Friday the 13th (1980) – WTF Happened to This Horror Movie?

It’s Friday the 13th, and we’re celebrating with a new episode of the WTF Happened to This Horror Movie? video series that looks back at the original, 1980 Friday the 13th (watch it HERE)! To hear about some of what went into the making of this classic slasher, check out the video embedded above.

Directed by Sean S. Cunningham from a screenplay by Victor Miller, Friday the 13th has the following synopsis: Crystal Lake’s history of murder doesn’t deter counselors from setting up a summer camp in the woodsy area. Superstitious locals warn against it, but the fresh-faced young people — Jack, Alice, Bill, Marcie, and Ned — pay little heed to the old-timers. Then they find themselves stalked by a brutal killer. As they’re slashed, shot and stabbed, the counselors struggle to stay alive against a merciless opponent.

The film stars Adrienne King, Harry Crosby, Jeannine Taylor, Laurie Bartram, Kevin Bacon, Mark Nelson, Robbi Morgan, Peter Brouwer, Rex Everhart, Ronn Carroll, Walt Gorney, Willie Adams, Debra S. Hayes, Sally Anne Golden, Ari Lehman, and Betsy Palmer. It also features some great effects by Tom Savini.

This is what the WTF Happened to This Horror Movie series is all about: Hollywood has had its fair share of historically troubled productions. Whether it was casting changes, actor deaths, fired directors, in-production rewrites, constant delays, budget cuts or studio edits, these films had every intention to be a blockbuster, but were beset with unforeseen disasters. Sometimes huge hits, sometimes box office bombs. Either way, we have to ask: WTF Happened To This Horror Movie?

The Friday the 13th (1980) episode of WTF Happened to This Horror Movie? was Written by Cody Hamman, Edited and Narrated by Tyler Nichols, Produced by Lance Vlcek and John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

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

What do you think of the original Friday the 13th? Let us know by leaving a comment!

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