10/24/2004 Entry: "The Many Faces of Jason Voorhees. And Michael Myers."

Super Halloween Monday Day!
Yes, Super Halloween Monday Day, featuring two new articles on the Countdown that are some of the most important to date, or something. For October 25th, we've got a movie-by-movie look at the Many Faces of Jason Voorhees. If you're a casual Friday the 13th enthusiast, you'll be surprised to see how much the guy's look has evolved from film to film. The feature starts with the first film and goes all the way to Jason X.

The almost-but-not-quite-late entry for Sunday presents my official costume for Halloween 2004: Michael Myers! The sometimes underappreciated star of the Halloween movies makes his first appearance on X-E with two different masks, including one that lights up for no good reason. I feel like I say this every day, but it's probably only once a week: if you're just getting back after the weekend, there's all sorts of new shit posted. Check 'em out.

Evlash3@aol.com if intested matt.
Brian

Chestnuts roasted by brian buckley @ 10/24/2004 09:46 PM EST

You know, the original Michael Myers mask from Halloween was a mask of William Shatner from 1978, painted white. Good luck finding one for less than $400 now, unfortunately, but if you can find a Captain Kirk mask and some white paint you'll probably have something that looks a lot better than the ones you bought...

Chestnuts roasted by VeganMike @ 10/24/2004 09:49 PM EST

Thank you Thank you!!
Huge Mike Myers fan here...
This article was by far my fave of the "holiday" season!

Chestnuts roasted by Croww @ 10/24/2004 09:55 PM EST

I pick the Part 3 face, as it looks freaky but still like something you could see in real life.

Chestnuts roasted by Behonkiss @ 10/24/2004 10:05 PM EST

Didn't part IX have the "hell baby?" I mean, not much of a "face" per say, but only a face a mother could love.

Plus, it was pretty freaky when he was "reborn" scootin' up his sisters vagina.

Semper Fi,
Erik Majorwitz

Chestnuts roasted by EMajorwitz @ 10/24/2004 10:12 PM EST

I've always wondered why the special effects artists changed Jason's appearance so drastically between parts 2, 3, and 4. If you follow the plots and timelines of those three movies, they are supposed to take place in the same week.

Chestnuts roasted by bob genghis khan @ 10/24/2004 10:46 PM EST

Dude..I dont have a comment on your Michael Myers Halloween Articale, but you got a good site, here, love the commercials, keep it up!!!

Chestnuts roasted by Jeff @ 10/24/2004 10:46 PM EST

Matt, if you REALLY wanted the authentic Myers look you could track down a Shatner/Captain Kirk mask and spraypaint it white. That's what they did for the original film.

I'm not a big horror fan, but I have to say I am also angered by Myers's attempt to be more attractive. I thought the second mask in particular looked more like a severely frightened Michael Bolton than Michael Myers.

Chestnuts roasted by Night_Trekker @ 10/24/2004 10:53 PM EST

They actually do show a bit of Jason's fucked up teeth in Freddy vs. Jason during the part where the black chick has to give Jason CPR.

I SO want the F13 DVD set. Hell, I haven't even seen all of the F13 movies.

Chestnuts roasted by Nate @ 10/24/2004 10:53 PM EST

I'll admit it, I've never seen a Friday the 13th movie or a Halloween flick in its entirety. Maybe it was because, unlike most kids, I was severely disturbed by the idea of a weird guy killing innicent people in terrible (but creative) ways.

Having just read the Jason article, I don't think it's so weird that his appearance changes. I mean, with every new Castlevania game (not including some of the earliest, which reuse sprites) we're presented with a completely new look for Drac and each of his cronies. That's one of the fun things about the series--wondering what Death will look like THIS time.

But I can also understand how it can irritate hardcore fans. In another Castlevania analogy (because I'm a loser), it irritates the hell out of me that the people at Konami couldn't bother themselves to make the dates in the Castlevania timeline consistant. Or that they tried to incorporate the Brahm Stoker novel and did it so poorly (yeah... Quincy Morris had a son, who somehow followed his father throughout the events of the novel yet stayed hidden, and who witnessed--along with his little friend Eric-- the death of his dad after taking care of Drac. Oh, and if you look at the birthdates given, he would have had to be something like 2 years old at the time.)

Sounds like the plot for another Baby Geniuses flick to me!

Chestnuts roasted by Night_Trekker @ 10/24/2004 11:12 PM EST

Here's something for those who own(or have at least seen the Friday boxset extras).

There is a short clip of a fan who displays a guitar with the Friday the 13th part VI paint scheme signed by several cast members from the series.

Here you can see more detail of the guitar and who signed it.
http://www.brooksguitarworld.com/fangoria04.html

Chestnuts roasted by bob genghis khan @ 10/24/2004 11:25 PM EST

I personally think that all the short-comings of "Jason Goes to Hell", including not showing Jason without his mask, were completly made up for by the FRICKEN FREDDY KRUEGER CAMEO!

Chestnuts roasted by Mr. Mr. Mr. @ 10/24/2004 11:52 PM EST

Night_Trekker-That reminds me of the varying appearances of Ganon from the Zelda games. For example, in the first game, he was totally green, but in A Link to the Past, he was totally purple. I'll admit, there have been many similarities in his appearance (not counting his appearance as Ganondorf), such as the whole giant pig motif, but there still have been differences.

Anyway, like I've said before: MUST SEE ALL OF F13!!!!!!!

Chestnuts roasted by Nate @ 10/25/2004 12:11 AM EST

Hmmmm.. I like the first face best, i think it has a better phychological effect than the others. yea its ok to try to scare me with a freaky overdone looking zombie face, but if you put more of a mentally disturbing freak of nature twist to it, you will get better results... or maybe i am full of crap, whatever...

Chestnuts roasted by Retroriginal @ 10/25/2004 12:12 AM EST

Hey part V wasn't that bad. I loooooove all the Jason movies and I think this was one of the better written ones. No Jason, sure, but the audience doesn't know that until the very end. It's not like he doesn't kill kill kill anyway. Plus Violet was an oldschool hotty punk. Part VI, on the other hand, I think started the eventual ruination of the series. I liked him better before he became the unstoppable supernatural beast. My opinion, sure, but when the killer can't be killed it doesn't lead to good writing. It leads to a gigantic sewer-loads of toxic waste and lightning bolts bringing people to life. Not to mention psychic chicks and space stations. Where do they belong in Jason movies? Nowhere.

Chestnuts roasted by mtenace @ 10/25/2004 12:39 AM EST

Dude, Jason X sucked soooooo bad! I actually paid money to see it and was furious when I walked out. I don't even include it as a part of the F13 series. A curiousity, did anyone actually like it? anyone?...hello?...so alone.

Chestnuts roasted by Capt. Spacklepants @ 10/25/2004 01:22 AM EST

That light up Michael Myers mask looked more like that rejuvenique mask from the infomercial.

Chestnuts roasted by pikachulover @ 10/25/2004 02:09 AM EST

Psychic heroine Tina puts the handless moves on Jason, and before we know it, his head gets all gooey, the mask pops off, and we're faced with a well-lit extreme close-up of a guy worth pissing our pants over.

I would just like to comment on that line. That shot was not an extreme close-up, rather it was only a close-up. An extreme close-up is a shot which singles out a portion of the face (eyes or lips) and isolates and magnifies a detail. This shot is a only a close-up on the grounds of a close-up being a shot which shows just the head, hands, feet, or a small object. Sorry, just my two cents - I'm a stupid film majors.

As for Capt. Spacklepants. I personally loved Jason X. it was in no way my favorite Friday the Thirteenth film, however... The simple fact that they explain Jason's inability to die sets it high on the pedestal for me.

<3 q

Chestnuts roasted by q @ 10/25/2004 02:20 AM EST

Heck, I'm just pleased that we get a still of the defeated Jason from the "Friday the 13th" video game.

But who knew Jason had a pot belly?

Chestnuts roasted by Alex @ 10/25/2004 02:33 AM EST

Another one here who never saw an F-13 movie in his life...

Based on the picture, I'd go with the "Final Chapter" version of Jason.

I've seen most every type of movie, but I haven't really gotten into horror. I own the first "Halloween" and I did the type-up on a Jekyll and Hyde movie called "Edge Of Sanity" for the 80s Movies Rewind, but I guess my thrills come more from cerebral movies.

Also, Matt, here's a suggestion for a movie to review: "Forbidden Zone". The movie is so tasteless and out there, it makes "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" look like a Merchant-Ivory movie. I think it would be cool to get your take on this movie.

Chestnuts roasted by The Rock Steady Flamethrower @ 10/25/2004 03:41 AM EST

Damn....

I stare at the pic of Part 2 Jason, and I just can't seem to stop thinking....

Isn't that just Sloth with Hair?

Chestnuts roasted by NOTV DNugg @ 10/25/2004 05:19 AM EST

I liked all F13 movies, so I also liked Jason X. But my taste in movies is a bit weird. I have just watched all three original Sleepaway Camp movies, and liked them (especially number 2). So is it any surprise I like F13's, even parts 8 and X?

Chestnuts roasted by Sjoerd @ 10/25/2004 06:02 AM EST

If while wearing your original Michael Myers mask you held a round, silver mouthpiece between your lips, wore a silver bump-cap and carried a shiny sphere, you would look just like Woody Allen in Sleeper.

Chestnuts roasted by R. Frog @ 10/25/2004 10:02 AM EST

My favorite Micheal Myers film is the first "Austin Powers."

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 10/25/2004 12:10 PM EST

Matt: Whenever I see pictures of these cluttered shelves in your place, I wonder: How do you keep that place dusted?

I ask, beause I have similar shelves, and it is always nuclear winter on them.

Chestnuts roasted by Ubu Rex @ 10/25/2004 12:33 PM EST

has anyone ever figured out what the deal was with Halloween 3, they decided to get rid of Michal Meyers and instead have it about spooky haloween masks, I think it was written by the same people who wrote "The Stuff"

Chestnuts roasted by dr mindbender in a speedo @ 10/25/2004 12:50 PM EST

I hated that fat guy shelly. He was worse than jason x. so whiney.
He kinda reminded me of the wheelchair guy in Chainsaw Massacre (the OG one)

Chestnuts roasted by zombone @ 10/25/2004 02:30 PM EST

Personally, I've always been a huge fan of continuity in horror series. Something about the fact that SOME people out there actually try to remain true to these slasher characters' convoluted back stories is quite charming and shows that the past is always important to some people, even in widely considered "throwaway" horror flicks.

Chestnuts roasted by scaryrobot @ 10/25/2004 02:42 PM EST

Oh yeah, and speaking of Halloween 3. I've always been curious as hell as to what the shit was the thinking behing that move. I do like it for the pure fact that it's possible the most dated horror flick I've ever seen. That deliciuosly bizzarre Silver Shamrock commercial screams 1982 the way few other things could.

Chestnuts roasted by scaryrobot @ 10/25/2004 03:01 PM EST

Nigel Kneale wrote Halloween III.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0460600/

http://www.offthetelly.co.uk/interviews/nigelkneale.htm
"OTT: The Guinness Book of Classic Television describes The Stone Tape as 'one of the most frightening pieces of television ever made'. Was this your objective when you set out to write it?

NIGEL KNEALE: No. Never never. Why would I want to do that? I wanted to write a story that demanded the viewer's attention. The magic word here is 'paradox'. You set up a story and it turns inside out and that is, for me, the most exciting sort of story to write. The viewer thinks it's going to be about something and it does the opposite. Now if the more simple-minded people found that a frightening experience well, too bad. Real horror movies are dead easy.

20 years ago I was in Hollywood to write a script for John Carpenter. He'd made Halloween I and II and wanted another. I told him 'I didn't like the first two but I'll write you an original and quite different story'. I just told him the story in a café and he said, 'Yes let's do it!' (which is not the reaction you ever get in this country). So I wrote a very good script - if I say it myself. It's one of the best I've ever written. But he was busy working on The Thing. Now the object of that film is to frighten and it did so beautifully - very stylish. So in the meantime, the thing I'd written was being sidelined and Carpenter handed it over to a buddy of his called Tommy Lee Wallace who had never directed anything. So they took my script and to bring it down to the price they reckoned they could spend on it, they ruined it - they took all of the invention out of it. So I took my name off it and was contacted by the American Writer's Guild who said 'Do you really want to take your name of it? People here are trying to get their names on things!'

It would have been the only good Halloween film too. What they put into it was slashing and cutting of eyebrows and all the standard crap for a horror movie, precisely the stuff I avoided. They shortened the thing by about half and everybody hated it. But that's show business I suppose."

Chestnuts roasted by ME @ 10/25/2004 03:08 PM EST

Matt, you can use the second mask to dress up as Buckethead.
http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~cjwade/images/buckethead.jpg
http://www.bucketheadland.com/faq/
http://www.bucketheadland.com/index_map.html

Chestnuts roasted by ME @ 10/25/2004 03:15 PM EST

Part 3 is my personal favorite.

Movie Maniacs Jason had his mask glued on to his head, but if you pull it off anyway, you can see his face-maybe his JGTH face?

It looks like shit...pretty much as bad as Jason takes Manhatten.

http://www.moviemaniacs.net/mm1/jason/unmasked.jpg

The face under the mask in Freddy vs Jason is COOL though-they have it in the pics of the new jason figure on Sideshowtoy.com

Chestnuts roasted by Casey Jones @ 10/25/2004 04:16 PM EST

Friday the 13 is my favourite movie francise of all time with my favorite movie out of the lot being part 6. I have to go with the unmasked Jason of part 4 as being the best one because all of the other movies that had Jason unmasked made him look..well...not like a person who would have been underwater for 30 odd years.

Have you ever noticed that in each movie. Jason's head seems to get bigger and bigger like it's going to explode? My friends and I made that observation years ago while having a F13 marathon.

Oh, and I had to comment on Halloween article..the second Mike Myers mask looks like a full version of the Phantom of the Opera mask. Oh, and I hate the third Halloween movie..I had to say that.

Okies, I'm done. Happy Halloween..love your site. XD

Chestnuts roasted by MC @ 10/25/2004 05:03 PM EST

Loved the F13 tribute.

Chestnuts roasted by Awesome @ 10/25/2004 08:18 PM EST

That last mask makes you a dead ringer for Robert Plant!!!

Chestnuts roasted by Another Matt @ 10/25/2004 08:38 PM EST

What a great article. Haven't seen JASON X or FREDDY VS. JASON, but I am familiar with the rest. I like Jason as the big trucker in part 2. It didn't get out of hand until part 3 when he was really unstoppable. This is also were the killings are not jusitified in anyway (watched it this past Saturday). At least in part 6, his unstoppableness is explained. I don't remember much about 7 except that Jason seems to go to the toolshed for a new weapon every two minutes.

Chestnuts roasted by manimal789 @ 10/25/2004 10:59 PM EST

Michael Myers masks never look anything like the REAL Michael mask. The masks they sell are too smoothe and featureless, and the hair is never right.

Halloween 3 was crap, and I'm sure the writer's "brilliant" script was crap as well.

Jason's "Final Chapter" head is easily the best... no wonder, as makeup master Tom Savini designed it.

Chestnuts roasted by JT Striker @ 10/26/2004 01:32 AM EST

Hahaha! That first mask makes Matt look just like Lion-O!

Thunder..... Thunder.... Thunder.... Thundercats.... HOOOO!!!! Matt needs a bigger sword.

Of course, to confuse the issue, he needs a friend to dress as Cheetara. Or a blow-up version, perhaps. Heck, even a blow-up sword would be appropriate. Lion-O manufactured hot air better than Clinton! ::cigar puffs::

Chestnuts roasted by eminentfreak @ 10/26/2004 01:50 AM EST

I agree with Matt about the best one. But part VII was definitely scary as hell.

Chestnuts roasted by Jay @ 10/26/2004 09:28 AM EST

Oh yeah - that guy Q is a moron. He didn't have to correct the extreme close up thing as it was just a figure of speech! jeez. Oh yeah...anyone notice that in blair witch 1 and 2 there is no sign of the actual witch, but they have a figure of her from Mcfarlane? It looks pretty scary too.

Chestnuts roasted by Jay @ 10/26/2004 09:39 AM EST

I think they had two versions of the witch-one with a skeleton looking head with hair, and one with a demon looking head w/ horns

Chestnuts roasted by Casey Jones @ 10/26/2004 09:56 AM EST

Ive seen a "clip" of of Jason's face from Jason Goes to Hell on an reissue A Nightmare on Elm Street video I bought a few years back. Jason's head looks like he got these rock thorns growing out of him and sorta FT13 Part 7 face. I also rememeber seeing it back in 93 in the preview. Where did that seen of Jason's face go?

Chestnuts roasted by garbage pail kid @ 10/26/2004 02:08 PM EST

You say there isn't a unmasked Jason scene in 'Freddy Vs Jason'? What about the flashback scene where Jason is tormented by his fellow campers as a kid?

Chestnuts roasted by Shaun @ 10/26/2004 04:33 PM EST

Thanks for liking me dudes.

Chestnuts roasted by Jason @ 10/26/2004 08:27 PM EST

The Jason head with the horns growing out of it is a closeup of the Jason fetus from Jason Goes To Hell, the one that crawls up Erin Gray's skirt...they talk about it in the commentary track.

Chestnuts roasted by Casey Jones @ 10/28/2004 11:50 AM EST

Dude, I wore almost the exact same Myers costume last year. Let me tell you, it will scare more people than you think. Key points...don't talk, don't move fast, and I wore some fingerless wool gloves, made my hands appear larger. If possible, just stand in a corner or hallway...people will not only be scared, but will start to creep out, if you just stand there not moving....I loved it. good luck and have fun

Chestnuts roasted by Dave @ 10/28/2004 05:31 PM EST

In Freddy vs. Jason doesn't Jason's mask get taken off when the black chick gives him mouth to mouth? Or was that just a wet dream I had due to the Vodka??

Chestnuts roasted by Victory @ 10/29/2004 11:14 AM EST

Victory, you're not mistaken

They take off his mask when they have him in the back of the van. I haven't picked up the DVD otherwise I would have posted a screenshot.

Chestnuts roasted by domin8r @ 10/31/2004 06:04 PM EST