Scream Factory is releasing a brand new 16-disc collector’s edition Blu-Ray boxset of all 12 Friday the 13th movies, and here’s all the new extras. Friday the 13th is no doubt one of the most famous and beloved horror franchises in history, with millions of devoted fans worldwide. Sadly, it’s been over a decade since the last Friday the 13th movie was released, and continuing legal rights issues are so far keeping a new one from being made, although those look to possibly be resolved soon.
In the meantime, Friday the 13th lovers can spend the next while sitting down and taking in Scream Factory’s massive Blu-Ray set, easily the most comprehensive collection involving the franchise ever on home video. And that covers a lot of ground, as the Friday the 13th series has been issued and reissued multiple times on both DVD and Blu-Ray. It’ll likely get a 4K UHD disc release eventually too, just to milk the Jason Voorhees cow a bit more, but fans will happily buy it all the same.
As usual for Scream Factory, their Friday the 13th set retains basically all prior DVD and Blu-Ray extras and bonus features, as well as adding a bunch more. Some films even get multiple discs, and there are two entire discs full of additional bonuses. That’s a lot to go through, but for those just curious about what’s new, here’s a rundown.
Friday the 13th (1980) – Discs 1 & 2
The original classic that kicked off what would become the Friday the 13th franchise is one of the movies that gets two discs to itself, one for the theatrical R-rated cut and another for the unrated cut with some additional gore. Both versions have also received new 4k transfers, with the unrated cut also getting its original mono audio track restored. As for new extras, there isn’t much on offer, but that’s probably because prior releases have had a bunch, which all look to be carried over, including a commentary, and multiple featurettes. All that’s new are an international trailer, and some TV and radio spots, as well as a vintage Fangoria article that can be accessed via a BD-Rom drive.
Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) – Disc 3
Friday the 13th Part 2, Jason Voorhees’ debut as the villain, carries over prior extras like featurettes, trailers, and still galleries. As for what’s new, there’s actually quite a bit. Friday the 13th Part 2 has also received a new 4k transfer and a restored mono audio track, a new audio commentary with star Amy Steel, filmmaker Thommy Hutson, and author Peter M. Bracke, another new commentary featuring Bracke with cast members Russell Todd, Lauren Marie-Taylor, Bill Randolph, Stu Charno, and Kirsten Baker, and also a new one-on-one interview with Steel. There’s also another Fangoria article, and some newly included TV and radio spots, but the biggest get is “Slashed Scenes,” which finally allows fans to see all the gore footage that was cut from Part 2 to receive an R rating from the MPAA. This footage was only recently discovered, and has long been one of the holy grail gets for Friday the 13th fans. Things like this are the reason so many horror lovers worship at the altar of Scream Factory.
Friday the 13th Part 3 (1982) – Disc 4
Friday the 13th Part 3, or Part 3D, is next up, complete with glorious disco theme song. Scream Factory has done fans another solid, providing for the first time a truly 3D home video release of Part 3 for those with 3D TVs and Blu-Ray players. Prior releases of the 3D version were the older kind where fans had to wear the cheap red and blue glasses to watch. Both the 2D and 3D versions have also received new 4k transfers, and the original mono has again been restored. Just to be clear, these films all have DTS-HD 5.1 mixes as well, but the mono tracks are being presented for purists. Part 3 also has some TV and radio spots added on, along with a Fangoria article, in addition to carryover featurettes, trailers, and an audio commentary.
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984) – Disc 5
The Final Chapter, in which Jason Voorhees is killed off – as a human – is in the opinion of many, the best Friday the 13th sequel. Sadly, there isn’t much new for The Final Chapter specifically, outside of a new 4k transfer and restored mono audio track. The only other new things are TV spots, radio spots, some still galleries, and another Fangoria article. Fortunately, the line-up of carryover supplements is also pretty great, including two audio commentaries, deleted gore footage, and multiple other featurettes.
Friday the 13th Part 5: A New Beginning (1985) – Disc 6
Friday the 13th Part 5: A New Beginning, which infamously featured a copycat Jason instead of the real deal, is the first movie on the Scream Factory set to get an immediate upgrade, despite lacking a new transfer. The prior set, released by Warner Bros. and Paramount, made six of the films share a disc, leading to compromised picture quality, and low bitrates. Now they each get their own discs. In addition to a restored mono track, Part 5 comes with two new audio commentaries, the first with stars Melanie Kinnaman, Deborah Voorhees, and Tiffany Helm, along with Peter M. Bracke, and the second a fan commentary with Adam Green and Joe Lynch. There’s also the requisite new TV spots and vintage Fangoria article. Carryover features include a commentary with the director and two stars, and several featurettes.
Friday the 13th Part 6: Jason Lives (1986) – Disc 7
Friday the 13th Part 6: Jason Lives, is another popular pick for best sequel in the franchise, and was the first to introduce a satirical comedic edge to the films. Jason Lives again gets a solo disc for the first time, and while the transfer isn’t new, the color timing has been improved. The original stereo track has also been restored. There’s two new audio commentaries, the first with cast members Thom Mathews, Vincent Guastaferro, Cynthia Kania, Kerry Noonan, and C.J. Graham, and the second a fan chat with Green, Lynch, and director Tom McLoughlin. There’s also new TV spots, still galleries, and a Fangoria article. On top of those, the carryover supplements are plentiful, including two other commentaries, cut gore footage, and multiple featurettes.
Friday the 13th Part 7: The New Blood (1988) – Disc 8
Friday the 13th Part 7: The New Blood sees Jason face off with a telekinetic teen that’s clearly a stand-in for Stephen King’s Carrie. Sadly, there isn’t much new on the menu for fans of this film, although there is again a lot of returning extras. In addition to a restored stereo track, there’s new TV spots, still galleries, and a Fangoria article. Carryovers include two commentaries, cut gore footage, and three additional featurettes. The transfer looks to be identical to the prior release, with a higher bitrate due to being on its own disc.
Friday the 13th Part 8: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989) – Disc 9
Sure, Friday the 13th Part 8: Jason Takes Manhattan doesn’t really spend all that much time in New York City, but it’s still a fun movie for Jason fans, featuring some creative kills. It also marked the first time a Jason actor returned, as fan favorite Kane Hodder came back from The New Blood. Like Part 7, Part 8 doesn’t have much new to offer on its disc, but again, at least it’s got room to breathe now. This one doesn’t even get a restored stereo track or Fangoria article. All that’s new are TV spots and still galleries. Carryover supplements include two commentaries, a featurette, deleted gore scenes, a blooper reel, and the trailer.
Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993) – Discs 10 & 11
For a movie that many Jason fans hate with a fiery passion – mostly due to a lack of Jason actually being physically in it – Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday sure got the royal treatment from Scream Factory. The biggest addition here, and perhaps the biggest get of the set, is that the unrated version of Jason Goes to Hell is being presented in HD for the first time, after being left off the other set. It contains tons of added gore and nudity, and is the only way any fan should watch the film. Each cut got a new 2k scan, and gets its own disc.
As for new extras, the theatrical cut of Jason Goes to Hell comes with a new introduction by director Adam Marcus, as well as TV spots and still galleries. The unrated cut gets its own intro, a new commentary with Marcus and Bracke, a new interview with Marcus, a new interview with Kane Hodder, and a new featurette about the relationship between Marcus and producer Sean S. Cunningham. In addition to all that new material, the extras from the old unrated DVD have been brought back, after missing the last Blu-Ray, including additional scenes filmed for the TV version. Jason Goes to Hell fans will be in heaven with this release.
Jason X (2002) – Disc 12
Jason X, which infamously sent Jason rocketing into space, gets the royal treatment as well. In addition to finally getting its own disc, Jason X gets a new 2k transfer, and a boatload of new extras. There’s new commentary with Bracke and screenwriter Todd Farmer, a new making-of featurette, a new interview with Farmer, a new interview with actress Kristi Angus, a new interview with Sean S. Cunningham about Jason’s time at New Line Cinema, some behind the scenes footage and never before released vintage interviews, a new introduction by Kane Hodder, and of course TV spots, radio spots, and still galleries. All prior supplements are also carried over.
Freddy vs. Jason (2003) – Disc 13
Here’s one area the Scream Factory Blu-Ray collector’s edition set comes up a bit short. The Freddy vs. Jason disc here is the exact same disc included in the prior Blu-Ray set, which was the exact same disc released by itself back in 2009. So obviously, there’s nothing new included on it. Thankfully, what’s presented is still pretty good, if not new. The transfer is great, the audio booms, and there’s a large slate of extras, most of which date back to the original 2003 “Platinum Series” DVD released by New Line. What’s included is very comprehensive, covering every aspect of the production and release, as well as deleted scenes, marketing material, and an audio commentary. Nothing else probably exists for the film.
Friday the 13th (2009) – Disc 14
Second verse, same as the first. Like Freddy vs. Jason, this is the same disc from the prior set, which was itself the same disc issued in 2009. The transfer is again without problems, although the extras selection isn’t nearly as large as that for Freddy vs. Jason. One of those annoying “picture-in-picture” tracks is included, as are two featurettes and some deleted scenes. Both versions of Friday the 13th (2009) are also on the disc via seamless branching, those being the R-rated theatrical cut and the unrated cut with added gore and nudity.
Friday the 13th Bonus Discs – Discs 15 & 16
As if everything included on the first 14 discs wasn’t enough, Scream Factory has seen fit to include two entire discs of additional bonus features. The first bonus disc contains a whopping 17 previously released featurettes on the franchise, and that’s just the beginning. New to the disc are an interview with producer/co-creator Sean S. Cunningham about his career, a new interview with Part 2 and 3 director Steve Miner, a new interview with composer Harry Manfredini, new interviews with actors Harry Crosby and Bill Randolph, a tour of the filming locations, and a vintage vault interview. There’s also a still gallery, an audio feature about the locations, and two short Easter eggs.
And then there’s bonus disc two, full of almost entirely new stuff. There’s some new storyboard galleries for Freddy vs. Jason, some marketing material for Friday the 13th (2009), another Easter egg, the music video for Alice Cooper’s tie-in song The Man Behind the Mask, an interview with Cooper, two interviews with Tom McLoughlin, two with Sean S. Cunningham, more tours of the filming locations, a reel of all the film’s trailers, and top it off two full-length documentaries about the slasher film genre in general. They aren’t new, but aren’t particularly well-known. The first is Scream Queens: Horror Heroines Exposed, and is about exactly what one would think. The second is Slice and Dice: The Slasher Film Forever, an overall look at the genre.