DVD Review: Friday the 13th Part 2 (Deluxe Edition)

Release Date: February 3rd, 2009
Running Time: 86 minutes

The Film

The original Friday the 13th is memorable for many reasons, and you can’t help but love Betsy Palmer’s performance. However, for me the franchise has always been about the revenge-driven brutality that her son, Jason, inflicts on hapless coeds. Friday the 13th Part 2 gives us the first taste of Jason, and what a taste it is. Though the sequel is entertaining, the new Deluxe Edition DVD isn’t nearly as special as the lenticular cover suggests.

The film picks up a few months after the original and has the sole survivor, Alice (Adrienne King), meeting her end at the hands of an unseen killer. Cut to five years later and a whole new group of coeds have arrived at Crystal Lake to attend counselor training just outside of the infamous Camp Blood. Their arrival mirrors that of the first film, even including a warning by the very same crazy old man. Paul (John Furey) has put together the training center along with his girlfriend/assistant, Ginny (Amy Steel). The first night he scares the newcomers with a campfire story about Jason Voorhees, but uses the moment to get it out of everyone’s system, and asks that they all drop the topic of Camp Blood. However, this sparks the interest of Sandra (Marta Kober), who convinces her boyfriend, Jeff (Bill Randolph), to take her to Camp Crystal Lake. After finding a dead animal they are caught by the authorities and returned to the camp. The police warn Paul to move his facility saying that the town has had five years of peace.

After an initial training, a group of the counselors head off to town for one last night of drinking, while others stay. Those that remain behind entertain themselves with skinny dipping, pranks, and of course, sex. One by one they are picked off in horrific fashion by an unseen murderer. When Paul and Ginny return to camp they find it splashed with blood, but no bodies. Soon they are attacked by a madman wearing a burlap sack over his head with one eye hole–Jason Voorhees in the flesh. With his mother’s severed head stored in his dilapidated cabin, Jason will stop at nothing to get his revenge.

Friday the 13th Part 2 ups the ante in every way. There is more nudity, more gore, more kill scenes, and a more badass villain. Some of the classic deaths include a machete to the face, an ice pick to the temple, and the back of a hammer to the head. Despite some obvious cuts, there is definitely more of the red stuff than in the original. Sackhead Jason is truly terrifying, eliciting a sense of unrelenting rage that was not there in the original film. If I have one problem with the sequel, it is that the final scene is a bit incomprehensible and rushed, but at least it makes for a good scare.

The DVD

The video is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. It is a marginal improvement over the box set release, but still noticeable. Colors are strong and distinct as seen in the deep crimson blood splashed across stark white sheets. Darker shots have been brightened to show more detail, but shadow gradation is still average at best. Grain remains a constant issue as does various technical inconsistencies such as compression artifacts and muddying of the image. So while the transfer has been improved, it still looks quite dated.

The audio is offered in English 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound and English/French/Spanish mono with English/French/Spanish/Portuguese subtitles. The 5.1 mix cleans up the quality of the audio and adds some basic, but appreciable, directional effects to the front channels. The rears, however, stay very quiet with the exception of some minor ambient effects. Dialogue is balanced and intelligible, but still sounds dated. Thankfully the music is not as loud and harsh as in the original film. Bass is mostly absent from the mix. While the mix is definitely upgraded, it is still nowhere near a top-tier example of surround sound.

The Extras

A decent, but not great, selection of special features is offered.

“Inside Crystal Lake Memories” is an 11-minute interview with franchise expert Peter M. Bracke. He knows a great deal about all of the films and shares quite a few interesting facts about Part 2. This is the only extra that pertains to this specific film rather than the whole franchise.

“Friday’s Legacy: Horror Conventions” is a 6-minute series of interviews and clips from the 2008 Scare Fest featuring stars from the original film. There are some interesting stories, but unfortunately no one really focuses on Part 2.

“Lost Tales From Camp Blood Part II” is another 8-minute, no-budget short film with a random couple being killed in the woods.

“Jason Forever” is 29 minutes of interviews as well as footage from a Q & A panel at the 2004 Fangoria Convention. It features comments from four actors who played Jason throughout the franchise. It is interesting to hear how each actor approached the iconic role, especially considering a new actor has taken on the role for the reboot.

Lastly, the Theatrical Trailer is available.

Final Thoughts

Friday the 13th Part 2 is a worthy sequel that further pushed the franchise in its classic direction. Unfortunately the Deluxe Edition is only a marginal improvement over the previous box set, and is only a worthwhile purchase for hardcore Jason fans.