis)
Lisa Freeman (Nurse Morgan)
Thad Geer (running man)
Crispin Glover (Jimmy)
Wayne Grace (Officer Jamison)
Alan Hayes (Paul)
Bonnie Hellman (hitchhiker)
Frankie Hill (Lainie)
Barbara Howard (Sara)
William Irby (helicopter pilot)
Paul Lukather (doctor)
Bruce Mahler (Axel)
Lawrence Monoson (Ted)
Annie Moore (medic)
Camilla More (Tina)
Carey More (Terri)
Robert Perault (medic)
Antony Ponzini (Vincent)
Gene Ross (cop)
Abigail Shelton (woman)
John Walsh (TV newscaster)
Robyn Woods (girl in shower)

PLOT SUMMARY

Jason's apparently dead body is carted off to the morgue, whereupon he revives and off we go again. The action finally moves away from Camp Crystal Lake and into the suburbs as Jason turns his attentions to a gang of teens in a nearby house. After the usual ration of mayhem, Jason is neatly despatched by Tommy, the little boy next door who makes mincemeat of the killer's head with a meat cleaver.

Despite Friday the 13th Part 3 3D (1982) being yet another success, Paramount seemed, momentarily at least, to tire of Jason and his nefarious doings, releasing Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter in a premature attempt to tie up the series. Amongst the strictly formularised chaos, director Zito manages to raise some suspense and even a little atmosphere, never more so than in the excellent, powerful scene wherein one of Jason's potential victims is pursued around the house, finding all the exits blocked by the bodies of her friends. Though by no means a genre classic - it adheres too strictly to the formula to be anything more than just interesting - The Final Chapter was a definite step in the right direction. (Full Review)

UK
Video Distributor: Paramount Home Entertainment (VHR2216)

USA
Laserdisc Distributor: Paramount (LV 1765)
DVD Distributor: Paramount (017654)

Australia
Rating: R

France
Rating: -12

Norway
Rating: 18

UK
Rating: 18 (1987 video release had 20 seconds of cuts, later restored in 2001)

USA
Rating: R

West Germany
Rating: 18

TIMELINE

1984
April
13: USA - theatrical release
13: UK - rated X by the BBFC (for theatrical release)

July
11: France - theatrical release

1987
June
25: UK - rated 18 by the BBFC (for video release)

1989
October
2: UK - video release (Paramount Home Entertainment (VHR2216))

2000
October
17: USA - DVD release (Paramount (017654))

2001
April
23: UK - rated 18 by the BBFC (for video release)

October
13: USA - television broadcast (on Max)

POSTER TAGS

Three Times Before You Have Felt The Terror, Known The Madness, Lived The Horror. But This Is The One You've Been Screaming For.

Jason's Back, and this is the one you've been screaming for.

This is the one you'll be dying for...

Friday April 13th is Jason's Unlucky Day

Friday the 13th Part 4
Freitag, der 13. - Das letzte Kapitel - German title
Venerdì 13: capitolo finale - Italian title

LINKS

SEQUEL TO
Friday the 13th (1980)
Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
Friday the 13th Part 3 3D (1982)

SEQUELS
Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)
Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)
Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)
Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)
Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)
Jason X (2001)

SEE ALSO
Bride of Chucky (1998)
Psycho (1960)
Scream (1996)

FOOTAGE INCLUDED IN
Heartstoppers: Horror at the Movies (1992)
Scream Greats Vol. 1 Tom Savini Master of Horror Make-Up (1986)

MAGAZINES

Cinefantastique vol.14 no.4 (September 1984) pp.101, 107 (USA)
review

City Limits no.141 (15 June 1984) p.26 (UK)
review

Hollywood Reporter vol.281 no.27 (13 April 1984) p.4 (USA)
review

Monthly Film Bulletin vol.51 no.605 (June 1984) p.178 (UK)
credits, synopsis, review

Motion Picture Product Digest vol.11 no.22 (9 May 1984) p.86 (USA)
review

Scapegoat no.1 p.11
censorship note

Screen International no.447 (26 May 1984) pp.20, 24 (UK)
review

Time Out no.721 (14 June 1984) p.59 (UK)
review

Variety 18 April 1984 (USA) p.10
credits, review

BOOKS

Hoffman's Guide to SF, Horror and Fantasy Movies 1991 - 1992 p.144 (Netherlands)
credits, review

serial killers, slasher, splatter, stalk and slash, gore, sequels, twist endings, teenagers, teenkill, cabins, the supernatural, video games, sex

Last Updated: 6 September, 2009