Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 1985
Running Times: 87 mins 6 sec (UK - video (1987))     89 mins (Germany)     91 mins 12 sec (UK - theatrical)     92 mins (USA)
Format: Metrocolor     35mm
Ratio: 1.85:1
Sound: mono

(Full Credits)

PRODUCTION
Production Companies: Georgetown Productions Inc / Paramount Pictures / Terror Inc
Executive Producer: Frank Mancuso Jr
Producer: Timothy Silver

SCRIPT
Script: Martin Kitrosser, David Cohen, Danny Steinman
Story: Martin Kitrosser, David Cohen

DIRECTION
Director: Danny Steinman

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Stephen L. Posey

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editor: Bruce Green

MUSIC
Music: Harry Manfredini

SOUND
Production Sound Mixer: Mark Ulano
Boom Operator: Patrushka Mierzwa

COSTUMES AND MAKE-UP
Make Up: Kathryn Miles Logan
Hair: Enid Arias
Wardrobe Designers: Image Makers

SPECIAL MAKE UP EFFECTS
Special Make Up Effects: Martin Becker, Makeup and Effects Laboratories Inc
Special Make-up Effects Unit: Earl C. Ellis Jr., David B. Miller, Anton Ruprecht, Wm. Scott Strong, Larry S. Carr, Louis Lazara, David Nelson

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects: REEL EFX Inc
Special Effects Co-Ordinator: Frankie Inez
Special Effects Unit: Thomas K. Hartigan, Frank Munoz, Mark A. Spears, Tom Del Genio, Victor D. Lupica, Duncan J. Simpson

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Robert Howland

STUNTS
Stunt Co-Ordinator: Richard Warlock
Stunts: Debbie Evans, Gene Hartline, John Hock, Desiree Keins, Steven Lambert, Gene Le Bell, John Moio, Debby Lynn Ross, John Sherrod, Ed Shinstine, Cindy Wills, Ray Woodford

CASTING
Casting: Fern Champion, Pamela Basker

CAST
Anthony Barrile (Vinnie)
Suzanne Bateman (Nurse Yates / receptionist)
Dominick Brascia (Joey Burns)
Todd Bryant (Neil)
Curtis Conaway (Les)
Juliette Cummins (Robin)
Bob De Simone (Billy / male nurse)
John Robert Dixon (Eddie)
Corey Feldman (Tommy Jarvis aged 12)
Jere Fields (Anita)
Tiffany Helm (Violet)
Melanie Kinnaman (Pam)
Richard Lineback (Deputy Dodd)
Carol Locatell (real name: Carol Lacatell) (Ethel Hubbard)
Ric Mancini (Mayor Cobb)
Miguel A. Núñez Jr (demon)
Corey Parker (Pete)
Jerry Pavlon (Jake)
Shavar Ross (Reggie)
Rebecca Wood-Sharkey (Lana)
John Shepherd (Tommy Jarvis)
Sonny Shields (Raymond)
Ed Shinstine (real name: Eddie Matthews) (second deputy)
Ron Sloan (Junior Hubbard)
Marco St John (Sheriff Cal Tucker)
Caskey Swaim (Duke Johnson)
Mark Venturini (Victor J. Fadden)
Debisue Voorhees (Tina)
Vernon Washington (George)
Chuck Wells (third deputy)
Dick Wieand (Roy Burns / 'Jason Voorhees')
Richard Young (Dr Matt Peters)

PLOT SUMMARY

Several years after the events of The Final Chapter, Tommy, now aged 17 is plagued by recurring nightmares of Jason. He's incarcerated in a mental institution for disturbed teens, an outdoor centre that resembles a summer camp. Naturally, people begin to die at an alarming rate, bumped off by a mysterious figure in a ski mask. Surely, it couldn't be Jason...?

Any way you look at it, A New Beginning is irredeemable nonsense, an ill-conceived 'thriller' that on the one hand seeks to continue the series without Jason, undoubtedly the series' focal point, but on the other hand it lacks the conviction to really try. The banal finale is so confusing and meaningless that one can't help but wonder what point - if any - the producers were trying to make. The script is dull and lifeless, full of witless attempts at humour, while the direction is just insipid and uninvolving. It perhaps deserves some credit for trying to step beyond the guidelines laid down by the formula, but blows it all on appalling plotting and nonsensical stereotypical motivation. On a positive note, the acting is commendable enough given the severe limitations of the script, with Shepard as troubled Tommy being particularly noteworthy. (Full Review)

UK
Video Distributor: Paramount Home Entertainment (VHR2227)

USA
Theatrical Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Laserdisc Distributor: Paramount (LV 1823)

Australia
Rating: R

France
Rating: -16

Norway
Rating: 18

UK
Rating: 18 (video version cut by 1 minute 22 seconds in 1987)

USA
Rating: R

West Germany
Rating: 18

TIMELINE

1985
March
22: USA - theatrical release

May
10: UK - rated 18 by the BBFC (for theatrical release)

July
31: France - theatrical release

1987
December
15: UK - rated 18 by the BBFC (for video release)

1990
October
1: UK - video release ( Paramount Home Entertainment (VHR2227))

POSTER TAGS

If Jason still haunts you, you're not alone!

A New Beginning to the first step in terror

Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning
Freitag, der 13. Teil 5 - Ein neuer Anfang - German title
Venerdì 13: il terrore continua - Italian title

LINKS

SEQUEL TO
Friday the 13th (1980)
Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
Friday the 13th Part 3 3D (1982)
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)

SEQUELS
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
Scream (1996)

MAGAZINES

Cinefantastique vol.15 no.4 (October 1985) pp.46; 47, 52 (USA)
review; interview

City Limits no.206 (13 September 1985) p.23 (UK)
review

L'Ecran Fantastique no.59 (August 1985) p.7
review

Films and Filming no.372 (September 1985) p.40 (UK)
credits, review

Hollywood Reporter vol.286 no.14 (22 March 1985) pp.3, 54 (USA)
review

Monthly Film Bulletin vol.52 no.619 (August 1985) p.246 (UK)
credits, synopsis, review

Première August 1985 p.12 (France)
review (by Jean-Philippe Guerand)

Scapegoat no.1 p.11 (UK)
censorship details

Screen International no.512 (31 August 1985) p.19 (UK)
review

Starburst vol.8 no.1 (September 1985) p.19 (UK)
review

Variety 27 March 1985 p.17 (USA)
credits, review

BOOKS

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

serial killers, axe murders, sequels, chainsaws, slasher, barns, children, cemeteries, splatter, teenagers, teenkill, decapitation, psychiatric hospitals, grave robbers, graves, dismemberment, impaling, machetes, gore, twist endings, nightmares