Friday the 13th Blu-ray Movie

Friday the 13th (1980)

Entrepreneur is trying to reopen a summer camp called Crystal Lake, which has a grim past, and is stalked by a mysterious killer.

Starring: Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King, Jeannine Taylor, Robbi Morgan, Kevin Bacon
Director: Sean S. Cunningham

Horror	Uncertain
Thriller	Uncertain
Mystery	Uncertain

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Friday the 13th Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman August 20, 2021

Paramount has re-released the cult favorite 1980 Horror franchise starter 'Friday the 13th.' The disc includes essentially the same video and audio presentations from the Shout! Factory disc (only available in the massively impressive boxed set). It includes most of the extras from Paramount's 2009 disc, which this release otherwise improves upon. No new extras are included. This disc incudes only the uncut version of the film (1:35:26), the exact same runtime from the Shout! Factory presentation. This disc is also included in Paramount's new six-disc, eight-film collection, releasing simultaneously; at time of writing it is the only disc from that set to be made available individually.

Once known for its carefree summers, happy campers, and eager teenage counselors, Camp Crystal Lake has deteriorated over the years after an accidental drowning and the murder of several counselors the following year. Now, years later, the camp is re-built and on the verge of once again welcoming dozens of enthusiastic young campers, much to the dismay of the locals, who proclaim the camp cursed. Camp counselors, arriving early to assist with the final preparations, enjoy the hard work and reap the rewards, which includes drinking, casual relationships, and murder. As the sun sets, the wind blows in, the thunder rolls, and the rain pours, Camp Crystal Lake once again witnesses a night of terror as a mysterious figure, bent on revenge, brutally murders the counselors one by one.

For a full film review, please click here.

Friday the 13th Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality

Paramount's 1080p transfer is essentially identical to the Shout! Factory release. Beyond the aspect ratio difference (1.78:1 here, 1.85:1 there) there is perhaps some minutia for anyone who wants to dig really deep, but superficially speaking, and simply comparing what appears on the screen, from normal viewing distances, there are no obvious alterations. Below is a cut-and-paste of the Shout! Factory review; it applies here:

Shout! Factory brings Friday the 13th to Blu-ray with a fresh 4K scan, and the results are tremendous. The picture's excellence is immediately in evidence, revealing an outstanding 1080p effort that is hands-down the best the film has ever looked in the home. The opening sequence, taking place back in the 1950s, shows handsome grain in an even, flattering, natural consistency, supported by superior black levels -- shadowy corners in a loft where two teens make out, the boy's black shorts, and certainly nighttime exteriors where darkness absorbs the screen with depth and intensity but not to the detriment of any fine detailing within -- that heighten the scene's authenticity and sense of pending doom alike. The scene's excellence is bolstered by superior texturing, showcasing wonderful detail to woods and faces. As the picture transitions to the small town near Camp Crystal Lake, the vibrance and clarity around only amplifies the image's credentials. Pavement, fuel stations, and weathered bricks and siding highlight this stretch, while around camp a few minutes later the natural vegetation and battered wooden components delight with lifelike, tangible texturing that invites audiences to feel the rustic venue. Grain pushes a little heavier at times, indoors and in low light, which obviously comprises much of the film's latter half, but even if it's not as perfectly refined as the opening half, there's no mistaking the majesty of Shout!'s new 4K scan. Bolstered by well saturated colors -- natural greens, colorful slickers, and of course red blood -- and an absence of any print issues or encode flubs, there's nothing to dislike here. This one teeters on 1080p perfection, particularly for a lower budget 40-year-old film.

Friday the 13th Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality

There is likewise little discernible difference between this Paramount DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack and the Shout! Factory disc. There are differences in bit rate and such, but just comparing with the ears yields no obvious change. Obviously this is not the same Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack from Paramount's 2009 disc. Because the Shout! review is built around a comparison with a 2.0 track that is not included here, that review is not reprinted below; please click here, however, to explore the essentials regarding the 5.1 soundtrack.

Friday the 13th Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras

This new Friday the 13th includes extras previously available on various other releases. It does not include all of the extras from either the original Paramount disc or the Shout! Factory boxed set. Chief amongst the missing bonus features is the audio commentary track. See below for what's included. Please click here for full coverage; all of the extras below were included on the original 2009 Paramount issue.

Fresh Cuts: New Tales from Friday the 13th (1080p, 14:07).

The Man Behind the Legacy: Sean S. Cunningham (1080p, 8:58).

Friday the 13th Reunion (1080p, 16:44).

Lost Tales from Camp Blood Part 1 (1080p, 7:31).

The Friday the 13th Chronicles: Friday the 13th (480i, 20:34).

Secrets Galore Behind the Gore (480i, 9:32).

Theatrical Trailers (1080p, various runtimes): Trailers for all eight films in the main series.

Friday the 13th Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation

For anyone who skipped on the Shout! set (why?) and wants to upgrade a well-loved 2009 edition, this is it. The video and audio presentations are excellent, though the Shout! disc is presented at the proper 1.85:1 aspect ratio and includes two cuts of the film, where this only features one. Recommended to anyone upgrading from 2009 and didn't want the full franchise Shout! package.