CONFIRMED New Friday the 13th Retrospective Book!
Author David Grove just sent us an email confirming that he is creating a new retrospective book pertaining to Friday the 13th. However, this new retro will soley be about the original 1980 film. To fully understand where the new book is going, it would be better to see his explanation, which is below.
I’m planning another Friday book that will be solely about the making of the first film, the 1980 film. This will be to Friday the 13th, the first film, what the Last House on the Left book was to that film, a really detailed book on the making of a single film.
As this book will cover the making of a single film – the first film – the book will cover the making of the 1980 film in painstaking detail, and will include interviews with virtually everyone living who worked on the film.
Although there have been DVDs, books, and other retrospective materials on the first film(I actually published the very first Friday retro in Fangoria back in 2024), I’m confident that I have enough materials, stories, interviews that even most the diehard fans will find fresh and exciting.
So, for fans of the original 1980 whodunit will have something very special to look forward to in the future. We will keep everyone informed of any information that is made public when it happens!
David Grove, who has written for Fangoria and Rue Morgue among other publications, is currently in the planning stages of a second book about the Friday the 13th films for FAB Press, according to www.retroslashers.net. Grove currently completed his biography of Jamie Lee Curtis which chronicles her earlier career in slashers between the years 1978 and 1981. Now it seems he is gearing up for another venture into Friday the 13th land.
David Grove’s first book, ‘Making Friday the 13th‘ was actually released before ‘Crystal Lake Memories’ in the same year, 2024, and offered a different style and layout compared to ‘CLM’. Whereas ‘Crystal Lake Memories’ offered an abundance of pictures and an organized interview layout, ‘Making’ is a well written research documentation of the making of each friday the 13th film with its own brand of picture offering.
We have not been able to confirm definitively if a new book is in pre-production yet, but we will let you know when anything turns up.
I loved Grove’s Friday book. I was so happy there was finally a book about the Friday films. And Then CLM came out… as a Friday fan, I was happy Friday was finally getting some love. I welcome a new friday book with open arms. Bring it on! Now if someone will get off there butt and write a book for the Halloween series..
Crystal Lake Memories is the apex of what a retrospective book should be. Toping that is going to be a tall order.
CLM is not that good of a book. It was nothing that any of us here couldn’t have done using copy and paste. MF13 was a book that was written. I look forward to the next book and can’t wait to see what new information gets “dug” up.
Hey guys, this is David, author of Making Friday the 13th and the new Jamie Lee Curtis biography that’s just out.
Yeah, just to be clear, I’m planning a second Friday the 13th that’s entirely about the making of the first film – the 1980 film. This won’t be about the whole series, just the making of the first film.
As this book will focus on the making of a single film – the first film – the book will cover the making of the film in painstaking detail. Although there’s been DVDs and books and other stuff about the first film, I’m confident that there’ll be enough material to be fresh and exciting for even the most diehard Friday the 13th films. Because I only really love the first film, although I certainly respect the entire Friday the 13th fanbase.
When updating the story, I didn’t see that David commented here as well. Thanks for clarifying the book, David. I am sure the fans will be very excited to see what new angles and information you find out about the production and history of such an iconic film!
Thats great too hear!!!
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by fridaythe13thfilms, fridaythe13thfilms. fridaythe13thfilms said: New Friday the 13th Retrospective Book Coming? http://fridaythe13thfilms.com/blog/new-friday-the-13th-retrospective-book-coming/ [...]
Let me get this right, are you or are you not, making a book about the first film?
I cant wait to check it out. Im hoping the cover gets changed figuring thats the poster from part 2.
That’s actually the cover from his first book on the franchise, JB Demented. ‘Making Friday the 13th’ was his franchise retrospective. His new book will be for the first 1980 movie only. ;)
@VOORHEES JASON Yeah but you countless others didn’t make a “cut and paste” book did you? It cracks me up how folks look at something and say, “I could have done that” but the underlying truth is that someone actually did do it and it wasn’t the guy who complained how he could have done it. As it is it’s a fantastic book with interviews from the people who actually worked on the films. Regardless of the format it’s entertaining and informative.
Looking forward to the new book then. As a side note, it is time someone makes a book covering all the merchandise, promo items and collectibles of the Friday franchise. Props included :)
Mario
Reasons why CLM is not a good book:
1. There was no material in the book that could not be found in another source.
2. Most of the book was taken from magazines.
3. They put pictures behind the text making it hard to read.
4. Size
5. To many pictures it felt as if it was children’s book with the amount of pictures that was used.
And as far as saying I could have done it, the way it was done anyone could have done it. There was no new material found in the book that I could find and if there is anything new it would be like finding Waldo.
Look at Making Friday the 13th. It gives the right amount of pictures along with words that are readable and it did have some information that I was unware of.
CLM is nothing more than a paper weight where as MF13th is an actual book.
The first movie was a staple for horror and a great movie for it’s time. I honestly respect the series as more of a whole than solely one film, especially since Jason is barely in it. Good luck with it, there is a big following for the original movie.
I loved CLM. Very cool coffee table book. You haters are weird. Viva Friday the 13th!
I’m kind of bored about hearing the making of the first movie, with Sean Cunningham and all the others giving the same stories over and over again. I’d be more interested in reading a detailed retrospective on one of the sequels instead, especially as he skipped over many of them with his last book.
I understand where you’re coming from, Christian. If David can dig up more stuff on the film, however, I am all for reading about. I agree, though, that getting a comprehensive book on one of the sequels would be awesome! Personally, I would like to read about The Final Chapter, A New Beginning and Jason Goes To Hell.
I have David Grove’s book and have read it at LEAST 4 times. It’s a great book that deserves a good reading from any Friday fan. I haven’t had the chance to read Crystal Lake Memories but will be getting a copy just because. Like Lester said, people bitch and complain that they could do it themselves but didn’t, yet someone else did. Kudos to Peter Bracke for doing it, and kudos to David Grove for doing it.
I’d like to see him do one on the Tommy Jarvis trilogy, they were my favourites of the series.
I’d like to see a book on parts 1-4. Those were truly the best in the series, and the films go together. CLM was an awesome book! I still regret not preordering it from Sideshow. It’s probably the best retrospective out there. I especially liked the pictures from the part 3 alt ending. Granted it’s not a lenghthy novel, but we are talking retrospective. The only gripe I have with doing a part 1 only retrospective is that, it’s caters to the haters of the sequels. Not to say this book isn’t for us. I just believe that, eventhough part 1 laid the foundation…. the sequels are the walls, the ceiling, the interior, and the yard.
I’m with evilekim! But then again, who isn’t? I can’t walk down the streets without hearing the young people say “I’m with evilekim!” It’s a phenomena.
Anyways, I’d encourage David to do a book on each one. Why not? I’m certainly not do it, as I have a headache. But I’d pay to read it!
Also, I have a rare bone marrow disease that causes me to skip the phrase “going to” every other time I try to type it. Yet another reason why I can’t type a book.
the2ndsuitor…….you’re a weird aren’t you?
I’ve never read MF13 or CLM, so I definitely need to see if I can’t find a couple o’ copies somewheres.
Also, the2ndsuitor, I too have this disease and share your pain. Anyways, my bones are aching, so I’m head down to the supermarket and pick up some milk. It’s rich in calcium which is good for the bones!
Hi. This book will be to the making of Friday the 13th what David Szulkin’s Last House on the Left book was to the making of that film, but even moreso. If you get a chance, check-out my new Jamie Lee Curtis biography, Jamie Lee Curtis: Scream Queen, which covers the making of all of her classic horror films. The first film, Friday the 13th, is a film I love very much, and which I think is a classic and deserves to have a book all its own.
Don’t worry none about the2ndsuitor, he’s sort of the Victor J. Faden of our comments section here.
I hope that doesn’t make one of us the Joey Burns of the comments section.
CLM didn´t ofer anything new?
Bracke contucted interviews with alumni´s hat haven´t talked about their involvemnt in the franchise before (to that extent): Glover, Monoson, Shepard, Kozak, Kimmel, the entire cast from JTM etc etc and it dug out exclusice pics that where never senn before (he Mrs Jarvis death make-up, the make-up shots of Crispin Glover, the BTS pics of JL etc). The reason you can find them online now is ecause webmasters scanned those pics from the book after it was released.
In short: CLM is the bible for the franchise!
Another book that only deals with Part 1? Sorry, but with all the documentaries and the other book on part (by the same author!) that desn´t sound very thrilling. How often can you cover the same material over again?
I’m totally stocked about this new book! Friday the 13th really set the tone of the 1980’s “slashers” and really the “Friday” sequels seem to get more attention than the first one.
I have Braden Lutz’s script from the first movie and the original first 2 deaths is listed and marked at shot; it’s completely different than what is seen in the movie. Presently I’m tracking down photos of the scenes.
Who knows, contact me and I can help with photos at least. I have 200 plus b/w behind the scenes and publicity shots.
On the above post, why does my name say kik magnum instead of kirk magnum? hummm.
Hi it’s David. Sounds good, Kirk. It’s interesting you mentioned Braden Lutz, who worked very closely with cinematographer Barry Abrams(who’s a friend of mine)because Braden died a few years ago. I believe he died from water poisoning or something like that. I spoke to one of his relatives about him a few years ago. How can I get ahold of you, Kirk, for future reference?
@Dusk
Thanks, but how did you know I cut my chocolate bars with an axe?
@evilekim
What makes you say that?
2ndsuitor, you’re being sarcastic…still. I can handle it though. Weird comments ;)
I enjoyed David’s first book and I’m not surprised it’s the first film he is revisiting. It’s been a while since I’ve read it but he seemed to me to be much more of a fan of the original movie rather than the series itself. I remember comments about “wearisome sequels” and Part 2 in particular seemed to get an unfair rough ride. Still, it was a good read and anything that in-depth devoted to the series is always welcome.
Am astonished that anyone could claim that “Crystal Lake Memories” was a cut’n'paste job. We must have been reading a different book!
I don’t understand why fans either like Crystal Lake Memories or Making Friday the 13th but not both; it’s like Elvis and The Beatles all over again. Why can’t you like both of them? They were two completely different books. CLM was mostly interviews but was very detailed whilst MF13 was written more as a traditional book. Can’t say I have much interest in another one on the first movie but his last F13 book was definitely a great read, as was CLM. Having said that; I’m amazed that the franchise I grew up on that was full of stigma and considered lowbrow and tacky is still being talked about so we should be grateful for that.
I welcome the new book as I own a copy of his first book about the series. I enjoyed it. However, I found that there were several factual errors, spelling errors, and many personal opinions by Grove that made it seem less professional than Crystal Lake Memories. I feel he was particularly harsh in his opinions regarding ‘The Final Chapter.’ I hope these flaws are resolved in his upcoming book.
Hi it’s David.
Yes, check-out my Jamie Lee Curtis book to see the kind of approach I’ll take with this project. Regarding all of the previous retrospectives(and I was the first person to ever publish a retrospective on Friday the 13th), I established relationships with alot of key people who’ve never been interviewed, like Barry Abrams(who became a good friend of mine)and Virginia Field, many others.
Anyone know how I can contact Kirk Magnum? I’d be very interested in talking with him.
Hi David.
b.kirkus@comcast.net
I really wish that a retrospective book for the Nightmare, Halloween and Child’s Play films would come out.