Hearts of Darkness: The Making of "The Final Friday" Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Hearts of Darkness: The Making of "The Final Friday" Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 15, 2026

When “Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday” opened in 1993, not a lot of people cared. The picture, while made for very little money, didn’t light up the box office, and fans of the “Friday the 13th” series generally rejected an attempt to take Jason out of the franchise. The purpose of “Hearts of Darkness: The Making of ‘The Final Friday’” is to restore the endeavor’s reputation, with producer Adam Marcus aiding in the construction of a documentary that celebrates how creative Adam Marcus is. Director Michael Felsher embarks on a mission to detail the construction of the 1993 release, leading with Marcus’s immersion in the world of film production at such a young age, tasked with pulling the “Friday the 13th” brand out of a financial tailspin. He offered something at least slightly different from the norm, and 33 years later, Marcus is ready to finally take a victory lap for all his labor.

“Hearts of Darkness” acknowledges the divisive response to “Jason Goes to Hell,” but it doesn’t dwell on it, offering the occasion of the film’s 30th anniversary to return to fandom and their love for Marcus’s semi-oddball picture. The co-writer/director embarks on a tour of screenings, taking questions from the public, creating a flood of memories and explanations that lubricate the informational flow of Felsher’s documentary. Marcus remains front and center, and there’s lots to learn here, including his childhood friendship with “Friday the 13th” mastermind Sean S. Cunningham’s son, giving him access to the moviemaker. There’s time spent on Marcus’s upbringing in a performing arts family, and his education at NYU, learning to become a director. Only 23 years old when handed the assignment to make “Jason Goes to Hell,” Marcus was offered creative freedom, save for Cunningham’s demand that he get rid of Jason’s mask in the endeavor. Fueled on youthful ambition, Marcus jumped into the development process, and “Hearts of Darkness” does a competent job covering scripting challenges and casting stories, tasking Marcus to generate an interesting sequel to help jumpstart the franchise’s fresh direction at New Line Cinema.

There’s limited footage from “Jason Goes to Hell” in “Hearts of Darkness.” Felsher hopes to make up for the lack of examples with help from a wide assortment of cast and crew interviews, with some, understandably, still bewildered by Marcus’s picture. Behind-the-scenes footage also helps the cause, offering access to the creation of special effects, which becomes a major topic of discussion for the documentary, with Marcus quick to remind viewers of all he tried to accomplish with gory events. “Hearts of Darkness” is undeniably fun, especially when it gets into New Line Cinema power plays and the crazy ideas that actually made it into “Jason Goes to Hell,” including its famous final scene. Viewers also learn more about MPAA battles, extensive additional shooting after test screening disappointment, and Marcus’s commitment to celebrating horror by adding genre references whenever possible.

Hearts of Darkness: The Making of "The Final Friday" Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The image presentation for "Hearts of Darkness" maintains a colorful look at documentary specifics, including decorative additions around interviewees and clothing choices, which bring out brighter primaries. Theater tour lighting is also varied. Skin tones are natural. Detail is decent with commercial grade cameras, securing skin particulars on the interviewees, including fine hairs. Multiplex interiors are reasonably dimensional, along with living spaces. BTS footage is aged but in decent shape, and filtering is present to "refresh" imagery. Delineation is satisfactory.

Hearts of Darkness: The Making of "The Final Friday" Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA delivers a straightforward listening event for "Hearts of Darkness," leading with crisp interviewee footage, examining various voices and microphone quality as the documentary collects anecdotes and reactions. Scoring supplies sharp instrumentation, and musical moods feel out into the surrounds for mild immersion, but this is a largely frontal track.

Hearts of Darkness: The Making of "The Final Friday" Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Disc 1

• Commentary #1 features director Michael Felsher and producer Adam Marcus.

• Commentary #2 features editor Eric Beetner, writer Peter M. Bracke, and producers Adam Marcus, Allie Rivera Quinonez, and Debra Sullivan.

• And a Trailer (2:41, HD) is included.

Disc 2

• "Secrets & Lies" (12:25, HD) is an overview of Sean S. Cunningham's experience on "Jason Goes to Hell," featuring interviews with director Adam Marcus, cinematographer Bill Dill, makeup effects artists Robert Kurtzman, Howard Berger, and Brian Rae, and actors Andrew Bloch, Rusty Schwimmer, Kane Hodder, and Richard Gant. Suggesting Cunningham "hated" the franchise that gave the filmmaker a career, Marcus explains how he was allowed to do whatever he wanted with the series, as long as he followed an order to get rid of the hockey mask. Marcus also explores unspoken tensions between himself and Cunningham, suggesting the producer wasn't delighted to see a young man achieve industry success, eventually working to undermine the director's effort. A power play ensued, with Marcus called back to complete "additional shooting" on the picture, which Cunningham was originally going to direct himself. Footage from a 2019 comic convention panel is included to offer Cunningham's side of the story, sharing a strange tale of post-production panic.

• "Hellish Melodies" (11:19, HD) is an interview with composer Harry Manfredini, who explores his relationship with the "Friday the 13th" movies and the origin of his famous theme. Some technical information is provided, along with inspiration for musical choices for "Jason Goes to Hell." Additional interviewees include LaLa Land Records owners Matt Verboys and M.V. Gerhard and director Adam Marcus.

• "Almost Steven" (5:04, HD) examines the casting effort for the character of Steven Freeman, featuring interviews with director Adam Marcus, casting director David Giella, actor Jonathan Penner, who almost played the part, appearing in another role due to a scheduling issue.

• "Never Say Dead" (31:01, HD) is a conversation between director Adam Marcus and editor Eric Beetner, who shared a long friendship before joining forces for "Jason Goes to Hell." The pair is eventually joined by screenwriter (and Marcus's spouse) Debra Sullivan.

• "Perfect for the Part" (7:16, HD) focuses on casting director David Giella and his work on "Jason Goes to Hell." He was young and ready for the job at the time, describing some of the challenges involved in the production.

• "Ward's Big Break" (6:14, HD) examines the casting journey for the character "Ward B." Interviewees include director Adam Marcus, actor Adam Cranner, fan Rob Galluzzo, and makeup effects artist Bob Kurtzman.

• "Cut to the Bone" (10:30, HD) is an interview with editor David Handman, who's joined by director Adam Marcus, with the pair examining the process of putting "Jason Goes to Hell" together. Additional interviewees include cinematographer Bill Dill and assistant editor Patrick Don Vito.

• Extra Bits (HD) include "Baby Stephanie" (4:01), "Creighton Duke" (3:59), "Getting the Credit" (3:31), "The Missing Creature" (2:52), "On-Set Stories" (5:59), and "Set Design & Locations" (4:33).

• Image Gallery (6:39) collects fan art inspired by "Jason Goes to Hell."

• Alternate Titles (1:29, HD) is an early pass at credit work from VFX artist Declan Boyle.

• "Fan Testimonials" (35:15, HD) gives the faithful a chance to share their opinions and passions about "Jason Goes to Hell."

• "Highlights from the Gardena Cinema Premiere" (15:22, HD) visits the 2025 debut of "Hearts of Darkness," with director Adam Marcus and a few crew members offering a panel discussion of "Jason Goes to Hell" after the screening.

Hearts of Darkness: The Making of "The Final Friday" Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Hearts of Darkness" begins to soften as it searches for a place to land, going easy on "Jason Goes to Hell," which Marcus declares was a box office hit (what?) and quite loved before the internet age came for the picture (huh?). Felsher goes into tongue-bath mode, which is disappointing, giving Marcus a chance to blame his young age and position of privilege as reasons for viewer dismissal in 1993, which is a strange argument to make. Cunningham's involvement is all but ignored after his introduction to the story, putting a sizable hole in the endeavor's journey to release. "Hearts of Darkness: The Making of 'The Final Friday'" isn't too interested in challenging Marcus on the quality of "Jason Goes to Hell," as he prefers to lean into cult appreciation, making this documentary ideal for those who already enjoy the Jason-less vision for the sequel. It's certainly a lively assembly of production tales and recollections, which is always welcome. However, when it comes to the controversial ways of the 1993 movie, there's certainly room for a more candid and exploratory approach to the subject, though one can certainly understand Marcus's desire to change the narrative on his little monster possession film after taking a beating for it for decades.