Friday the 13th: A New Beginning

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Friday the 13th: A New Beginning

Film poster
Directed by Danny Steinmann
Produced by Frank Mancuso Jr. (executive producer)
Timothy Silver
Written by Martin Kitrosser & David Cohen (story)
Martin Kitrosser & David Cohen and Danny Steinmann (screenplay)
Victor Miller (characters)
Starring John Shepherd
Melanie Kinnaman
Shavar Ross
Music by Harry Manfredini
Cinematography Stephen L. Posey
Editing by Bruce Green
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date(s) March 22, 1985
Running time 92 min.
Country Flag of the United States United States
Language English
Budget $2,200,000
Gross revenue $21,900,000 (domestically)
Preceded by Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter
Followed by Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

Friday the 13th: A New Beginning is a slasher film. It was released on March 22, 1985. It is the fifth film in the Friday the 13th film series. Despite the previous film claiming to be the "final chapter," this installment set out to live up to its title by being a "new beginning" for the franchise. However, these plans fell through when the film was greeted with backlash from fans who felt deceived and betrayed by the film's twist ending.

Contents

[edit] Box office

The film opened in 1,759 theaters taking in $8 million its opening weekend. Domestically, the film has grossed $21.9 million.

[edit] Plot summary

After years of being shuffled around various mental institutions, Tommy Jarvis has now been placed in the Pinehurst halfway house, one that is unique because it runs off an honor system. It is not made clear what happened to Tommy's sister, Trish, following the events of the previous film, but he apparently has no contact with her. Shortly after arriving, one of the patients murders another and is arrested. Soon afterwards, a series of murders begin to occur around the area. With Jason Voorhees dead, the identity of the assailant remains unknown. As the killings continue, the already strained mind of Tommy is plagued with memories of Jason. When the killer makes himself visible to the last few left in the halfway house, Tommy confronts what appears to be Jason, returned from the grave. However, when the killer lies dead and unmasked, it is revealed to be Roy Burns, a paramedic who had been using Jason's M.O. and identity to avenge the death of his son who was killed earlier at the halfway house. It is also revealed that Burns had placed his son up for adoption, and that he never knew him.

The final scene of this movie takes place in the hospital with Pam, the halfway house director, visiting Tommy as he recuperates. Tommy appears to be having delusions of Jason, and attacks Pam. Tommy then suddenly wakes up in his hospital bed, the previous attack having been a dream. He then walks to a dresser in the room, and pulls out a hockey mask. Pam then walks into Tommy's room to find Tommy gone, with the window smashed open, making it appear as though Tommy has run away. However, as the door closes behind Pam, Tommy is revealed, wearing the hockey mask, preparing to attack Pam, leaving the conclusion open-ended.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Critical reception

  • This movie was originally going to be the start of a new series of Friday the 13th films featuring Tommy as the new killer, as the producers indicated that Part 4 was meant as a conclusion for Jason. However, the reception for this film was very poor, as fans indicated they wanted a movie which featured Jason as the killer.

[edit] Trivia

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The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.
  • Originally, the opening of the film actually picks up not too long after the events of Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter with Tommy Jarvis taken to the same hospital with Jason's body. In an effort to get to Jason, Tommy murders several of the hospital's staff trying to get to the morgue. When he finally gets there, he finds Jason's body rising from the autopsy table. It's at this point that an adult Tommy wakes up in a van on way to Pinehurst as in the film.
  • The producers had originally wanted Corey Feldman to reprise his role as Tommy. But because he was filming The Goonies, Feldman was only available to do a cameo in the movie's opening scene.
  • Eddie's death was cut to avoid an X rating; originally blood and his cranial innards spurted out of the straps as Roy twisted them.
  • When Lana the waitress is murdered with the ax, the shot of her body quivering was cut to avoid an X rating.
  • Originally, Junior's death had his head bounce six times after being decapitated.
  • Strangely, the VHS release for the film did not feature the hockey mask worn by Jason or Roy, but rather the mask worn by Lord Humungous in Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior.
  • The barn during the final sequence was the barn from Friday the 13th Part III.

[edit] External links

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Friday the 13th series
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