Movies with Isaiah: 'Friday the 13th' stands the test of time, check it out as part of Flashback Cinema

On July 23 and July 26, the Beacon Stadium Cinemas 12 - as part of the continuing Flashback Cinema - will feature a horror classic from 1980. Before I venture into the details of this film, I figured I would provide some interesting facts before the review.

"Black Christmas," "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and "Halloween" serve as precursors of the eventual slasher genre in horror. All three of the films featured memorable antagonists instilling fear into their victims and the audience alike. "Black Christmas" utilized the first-person perspective of the killer, intentionally obscuring his face, leaving his true features to the imagination of the viewer. "Black Christmas," "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and "Halloween" had a different approach for the violence on the screen, as none of them specifically relied on gruesome, over-the-top graphic violence during those respective years. It is not to say there was not any violence to speak of in the films; the overall presentation at the time focused more on the atmosphere of the aftermath and mystery instead of fully exhibiting the results.

In 1980, one film completely changed the trajectory of the horror genre in managing to incorporate all the elements that came before and presenting over-the-top, gruesome, bloody and graphic brutality in the form of "Friday the 13th." I still have memories of living in Germany throughout the '80s and '90s and my childhood revolving around viewing every "Friday the 13th" film in existence. Imagine me at 9 to 10 years old scaring myself to the point of shutting our hallway door in the living room under the belief that if anyone attempted to sneak in on me, I'd feel or hear their presence. This series of films accomplished instilling the fear of expected brutality.

The story involves camp counselors frequenting a camping area known as Crystal Lake. Behaving in the manner of promiscuous teenagers resulted in the drowning death of a young child. As the film progresses, one by one each of the counselors falls victim to gruesome and violent demises at the hands of a mysterious figure.

On the surface, it is a formulaic and simple storyline that has lasted for years, spawning countless sequels, video game adaptations, comic books, action figures, clothing lines and popular culture references. "Friday the 13th" was never known for highlighting the strongest acting or writing of dialogue. Where it succeeded was presenting an unrelenting display of bloody violence and innovative practical effects for its era.

The film introduced a creepy sound effect associated with whenever the killer was in the surrounding area or near the victim. "Friday the 13th's" iconic background whisper-sound effect chillingly adds to the moment, and much like the practical effects, it, too, was innovative and successfully amplified the fear. There have been discussions as to whether it serves as a precautionary tale to the dangers of teenage/premarital sex. Admittedly I am not sure if such an agenda existed at the time. That is a concept that is worthy of research. Either way, there is no denying it sparked a revolution of the slasher genre. Without "Friday the 13th," there is no "Nightmare on Elm Street," "Hellraiser," "Child's Play" or "Scream." "Freddy Krueger," "Pinhead," "Chucky" and "Ghostface" would never exist without this film and its sequels.

The initial twist revelation manages to provide a shocking impact. It is important to note that at the time, there was no internet, social media or accessible behind-the-scenes footage that would spoil a specific ending. Any surprise confrontation or revelation was truly organic and exciting. This horror classic is 43 years old, and out of respect for those who have not watched this film, I will refrain from revealing the impactful and chilling climax. As an enthusiastic horror fanatic, it takes a display of unforgettable and disturbing imagery from any film, show or video game to legitimately frighten me.

Even to this very day, the actual ending of this film still gives me chills and nightmares with its cold, eerie and haunting imagery.

"Friday the 13th" is a memorable classic for the ages still discussed to this day and continuing to stand the test of time. While the original "Halloween" from 1978 is my favorite horror film of all time, "Friday the 13th" is a close second with my perfect rating of 10/10 and two thumbs up.

Fun fact: My mother purchased "Friday the 13th" for me for the classic Nintendo console in 1991 because she knew of my love for the films. In my morbid mind at the time, I reckon there was an expectation of tormenting camp counselors. The game had a different concept, and it scared me to the point I would intentionally remove it from the system, place it back in its case and cover it up with books. In the end, during a summer vacation visit to Tyler, Texas, I left the game on purpose at my grandmother's house because of how much it terrified me as a child.

To watch Isaiah Ridley's movie reviews online, find him @Izzy's Cinematic Escape on YouTube.