Friday Conversation: Never Go Into The Basement Alone
One of the more tense scenes in all of the Friday the 13th series takes place in Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter. The scene we speak of is when Trish and Rob venture over to the party house to see if Jason has indeed arrived. When the pair notice the axe hole in the door, it became apparent that Jason was lurking about. What happens next is a very eerie trek through the living room before the lights go out.
Harry Manfredini’s score is at its very best in this scene. Never before or after this scene has his score resonated true terror and imminent death. After the lights go out in the house, Rob decides to go into the basement, by himself, to check out the situation with the lights. This would be the first moment to think to oneself, “should I really be going into a dark basement after the lights were just turned off and a mass murderer could be waiting for me?” The thought process should always be, “Never go into the basement alone.”
Even after Trish discovers Doug’s body in the bathroom upstairs and runs downstairs to warn Rob, he still decides to go back into the basement. Why? To get a knife he dropped running up the stairs? Dude, Trish has a machete! Get up the stairs and get out of there quick. Of course he does down the stairs and Jason dispatches him quickly.
The moral of this story is, “Never go into the basement alone.” What does everyone think. Can you fault Rob for going back for his knife? Would you go into a dark basement or cellar either knowing or not knowing there was a maniacal killer about?
I remember when i chased Jason into his little tool shed back in Part 2 and thinking to myself “i know im a big tough crystal lake cop, i don’t even get a policeman’s cap and i think im all that … but chasing this inbred farmer looking bastard into his cardboard box house isn’t the best idea” and low and behold; i ended up with a ax to the back of the head. Im still upset over that one.
But anyways back to the topic at hand; Yeah, this guy Rob wasn’t the brightest lethal weapon in the basement but at least he had the courage to let the cute girl live, that was rather noble of him. I appreciated the re-imagining of his character in the 2024 Friday. Now that guy had his shit together.
yeah, i always wondered why Rob went back down when he got half way up the stairs. he could have lived, well a little while longer anyway.
Yea, the character of Clay made the new movie pretty strong. Nice homage indeed!
Yes Mr. Fury, it was indeed a nice homage to Rob but my only complaint is that Clay went through the trouble to liberate Jenna from the Ultra Racially Diverse Party Pad and that it went nowhere for him and that’s a shame. Then again, it went nowhere for Rob & Trish so maybe the legacy in that sense simply lives on.
Let’s not forget Rob was out for revenge for the death of his sister -so he felt more compelled than any other random piece of meat in the series- to ‘get’ Jason. Me personally, I would’ve ran, except if it was my own house, then I probably just turn on the light and call the police.
After so many movies, we know what works to beat Jason, child psychology, imitate him and telekenisis. Physical attacks don’t work!
Im glad You bring this topic up. As Ive said millions of times on here The Final Chapter is My favorite in the series. But that scene with Rob going into the basement I always thought was dumb, Why would He do that? Hes supposed to be avenging His Sisters murder, but hero He is not. If You also notice earlier in the film after Jason spears Paul in the balls, and Rob hears Him scream from His tent. Rob has a rifle and a machete, so what does He grab to go searching?? the freakin machete and leaves the rifle which Jason snaps like a twig. Now Jason had never been shot in the first 4 movies, maybe it wouldve done Him alot more harm before He became zombie Jason in part 6 and bullets just bounced off Him. But anyway back to the basement. Never going into the basement alone is one of the horror movie rules You dont break, especially after the power goes out. Tommy Jarvis did the same thing at His house when the power went down, but Tommys way smarter than Rob I think. After Trish discovers Dougs body in the bathroom, and She screams running down the stairs, they shouldve both bolted. I swear Gordon the dog is probably the smartest character in the whole movie, He was gone. Frankly I think once Rob and Trish saw the axe hole in the door, they shouldve turned right around and went back. Robs death in part 4 is My favorite, because basically He brought it on Himself. Trish and Tommy were the heroes of part 4, dont screw with the Jarvis’s. Let Me just close by saying when Youre in a horror movie, just stay out of the basement altogether.
“HES KILLING MEEEEEEEE!!!”
We all have to remember, that Rob was already down there when Trish noticed Doug had been killed…so when Trish came screaming down the stairs, Rob had been there for a couple of minutes already without anything happening to him, therefor he thought Jason was not down there….that makes sense as to why he went, he thought no one was there…he had no fear of anything happening to him since he was already there, without being attacked….
Seems to me like he should have just got out of there, I mean I’m sure he could have found something else to use as a weapon and I mean a knife against Jason really???? whats the point? But anyways going down in the basement is just as dumb as going upstairs lol! It always happens though in all the movies run upstairs or in this case downstairs into the basement number 1 way to die in a slasher movie period! Never go in the basement or upstairs alone!!!
I have always felt the same about this matter. In my honest opinion, I think Rob truly wanted his demise by the hands of Jason Voorhees.
Look at the facts. He was out searching for him during the whole movie and when he get a chance to leave he goes back. Then he gets jacked up against the workbench you can clearly see he has a free hand to block with but never once uses it.
He just stands there while Jason chops him to death with a digger that would take a long time to kill someone with. Plus the whole “he’s killing me line”. If you ask me.. He wanted it.
Steve
mWd
Yo bytor! hey since the chat is no more, hit me up man on yahoo at cds072675 Sorry JF, don’t mean to hi jack the thread just miss the chat. Is it cool?
Hah — nice one, Travis (“… a knife … what’s the point?”).
I always wondered why Rob didn’t just bolt out of the basement. Surely there would have been a set of knives in the kitchen or something. And sticking together (provided you both have your wits about you) is usually a good way of staying alive. I honestly thought that Rob would have put up a better fight against Jason, but I suppose his death was worth it purely for the classic “he’s killing me!!” line.
Well concidering that there other weapons round the house which are not in a really dark place!!
But then he wouldnt make us shout at him DONT GO DWN THERE!!!!JASONS AROUND!!
What you dont know is, the knife rob has in part 4 is the same knife from Goes to hells mythology, see it all ties together.
The smart thing to do would have been to hop in the car at the first sign of trouble, drive to a neighbor and call the cops. Staying was bad for everyone, including Jason, who after dispatching several grown men with ease was cut down by a twelve year old who decided it was a good time for a hair cut.
Anyone ever notice how much E. Erich Anderson looks like Marta Kober? They could really be siblings. Someone should shop a fake family photo for them.
lol “Let’s go investigate!” Scooby-Doo Syndrome at its best right there haha
The main thing about Rob’s death is how much strangeness there is in the continuity. I always see comments about Jason killing/frightening Gordon, but it seems to me that Jason is in the basement the entire time Trish and Rob search the house. I mean, when else would Jason have gotten down there?
Which also leads to my wonderment as to the placement of Tina’s body on the front step. When the hell did THAT get there? Not there when Rob and Trish approach the house, but Jason is able to shimmy out a basement window to toss it down, then wiggle back in?
Odd. But still my favorite of the series.