Interview with Shavar Ross (Reggie, A New Beginning)
Steve De Roover of www.moviepulp.be / www.dvdinfo.be recently interviewed Shavar Ross who played Reggie the Reckless in 1985’s Friday the 13th: A New Beginning. Shavar discusses his expreriences in the film, what the film did for his career at an early age and what he currently is doing now.
How did you get involved in the movie/entertainment-business and especially in Friday the 13th Part V?
My father was the actor. My parents separated and my father took off to Hollywood to become an actor. He was a well known stage actor in New York and was signed with the prestigious William Morris Agency. He guest starred on television shows like Lou Grant, Police Story and MASH. I got discovered by an agent when I was seven while visiting my dad in California during my school’s Christmas vacation.
Next year Friday The 13th will celebrate its 30th anniversary. The Franchise is still going strong after all these years. What is the enduring appeal of this little horror film and the following franchise?
I have no idea (lol). The blood and the gore, I suppose. People are fascinated with death, blood and gore–and of course, the masked man called Jason, lol.
At the time of Part V there was a lot of controversy about the gore in the previous Friday the 13th films. Was there any kind of pressure on the set about this? And how did you experience are the bloodshed and scary Jason/Roy, because you were very young at the time of shooting?
I just remember seeing a dummy (mock up) for the torso and legs for Violet’s (Tiffany Helm) character. It was gross, man. I was like, “They’re gonna show that in the movie?” I remember people on the set being upset ’cause they couldn’t use it, lol.
Some fans and critics call Part V one of the worst in the entire franchise, due to the fact that Jason isn’t the killer. Other enjoys it for sleaze, the kills and the nude scenes. Do you understand the backlash and what is your personal point of view?
I can understand the backlash but I thought they were tryin’ to be different with this film. They already knew they would continue the series so this was the one film that would be different from all the rest. Gotta admit, it was different. We’re The Black Sheeps of the series, lol.
The movie is almost cut to shreds due to the courtesy of the MPAA. Everybody at Paramount claims the footage is lost, but aftert he release of the first box set there is again some new footage found for parts IV, VI, VII and VIII for the new DVD’s. Do you think it’s true that all the footage for Part V is gone or is it always a way to promote the new DVD’s? And how did Danny Steinmann and you/the cast react on the cuts imposed by the MPAA?
I’m not aware of any lost footage. If there is, I’d like to see a blooper reel. They should’ve had blooper reels from all the films in the series on the DVDs.
You were involved in the “Crystal Lake Memories” book, in Daniel Farrands documentary “His Name Was Jason” and in the new Deluxe Edition of Part V. It looks to me that you are a huge supporter for the franchise. Am I wrong about that?
Well, I’m a pretty down-to-earth guy. I’m very approachable and most people sense that from me. I’ve also matured to appreciate all my accomplishments in my career thus far.
You were a famous child-actor in the eighties thanks due your work in some successful sitcoms. How was that like?
It was fun and respectable times. People respected those shows back then. I don’t think they respect people like Gary Coleman nowadays. His attitude isn’t the best but fans don’t understand the psychological effects and trauma a child actor experiences after a show gets cancelled, after he/she is considered “washed-up.” Gary Coleman is still a genius to me, no matter what people say about him.
How did your own production company come about? Now you are CEO and you also produce, write, edit and direct. That is completely different than acting. Can you tell us more about that?
I just got tired of going on auditions. I don’t like to wait on people. So far, I’ve produced, wrote, directed and edited two short films and a feature film that is in stores on DVD. From now on I’m gonna start writing myself parts in my own films. I’m actually interested in making a horror film now so you horror film producers hit me up. I hope you guys support it if I produce one lol! You guys can even help me with the storyline, lol, just give me one of the lead roles. No red suit though!!
What will the future bring for you? Can you shed some light on some of your upcoming projects?
I would like to continue my directing career. It’s not easy making independent films but I think I will eventually become very successful at producing them. I’m just realizing that I can do much, much more than I’ve done in my past. Unlike other former child actors, I don’t sense that I’m through with my career.
Special thanks to Steve De Roover for bringing us this inteview
Sorry but A New Beginning gets zero props from me and Reggie has no credibility because Jason wasn\’t even in the movie. Don\’t get me wrong, I\’m down for Shavar Ross because I thought he was really funny on Different Strokes. He even did a couple of episodes of Magnum P.I. that make all other Magnum P.I. episodes look like worthless shit. But Friday the 13th Part 5 makes Friday the 13th Part 2 and 8 look like The Godfather Part 2. And then it all the other Friday the 13th films look like Mystic River.
My bad…last sentence should read:
“And then it goes on to make all the other Friday the 13th films look like Mystic River.”
well i love the movie for what it was and reggie was funny as hell in that movie plus the old woman and her retarded son was classic great movie and was a lot of fun to watch,for me the worst fridays were jason takes manhattan thru freddy vs. jason,so bash those cuz they really screwed us on those
plus it continued the jarvis saga, and tommy to jason is like loomis or laurie to micheal,at least it wasnt like those tcm sequels,after 2 they got real weird lol, and im gonna change my name to the best buy guy if its cool lol
I love all the Fridays. Part 5 was fun for me. I also love Ethel and Son. They are so ****ing funny! Personally, and I’m being serious here, I think those two and Tommy carried a lot of the movie. Also, I think Tommy looked really hot in those one. Which is not so say he isn’t in the others. But Part 4 Tommy is a kid and Part 6 Tommy looks so serious all the time. Part 5 Tommy had a “disturbed” vulnerable look to him; which is perfect for this film. He looked like an innocent and abused puppy who just wanted a good life and a chance to start over; but wasn’t sure who to trust.
Yeah, I know, Jason wasn’t the killer. But they really did do a good job at keeping into the Friday formula whilst doing something new. This time the Father becomes the killer because of the death of his son; a reversal of the first. And, we can say that Jason was there in spirit in Part 5 just as much as he is in Part 1. Some say Pamela channeled him, others say she was crazy; I go with her having channeled him. Jason’s spirit is clearly locked onto Tommy and haunting him. And, Roy does use a lot of Jason’s MO which, I think, he could not have had as intimate knowledge if Jason’s soul wasn’t aiding and, perhaps, leading him.
Think about it. Why go after Tommy so much? Why is he so powerful? Not as powerful as Jason, but I think, perhaps, more than most. I think Jason was helping him, feeding off his anger, as a way to get revenge against Tommy for what Tommy did in Part 4.
This movie has a lot of great kills and nude scenes, and really tries to deliver something new. The first Friday after Part 4 was going to be awkward no matter what; and I think this film makes a creative contribution and explores the concept of the copycat killer and the question and how much of the original killer does the copycat absorb and mimic.
Well said, f13ticket! I completely agree with everything you have said. I love this movie and Junior and Ethel are frickin spectacular. I think that people need to get over the whole pseudo Jason thing and look at the movie as another chapter with the same formula as before. Halloween fans bitch about Halloween 3 not realy being part of the franchise. To some degree, the yare right. It is a completely different story.
With Part 5, the movie uses a recurring character from the previous movie, the same formula, and for all intensive purposes the same type of killer. Definitely a fun movie!
Yea but jasonsfury, everyone has the right to like it and or hate it right?
You’re right, Chris. I don’t think anyone should be forced to like something. My point is that I always hear people say it doesn’t have Jason, so it sucks. Well, the movie uses the exact same formula and character types that the previous movies used. So if Jason not being in the movie is the only reason a person may not like it, I think they should reconsider and watch the movie again and see it for what it is, a fun romp in the franchise. If you still think it sucks, then so be it.
This movie is all good with me. Tommy’s character is fun to watch, after part 4 you wanted to know what happened to him after he goes apeshit on Jason. I really wish they would of used the same actor for part 6. Then you gotta consider the great rack on Tina.
Part 5 kicks Part 8’s ass.
junior will you shut the fuck up,lol see i told ya wally hahah
Part 5 does NOT kick Part 8’s ass. In Part 8, Jason took over a cruise ship and then, for an encore, took over the entire city of New York like a modern day King Kong (circa 1989).
On the contrary, in Part 5, Jason was quietly resting in his grave. He never even met Reggie. If you were to ask Jason himself which part if better, there is no doubt in my mind he would say, “Part 8 is my favorite…mommy, don’t let me drown.” And then he would be attacked by toxic waste and turn into a little boy.
Again, Jason was no more quietly resting in the ground in Part 5 as in the lake in Part 1. To me, Roy just as well could have been chanting, “Kill him, kill him, Daddy, Daddy.. ki ki ki, da, da, da.” Then, “ki, ki, ki, ma, ma, ma,” would slip in, and he’d wonder why…
I think there was a level of possession/influence happening to Roy. Look at how he stalks and kills. It’s eerily similar to Jason. Far too similar for someone to just pick up on from reading newspaper clippings. I think he chose the Jason mask because Jason is the town legend. But, I think because the motivation for the kills, vengeful murders for the death of his son, is so similar to what drives Pamela and Jason; that Jason was able to tune into the frequency that Roy was in and begin to puppet/influence him.
“That boy knows how to dress… He wears other people’s bodies like folks wear a suit.” Roy, in a way, may have been the first “body” that Jason ever really used as a puppet. It’s clear in Part 7 he is spiritually “pulling the strings” to his body. With an exposed spine and knee caps, a corpse like that can not walk unless it is some kind of “meat ghost puppet.”
Notice how Roy says little, and nothing as Jason. He was already an outsider, a loner; much like Jason. The death of someone close to him sent him into Jason Land. He stalks quietly, using the machete and other stabbing implements, wears the mask, kills teenagers having sex, and goes after Tommy.
I don’t know how they could have possibly made it anymore clear than the deaths of Eddie and Tina. Tommy is looking out the window and sees two people flirting. Tommy then sees a vision of Jason’s spirit. The spirit then leaves, as Tommy no longer sees it. Eddie and Tina have sex. A crow flies and lands on a branch. It is not uncommon at all to have spirits in animal form. And, this bird is known to be a bird that represents death, is of death. Roy comes along, and in a very bloody way kills both Eddie and Tina. Roy leaves, crow flied off.
Roy also survives being hit with a riding construction vehicle. Not that many people can just get up and keep chasing someone, with that much blood coming from his mid-section, after being, literally, knocked off their feet. He also busts through a door full swing, as if he’s not afraid to die, just as Jason does not fear death for he is already dead. And he throws a dead body through a window, like Jason and Pamela do. Look at the scene when he sees Tommy in the barn! His right eye is specifically blacked out, exactly where Jason’s eye would be dark. Clearly showing, through the contentions of cinema, that Roy is overshadowed by Jason’s spirit.
Also, it looks as if Jason’s spirit fades into Tommy at the end of Part 5. Tommy sees it, relaxes as if he no longer is fighting it, and then it fades away. Tommy then goes and gets the mask, grabs a knife, and (possibly) kills Pam. Tommy at the beginning of Part 6 has the drive of a man possessed who wants to free himself. I think he thinks that if he cremates the body, to send Jason to Hell, that Jason will leave him. Also, a lot of spirituality is electromagnetic based. This could explain, with metal pole in hand, why Tommy’s presence drew down a lightening bolt.
But, back to Part 5, Roy is showing all the classic signs of someone being gradually overshadowed and possessed. Unhinged mind, motive for revenge, motive similar to killer he’s copycatting, adopting similar methods and mannerisms, going after victims with similar mannerisms to killer he’s copycatting, the vengeful strike at Tommy, unusual resilience to physical damage to self, no fear of death or self harm. Research possession and Roy shows all the signs.
After Part 4, I think they wanted to leave Jason “dead” for at least one movie out of respect for Part 4. This was their way of having Jason Jason there, in spirit; whilst having Jason Roy doing the killings. By keeping Jason “dead”, keeping the formula (kills of vengeance and the type of gory kills), keeping the location (Crystal Lake Wilderness), and keeping a returning character (Tommy), Paramount was respecting the Franchise and the fans and really trying to give them a new Friday that kept all this in mind. You can’t, easily, just bring Jason back a year after the “Final Chapter” and expect people not to be pissed. Yet, it would be a shame to never have another Friday the 13Th. Paramount did good, and more people need to re-watch the film with an open mind.
I have to say that Jason didn’t take over New York. He only had the sewer system, a few back allies, and busting through a door or two. That’s it. besides, when did Crystal lake have a channel of water leading to the river/bay anyway? Part 8 does have a few decent kills…but the movie over all is pretty stale? (Not to mention the fact that Jason never had HAIR and wasn’t a boy in Rennie’s time of childhood! “Uncle Charles” only told her about a boy in the lake-not his physique!
I have to say this. Jason did not OWN New York. He only took over a few back allies, the NYC central Sewer system, and busted up a door or two. Thats all, and since when did Crystal Lake ever have a channel of water leading into the bay/river? Of course it also fails to really care about the series like the latter end as well with Jason aparently being a little boy when Rennie was just a child herself? Hello! Rennie was 18 in the 1980’s…not 1957! (Don’t say oh, well it’s just her imagination that made her see that…then how did she know what he exactly looked like…other then the hair? (Which Jason also never had but strands of) They just didn’t care about us or Jason respectively.
You guys are wrong Jason DID take over Manhattan. It even says so in the title. And Part 5 no matter how many paragraphs someone explains otherwise. I mean, seriously, JASON WASN’T EVEN IN THE MOVIE!!!
In regards to the character Reggie, I love when he is visiting his brother in the trailer park, is looking at Demon’s “bad rings” and asks where he got them from. Demon says when you’ve been around as long as he has, you get things. Then Reggie sees his brother’s girlfriend and says, “frickin a, where did you get that”.
My other favorite Reggie moment is when he and Pam find the dead ambulance drive, Roy’s partner, screams like a little girl and bolts. That kid is long gone and he left Pam way back all by herself. He did not give crap about her at that point t all.
kinda funny that part five didnt have jason but still was better than part 8,which wasnt even shot in new york,so what the hell? 8 didnt have new york in it, so it sucks
haha even the director of part 8 admits it sucks hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahah
jjv,
They did film in Times Square, Manhattan for that one scene, but you’re right that all of the other scenes that are supposed to be in New York are actually filmed in Canada.
f13ticket, now there’s the ticket. Openmindedness. Your ideas make perfect sense to me. I have all had similar feelings, but I could not it into words as well as you did.
brain misfired. all was suppose to be always.
Whats with his usage of “lol”?
You are right EagleEye, and I noticed it too. But I kept it in the interview to be complete
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New Beginning is one of my favorite F13 entries. Say what you want, but Roy is one great killer. Jason never would have thought of killing a man with a leather strap. Thanks for posting this interview!
Jason not being the killer, isn’t the reason most people dislike Part 5. The reason is because it doesn’t have that dark and more serious atmosphere that the first four had. It’s too campy. Part 6 was campy, but it was funny and just over all a really fun movie, while 5 wasn’t… The idea of Jason not being the killer was great, and if Part 5 had been made with a darker atmosphere it could’ve been one of the best of the series.
I agree with your statement.
I can give you that, Brooke. I do believe that Part 5 has the best collection of characters of any of the Friday movies.
I did find Part 5 to be an overall fun movie. I consider the ‘original’ Fridays as 1-5. Part 5 is a lot darker than Part 3.
Ive said it before, someone could really turn Part 5 into a extremely well written horror/drama
There’s no way in hell that Part 5 is darker than Part 3. 5 isn’t dark or scary at all. Not only is 3 dark, it probably has the best atmosphere out of the entire series. It’s the most underrated horror movie ever. Personally, Part 4 is my favorite… I agree with the other comments, Jason turning out not to be the killer was a nice change.
part 5 darker than 3? really? i like 5, but i wouldn’t go that far. 3 is pretty dark. chris went insane at the end.
Wow, I am sad to see how this interview with “Reggie” turned into a full-fledge Roy/Jason hating ordeal. I am even responsible for this from my comments yesterday, but lets try to bring the focus point on part 5. Roy/Jason with the road-flair was sickly intense. And the strap to eyes is also nice, But I think Jason would do the strap on the eys personally. Have you noticed, H/E, that when that guy goes to wash up, he doesn’t hear his girlfriend scream? Come on, he was like 10 feet away…and a scream in the woods travels a long way.
I am referring to the guy who had the leather strap wraps around his eyes…and the girl who got the hedge-trimmers slammed into her eyes…to clarify. BTW, is there footage somewhere that actually shows the hedge clippers meeting between her eyes when he pulls the handles apart…
Yea, and why would you leave this totally hot chick alone so you could go wash up I a dirty pond?
Part 5 does not suck because Jason isn´t in it. It sucks becuse it´s a bad movie (even for slasher-movie-standards). JTM doesn´t suck because JAason wasn´t in Crystal Lake, it sucks because it´s a bad movie. Part 5 had a good story, but it was executes terribly. The whodunnit-gimmick was wasted because they really shoved it in your face. Some characters were over the top, some acting sucked and the cinematoraphy was terrible (watch Pam´s truck past the samwe rock about 5 times when they are going to visit Demon). The kills were lame as well as the FX, Manfredini´s music was terrible (go an try to listen to the main title theme).
But I would rank ANB higher than JTM, which suffered from the same problems, but it also had worse acting and a terrible story (but as I said: the concept of having Jason in NY was great … it just did not happen), and the worst Jason performance ever (sorry to all Kane-lovers, but the heavy-breathing stuff in this one and the stiff walk was too much). Both movies are my two least favourite movies (with JTM being the absolute least). But since they are f13´s I still love em despite their flaws.
A new beginning is wrongly underated, this film is one of the best and probably funniest entry in the series, just b/c the mpaa ruined the gore scenes dont make it a bad film, and so what if jason wasnt the killer, didnt anybody see the first one ?
A New Beginning is so wrongly underated this film is one of the best entries in the series, its pitch black humor and great sleeze characters make this one of the funniest and entertaining entries, reguardless of people bitching about a no jason killer, well duh…did anybody see the first film ?
Part 3 is one of the most lighthearted of all the Fridays. Cinematic wise, it’s one of the brightest shoots. Every background had to be lit for the 3D to work. As such, there was almost no, literal, dark at all in the movie. Which, makes it very hard to have any dark and moody atmosphere.
Part 5 is about a young man who killed a psychopathic killer in self defense as a boy, who hardly even talks, trying to get his life back together after many years of treatments. It takes place in a halfway house with other kids who also have tragic stories. Roy’s wife died and he keeps away from his son who is also in the halfway house. Roy is being overshadowed/possessed. And Tommy is having visions of a “dead” killer still trying to get him.
In contrast, Part 3 is a bunch of fun loving people smoking pot, having sex, and getting killed. It’s like one big vacation; aside from the deaths. There is almost nothing dark about it at all. The dark part is the flashback with Chris getting attacked (maybe raped) by Jason. It’s more of how she describes it that makes it dark. It feels like a rape victim telling her tragic account. Though, I don’t think he raped her. I do think she thinks he might have, just by the tone of her voice and he defeated she felt by it. Also, she did go insane. But I don’t see how that two things can compare to Part 5. Don’t get me wrong, I love Part 3. But I wouldn’t dare call it dark.
Part 1 and 2 are dark. A Mother killing over her drowned son Jason. And 2 has to be one of the darkest; a camp counselor, who probably thinks her boyfriend is dead, is trying to pretend to be the killer’s dead Mother to come back to to get inside his head, in a room with her severed head on an alter, with sacrifices, her friends, below the alter, wearing the now ratty sweater of the dead Mother, and trying to kill her son with the machete the killed her. And, the “dirty trick” feeling of trying to confuse Jason by playing off of his hope that his Mother would return. That whole sequence is to me the darkest moment in the Franchise.
As far as Reggie the Reckless, I love that character and think Shavar Ross did a great job playing him. The red pajamas rock, and he had great chemistry with the cast and delivered his lines with smooth confidence. Also, in the interviews with him on His Name Was Jason, it’s clear he has a great sense of humor as a person too.
haha remember dudley got touched in the back of some store on different strokes ,special episode
There’s no “Roy/Jason hating” going on. Nobody is saying they had a problem with Jason not being the killer. Everyone agrees that was a good story idea. Some of us just don’t care that much for the movie it’s self… And Part 3 is not only dark (atmosphere wise) it’s one of the darkest, if not the darkest. I agree with Chad, it’s way underrated… This is the first time I’ve ever seen anyone call Part 5 dark. Part 5 was the start of the Friday movies becoming campy and silly. Not that that’s a bad thing, but the Fridays just weren’t the same anymore.
I always attributed the start of the “MT Generation” Fridays to Part 6. Part 3 and Part 6 have a lot in common. And, please do not mistake my, I love all the Fridays. I do not mean my comments about Part 3 to be an insult in any way, it’s just how I view the film. I’m twenty years old, and came into the Franchise through Elm Street and Freddy VS Jason. As such, I think the colors my view in different ways than the audience who saw the films when they first came out.
Part 3 looks very campy and cliche to me. I don’t see cliche as a derogatory term. Really, I just see it as another term for, “repetitively iconic,” which I think is a great thing. It’s the first movie that wee see a hockey masked Jason killing pot smoking teenagers having sex in the woods; a theme we would see again, and again, and again. Truly, much darker in the other films. I also come from the tradition of Elm Street and Saw; so it did not rub me as particularly gory, moody, or scary. Though, I don’t watch horror to get scared, I watch horror for the roller coaster ride. For the jokes, one liners, dark humor, and the good facing evil battle. If I get scared along the way, which I don’t expect to, it’s a bonus. Part 3 rubbed me, from a modern view, as campy, iconic, and a fun ride. I’m sure, in its original audience, it was moody, scary, and dark. But I’m not going to pretend I see, or like, the film is ways and for reasons I don’t.