Two years ago I spoke to actor John Otrin regarding his role as Tina’s father, John Shepard, in John Carl Buechler’s 1988 sequel Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood. Unfortunately, the interview was never published and remained gathering dust until now. Otrin was suspiciously absent from both Making Friday the 13th and Crystal Lake Memories, as well as not taking part in last year’s documentary His Name Was Jason: 30 Years of Friday the 13th, so this is rare treat for fans listen to John Otrin’s experiences with Jason Voorhees.

Did you have any interest in Friday the 13th and slasher movies in general prior to your involvement in The New Blood and what was it about these type of movies that seemed to attract such loyal fans?

Everyone loves a great story … and everyone loves a great horror film! I remember in high school reading The Modern Prometheus (Frankenstein) by Mary W. Shelley. I kept reading the story and I could not put the book down. I think all fans of horror films are very loyal. We grew up watching them, having the tar scared out of us, in the safety of a movie theatre. That’s why my film company, Laddie O Productions, has agreed to ‘revive’ my character in a new graphic novel and film franchise, Scattered Bones (El Huesos Regados).

What kind of threat do you think the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise placed on Friday the 13th and what effect did it have on The New Blood?

I think each new film franchise helps the other. So, it’s all good! Freddy was evil in life and death and Jason became evil only after death.

How did you first become involved in The New Blood and what were you first impressions of the script? What was it about the movie that appealed to you?

The casting director (Anthony Barnao) had seen and liked my work and brought me in for an audition for the director (John Carl Buechler). The working title was Birthday Bash and I knew it was a horror movie. Every new film, horror or any genre, is an exciting challenge. So, I was very glad to read this new script for The New Blood and, as a movie, it has stood the test of time with fans.

Were you hesitant to take a role in a franchise as despised (by critics) as Friday the 13th, and did you have any issues with the level of violence and nudity in the movie?

No, I wasn’t hesitant at all. (Critics are critical!!! What else is new?) I knew it was a great film franchise and, at the time, I was happy to be part of this new film. What matters is that the fans enjoyed the movies and have remained loyal.

How quickly did Kane Hodder settle into the role of Jason and how would you describe your working relationship with him? Did you perform any of your own stunts in the movie?

The only stunt I did personally was breaking through the wooden boards of the pier and bringing Jason (Kane Hodder) down with a chain to save my daughter, Tina (Lar Park Lincoln). I was impressed with Kane Hodder. Our working relationship was professional and good for both our careers. As for the other stunts… when Kane approached me, I suggested that he handle the more difficult stunts since he was a professional stuntman. But for me, there were two very dangerous stunts, and because of insurance considerations they were handled by two different stuntmen, doubling for me. One was the hydraulic pier, on location in the swamp, where Shepard had to go into cold, alligator-infested water. The other was in a tank in Mobile, Alabama where the guy was weighed down and had to remain underwater for the length of the shot… Both of these were pretty dangerous. I really appreciate what these guys did to make me look good!

Which special effect would you have said was the most effective and which death was the most disturbing for you?

I think the most effective special effect for me was in the Director’s Cut of the movie, where I appeared in three different stages of ‘zombie decay.’ But it never was seen in the edited theatrical release. And I guess my own death should have been the most disturbing to me. It certainly disturbed my children, but hey… I enjoyed it.

What were your thoughts on the rather abstract ending where Tina brings her father back from the dead to pull Jason down into the lake? Do you think that the telekinetic aspect of the script worked well without becoming ludicrous or clichéd?

The abstract ending resulted from the director not having the final cut of the movie. (You have the picture where Jason and I appear as zombies… one good, one evil… Guess who’s the good guy?) The ratings board didn’t allow John Carl Buechler to include these shots in the final release because of their graphic nature. If the Director’s Cut of the film had prevailed, the telekinetic aspect would have been ‘crystal’ clear.

How did John Carl Buechler balance his duties as both director and FX artist and was he easy to collaborate with?

Hey, Carl’s a pro and I have nothing but respect for what he accomplished. He’s great, and I’m proud to have worked together with him on the film.

Rumour has it there was a deleted ending where Jason jumps out of the lake and attacks a fisherman. Do you know why the filmmakers chose not to use this?

I don’t remember that scene even being in the script.

Do you think that the producers were setting up Tina for further battles against Jason or was this movie to be her only story?

Well, you would have to ask the producers. But from what I saw on location, it appeared to me they were heading toward a future showdown between Jason Voorhees and John Shepard.

Looking back on the movie twenty years later, are you proud of your involvement in the franchise and how well do you feel The New Blood stands up against other horror movies of the era?

Proud? Absolutely! Does The New Blood stand up well against other horror movies?? Sure does! If it didn’t, we wouldn’t be discussing it right now! And Laddie O Productions wouldn’t be developing a new graphic novel and film franchise, Scattered Bones.

Producer Anthony Masi had already gained acclaim with his Halloween retrospective 25 Years of Terror when he teamed up with Crystal Lake Memories editor Daniel Farrands to create a tribute to the most popular slasher franchise of all, the result being His Name Was Jason: 30 Years of Friday the 13th. A true labour of love, the documentary charts the history of the legendary series and features interviews with the likes of Sean S. Cunningham, Tom Savini and Kane Hodder, amongst others.

Anthony Masi talks about his work on His Name Was Jason: 30 Years of Friday the 13th.

How did a Black Christmas and two Halloween documentaries prepare you to tackle the Friday the 13th legacy?

Halloween: 25 Years of Terror was my training ground. From a creative perspective I learned so much about how to present information that spans twenty-five years. From a business perspective, I learned about licensing, how ego plays a big part in the Hollywood game, and so much more. I didn’t go to film school but that project certainly felt like a great substitution! The second documentary, The Shape of Horror was a fifteen-minute theatrical promo that screened before the original Halloween when it was released in 2024. I directed that, and am quite proud of it. These projects definitely primed me for His Name Was Jason: 30 Years of Friday the 13th. Most of all, I learned what NOT to do in the production, and those things are sometimes more valuable than what TO do. Anchor Bay gave us exactly thirteen weeks to get the production shot and delivered, and to say that it was challenging would be an understatement! Producing H25 definitely gave me the experience to keep my head together, and fortunately I was working with a very skilled and dedicated team of people.

What is it about slasher movies that you find so appealing, and what kind of reaction did you when you explained your project to those who were not fans of the series?

That’s kind of like asking me why I like fast food! It’s just part of our culture, and I grew up on horror movies. You can’t really avoid them because horror movies never go out of style, and when I was a kid I was captivated by every single horror movie I saw. I had no judgment and nothing was ‘bad’ in my opinion when I was a child. So I’ve carried that love of horror movies into adulthood and I can always appreciate a horror movie, simply because it IS a horror movie. My love for Friday the 13th made it very easy to pitch His Name Was Jason. The folks at Anchor Bay have the same appreciation for these films, so it wasn’t difficult at all for them to ‘get’ the retrospective idea. By the way, the DVD comes out on Feb 3rd, and Starz is airing it on Feb 13th, the day the new movie is released.

How do you even begin to tackle such a project – having to gather together so many people who once appeared in a movie twenty-plus years ago and then have them reminisce about them? Did you find that, after already discussing their experiences in two recent books, they were any less enthusiastic?

The interviewees were very enthusiastic! You have to picture it… we did the bulk of the interviews at a soundstage in Burbank over a ten-day period. That’s ten non-stop eight-ten hour days where every hour on the hour a Friday the 13th actor or crew member walked through the door. I pretty much saw my childhood flashing before me over those ten days, and the actors coming in were bumping into each other after not seeing each other for many years, and so there was tremendous excitement to be there, and everyone recognized that this was the first epic documentary on the ENTIRE franchise.

When we started His Name Was Jason, we only had three months to work with to get it filmed and completed, so I just told everyone we had a month of pre-production, a month to film, and a month of post-production. I have to be honest and say that I was met with tremendous resistance from a few people on the crew who respectfully told me that I was nuts! Even though I agreed with them to a certain extent I told them to have faith and just go with it. I can’t say enough about the talented production crew, everyone from Vanessa our make-up professional, to Monica our editor, to Blake our co-producer, to Thommy, my writing/producing partner in crime, and everyone else in between, we pulled off a huge amount of work in a very short amount of time, and to say I’m proud of this documentary is only a fraction of how I feel about it!

Why make a documentary about Friday the 13th? What is about this particular series that made you want to study it?

I made this documentary for one reason: Everyone in the world knows who Jason is! You show a hockey mask to anyone and they’ll say something about Jason. That’s why. He’s iconic. The film series is going strong three decades after the first movie was made, that’s more than enough reason to stop and take a look back on all of the films that came before!

What kind of structure will the documentary follow? Will it follow the franchise through each film chronologically, will fans get to see deleted footage (such as the infamous alternative ending from Part 3 or The New Blood‘s graphic murder scenes) and will there be much behind-the-scenes footage?

We do not go chronologically. We did that in H25 and personally I wanted this project to have a different feel so I suggested that we address ‘topics’ or ‘chapters’… we summarize the storylines of all the movies in the first 10 minutes just to get everyone up to speed, and then from there we delve into Jason’s history, what ingredients are needed for a successful Friday the 13th movie, we get to see Jason’s ‘greatest hits’ – a compilation of Jason’s best kills with actors and crew members describing how they were done, etc. The actors who played Jason get their own chapter, the final girls get their own as well, and we even cover topics such as how Jason penetrated pop culture, and we explore the ambiguities and inconsistencies that riddle the series. The new movie gets the spotlight as well, and it’s all hosted by Tom Savini who appears between the segments to lead us out of one topic and into another. Tom was a total pro, and I was honored to meet and with with him. As all of this is happening, fans will be treated to never-before-seen photos and rare footage, and will probably have to watch it a few times to absorb the slew of information we’re crunching into ninety minutes!

Throughout the years there have been various debates with regards to the movies (who really played Jason vor the majority of Part 2, who thought of giving Jason the hockey mask). Will any of these mysterious finally be unearthed?

Yes, all of this is addressed in both the feature documentary as well as in the bonus features that will be on the DVD. Lots of questions will be answered, and lots of ‘stuff you never knew’ will be bestowed on the unexpecting viewer!

Did you find that your work on Halloween: 25 Years of Terror lent you a certain ammount of credibility as you tried to develop this project?

Yes, H25 opened a very big door for me and I am very lucky and privileged and thankful to have produced/written that project. It definitely was influential to the birth of His Name Was Jason.

What kind of special features will be in store for the fans? There are so many lost treats that should be re-discovered, such as Alice Cooper’s music video for Part VI, or Jason’s appearance on Arsenio Hall’s chat show. What are you hoping to include in the package?

We tried to include Cooper’s video but the licensing *cough cough* made it impossible. We do include the Arsenio clip as well as a bunch of others in the feature documentary, and our bonus features include extended interviews, on-location Friday the 13th tours with actors and crew members, fan films, spoofs, and other goodies. This is a DVD package that will take a lot of time getting through!

It was recently revealed that your documentary will be released on DVD the same day as the long-anticipated 3-D release of Friday the 13th Part 3. Are you concerned that this could take away some of the attention from your own feature, or do you think this will just increase the interest in all things Jason?

I don’t feel any competition at all. This is the only retrospective documentary on the entire franchise that celebrates a landmark anniversary with close to ninety interviewees… I would have to believe that any Friday fan would want to see this! Personally, I’m running out to get the 3-D release myself, and if I didn’t produce His Name Was Jason and saw it sitting on the shelf next to the 3-D movie, you’d have to physically throw me out of the store to prevent me from buying it! Hopefully other fans will feel the same way.

There are so many iconic franchises left to explore, what plans do you have for the future?

My good friend Rob Galluzzo is directing the definitive documentary on the Psycho series called The Psycho Legacy, and I am producing the project. Rob’s vision is also epic, and the project will satisfy anyone who wants to know anything about the Psycho films. I am also embarking on another project for the Nightmare on Elm Street series. I can’t say much about it but hey, it won’t be difficult for anyone to deduce what’s what after looking at my track record! I am also very excited about a trilogy I’m producing called Prank, a horror anthology series directed by scream queens. Check it out at PrankMovie.com!

Along with Anthony Masi (Halloween: 25 Years of Terror), Thommy Hutson co-wrote and produced the ultimate retrospective on the Friday the 13th franchise, His Name Was Jason: 30 Years of Friday the 13th. Anticipation is high and fans are understandably eager to see the stars of all twelve movies discuss their memories and favourite moments, along with previously unseen footage and anecdotes.

Thommy Hutson reveals his reasons for making His Name Was Jason: 30 Years of Friday the 13th.

When did your love of Friday the 13th begin and which movie in particular sparked your interest?

Though I was too young to see most of the Friday films in theatres, I vividly remember sneaking in to see Friday the 13th Part VII with two friends after school. We were covering our eyes, screaming, laughing… it was such a blast and such a great memory. From there I had to see the rest of them, but I can say that Part VII is still my favorite. I guess my love of Friday the 13th actually started because of a girl… with telekinetic abilities!

What is it about Jason Voorhees that has kept the franchise so popular for so long, and how would you compare him to the other main pop culture monsters (Freddy Krueger, Pinhead, Chucky, etc.)?

I think that it’s popular because the movies always offer something familiar, something new…things that fans feel they have to come out and see. They are, in a way, almost like the old serial films. Jason Voorhees will just keep coming back and, if you’re a fan, don’t you just have to see how, and what he is going to do next? I’d say the films offer a little bit of something for everyone: scares, makeup effects, creativity, a hero, a villain… and no matter what a fan thinks of each film they are really escapist entertainment and fun.

As for Jason in comparison to the other movie villains, it seems that they each have a little something that sets them apart, whether it’s the way their story is told or the the way the character is portrayed. All the great movie monsters, even going back to the days of Universal’s Frankenstein, Dracula, Wolf Man and The Mummy, are unique in their own way. They all offer some sort of style, strength and terror that works for the viewer. Some are more psychological, more evil, more sympathetic. I think that is why Jason, Freddy, Michael Myers, Leatherface and Chucky have worked for so long. Aside from a formula, they each have their fans clamoring to see more.

How do you feel the movies and, more importantly, the character of Jason have evolved through the years?

I think that as time has gone on a few things have happened. The first being that the films became less and less scary and more of a roller coaster ride. Of course, each film has its scary moments and jumps, but if you look at parts one and two, I think those were definitely very scary, edge of your seat films. There wasn’t any real intentional humor back then, other than some antics by the characters; antics that fit within the story. Other than that, it was regular kids being murdered one by one. The second thing is that Jason, the character, became less a scary, ‘race after you and kill you’ character and more of the commodity. Instead of staying in the shadows and being that scary thing that is lurking around the corner, he came out into the spotlight to be showcased. But, what else can be done after so many movies and so many iterations of the theme. It’s what audiences wanted and they certainly got that in all it’s crazy, bloody fun!

How did you become involved with His Name Was Jason, and was it your intention for the release to coincide with the reinvention of the franchise?

It was over a dinner to discuss other potential projects with Anthony Masi and Daniel Farrands. The idea of a documentary had been kicked around by them for a number of years and it was brought up again. When we discussed it at length, I was immediately enthusiastic. From there things really started to snowball and it happened very quickly (as many a good project often does!). In terms of its release coinciding with the new film, that was something that was in the back of our minds since interest would be high, but it wasn’t something that was a definitive plan, though we certainly saw the merits in it. We had hoped it could work within that timeframe in some way and it just ended up that Anchor Bay felt it was the right time.

Was it difficult to find funding and support for your feature, and did you find most people eager to take part?

Finding funding for any project is never an easy thing, even for something on a franchise as well known as Friday the 13th. But, with Anthony having produced Halloween: 25 Years of Terror for Anchor Bay, that certainly helped immensely. He was instrumental in making the deal happen through his previous relationship with them. They also saw what we saw: a great project on a series that has really stood the test of time! And the support we have received from every person asked has been tremendous. Truly invaluable.

Did you find that some of those that contributed interviews were bitter or disappointed by their involvement in the franchise, as many had tried to distance themselves from it over the years?

Luckily for us, we never really felt that from anyone. Everyone was eager to come in, lend their talents, tell their stories, share with us items we could use… it was truly incredible and felt great to be part of something that so many people involved with the series truly hold dear and remember fondly. It was a real treat to watch and listen to the cast and crew speak of their time in the films. Even better was when Dan (our director), who is a fountain of knowledge on the series, would bring things up that a cast or crew member might have forgotten… the look on their faces was great. It was easy to tell they had a good time thinking back. It was also nice to have been the ones to bring some cast together who hadn’t seen each other in a long time!

Apparently Tom Savini will be hosting the documentary. What can you reveal of this and will there be any treats in store for the fans?

I first have to say how thrilling it was to work with Tom on this. His involvement in the franchise is so seminal, having created – and ‘destroyed’ – Jason. In writing things, Anthony and I never wanted anything to be cookie cutter, so we tried hard to come up with things for Tom to say or do that were not only fun, interesting and organic to the documentary, but also that would be an homage to the Friday films themselves. And Tom is such a pro, so able to draw you in when he speaks on the subject of the films. And, he is terrifically funny which added so much to what we had hoped to achieve in his segments. Also, we were so lucky to have been able to film the segments with Tom at the Friday the 13th maze at Universal Studios Hollywood. It was a very memorable time on set to say the least!

What kind of release are you hoping for with His Name Was Jason, theatrical or straight-to-DVD, and will you be showing it at any conventions or festivals beforehand?

It will be a DVD and television release. It’s also going to premiere at the Denver Film Festival on November 14th and 15th… it will really be a treat to see it on the big screen with a crowd of fans!

When can fans expect for the feature to be released, and do you have a special edition lined up for DVD?

It will be released on DVD February 3, 2024 by Anchor Bay and will also premiere on Starz Friday, February 13, 2024. The DVD will have a tong of great bonus features that are really fun and informative.

What are your plans beyond His Name Was Jason? Will there be any other iconic movies you intend to focus on?

My writing partner and I just finished writing an exciting supernatural adventure film based on a character created by Robert E. Howard for producer Denise Di Novi and the company that owns the Howard properties, Paradox Entertainment. We have a few things in development with some great genre talent and are making the rounds with a non-horror, coming of age adventure. Other than that, it’s taking meetings and writing, writing, writing. In addition, Anthony Masi and I are in production on Prank, an anthology film franchise with segments in the first film directed by Heather Langenkamp, Danielle Harris and Ellie Cornell. As for other iconic films that might be getting a definitive retrospective from us, yes, I have my eyes set on a few. I don’t want to say too much – you never know what will happen – but one would definitely be a ‘dream’ come true!

Along with fellow artists Greg Nicotero and Howard Berger, Robert Kurtzman founded KNB EFX in 1988, which would become one of the most successful special effects companies in the world. Having first entered the industry at the age of twenty-one with the cult B-movie Night of the Creeps, Kurtzman first joined forces with Nicotero and Berger on Sam Raimi’s classic Evil Dead II, a relationship that would last for over a decade, which would see them work together on such classics as Pulp Fiction and Scream.

Following his departure from KNB, Kurtzman formed his own independent studio, Precinct 13 Entertainment, which would allow him to branch out into directing with the low budget horror movies The Rage and Buried Alive.

Robert Kurtzman discusses his involvement in the Friday the 13th franchise with Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday.

How did you become involved with Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday, and were you dubious about working on the ninth Friday the 13th movie?

Dubious no! We (KNB) thought it would be a blast and we enjoyed very much working on it and working with producer Sean Cunningham again after The Horror Show and DeepStar Six.

Having already worked on every major slasher franchise (A Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), how would you compare the experiences, and which would you say was the most ambitious?

They all had there own challenges. I was the key supervisor on Jason Goes to Hell and I supervised all the set work and applied all the prosthetics, as well as directed several days of second unit. We had to create allot more FX on Jason than the other films. Halloween and Leatherface had a lot of quick cut gore gags, mechanical hands, dummy heads, and basic blood and weapons gags. Nightmare 5 had multiple effects companies working on it and we were only handling a small chunk of the film. On Jason, we were handling all the special make-up and creature effects on the film and there were a lot of different kinds of effects; not just death gags or prop weapon gags, but we also had melting men, mechanical parasites, exploding bodies, a full-body nude girl getting split in half, miniature puppets and sets, tons of death gags and wounds, puppet heads and Jason. We had effects playing almost every other day during the shoot so Jason Goes to Hell was definitely the most ambitious.

Were you pleased that the movie dispensed with Jason for the majority of its running, and how much fun was the ‘body jumping’ storyline to work on?

It allowed for the story to go in a different direction and opened it up to allow us to create more fantasy-oriented effects and not just slasher gags, so that was very refreshing.

The movie featured some very graphic death scenes, particularly during the camping scene, where the girl was split down the middle. What kind of directions did Adam Marcus give you regarding the effects and were you encouraged to make them as over the top as possible?

Adam was great to work with and very open to ideas. He wanted the effects to be gruesome and fun in the over-the-top Friday the 13th tradition. With the girl in the tent kill, he really wanted to top the other films by doing something a bit bigger and grander in execution. He wanted to have a nude girl split in half as she orgasms while having sex with her boyfriend. This would require us to create several full-body nude replicas of her. We had to bring in the actress and have her straddle a dummy while we cast her full-nude body in position. The scene was an afterthought and was added after principle photography was competed and we had about two-three weeks to create the bodies. We made them out of urethane. One body was rigged to have the fence post burst out and the other was for splitting in half. Both were rigged with major blood pumps. The way Adam shot it and cut it together it worked flawlessly.

Jason’s appearance seemed to have undergone a change since Jason Takes Manhattan, with him seeming to be larger and more menacing, as well as severely decomposing. Who created the new look and what was it like collaborating with Kane Hodder, who is notorious for pushing the stunts as far as he can?

Wayne Toth sculpted Jason’s face, which was made to look like the flesh was growing around the mask and it was imbedded in his flesh. One eye was just a black socket like the Amazing Colossal Beast. We made it as a one-piece mask that the hockey mask attached to over the top so Kane could get in and out faster. The bodysuit was bulked up but inspired by John Buechler’s version of Jason, which had rotted flesh and a twisted spine showing through his torn overalls. Kane is always a pleasure to work with and it was really great watching him get all shot up with machine guns in the opening…. he took like a hundred squib hits that night and the exploding body was one of the best ever put on film in my opinion. Tom Bellissimo and Charles Belardinelli handled the pyro on the film and they rigged our body perfectly. The head came off and spun up thought the air in slow motion and chunks of Jason’s rotted flesh came flying at the camera. It’s always an interesting night when we get to blow stuff up.

Did everyone involve really think that Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday would really be the last movie, as Paramount had tried to end the series once before with The Final Chapter? Was the appearance of Freddy’s glove at the end an attempt to whet fans appetites for the inevitable Freddy vs. Jason?

It’s never the the end with any franchise. As long as there is money to be made there’s always a way to bring it all back. When we shot the ending, with Freddy’s glove popping up and grabbing the mask, there had already been talk of the team-up, so this was Sean’s and Adam’s way of letting the fans now that one day Freddy vs. Jason would come.

Looking back, how do you feel about your experiences on Jason Goes to Hell, and what do you think about the finished movie?

I had a really good time working with Sean, Adam and the entire crew. Everyone worked really hard and we had a great time, so for me it was an extremely positive experience. I think Adam and Dean Lorey and Jay Hughely (who wrote the script) really love the genre and were trying to do something different to expand and open up the series, taking it into a new direction. I’m really proud of the film and the work everyone did on it.

Dean Lorey had graduated from New York University in 1989, where he had worked on a screenplay entitled Johnny Zombie. A former classmate, Adam Marcus, introduced Lorey to independent producer Sean S. Cunningham, who was in the process of resurrecting his Friday the 13th franchise with Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday. Whilst Cunningham expressed interest in developing Lorey’s own concept (which would later be released as My Boyfriend’s Back), he was invited to rewrite the script for Jason Goes to Hell, which had initially been developed by Jay Huguely.

Following Jason Goes to Hell, Lorey finally brought his pet project, My Boyfriend’s Back, to the big screen but the failed to perform as well as he had hoped. Over recent years, Lorey has gained considerable acclaim for his work as an author of fantasy fiction, most notably his award-winning series Nightmare Academy.

Dean Lorey talks about both rewriting and acting in Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday.

How did you become involved with Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday, and how did you come to share the writing credit with Jay Huguely?

I was under contract to Sean Cunningham at the time and was working on my own movie (My Boyfriend’s Back) when Sean asked me to take a pass through the JGTH screenplay that Jay Huguely had written, based on an outline by Adam Marcus. It was a very last minute thing. I think he told me on a Thursday that I had to substantially rewrite the movie for delivery to New Line by the following Monday.

Were you a fan of Friday the 13th, and was it difficult attempting to continue the story after the way that Jason Takes Manhattan ended?

I really liked the first couple F13 movies and had seen some, but not all, of the ones that followed. I would have had no problem picking up where JTM left off, but Sean and Adam had decided to pretend that the previous movies didn’t exist, so continuing from the end of JTM was never an option.

Were you dubious about working on the ninth entry of a critically panned franchise, and how did you approach reinventing the series? Who came up with the ‘body jumping’ idea, and were you confident that a Friday the 13th movie without Jason was the right thing to do?

Well, I was probably twenty-three when I wrote JGTH, so I was, frankly, just thrilled to be working on a movie – ANY movie – critically panned or otherwise. Because of the time constraints, there wasn’t a whole lot of thought, at least on my end, to ‘reinventing the series.’ I was just trying to accomplish what Sean and Adam were looking for on the crazy schedule we had. As for the ‘body jumping’ idea, that was Adam’s and it was the core element of his very first outline. I always felt that a F13 movie without Jason was going to ultimately be unsatisfying, so the first thing I did in my draft was to add Jason to the beginning and end of the movie, making it about a quest for him to ‘return to his body’. That way, it kept the premise of the earlier script but allowed you to at least see him in the movie, which I thought was critical. Originally, I don’t think he even made an appearance, except in a flashback as a child. Those early scripts were largely about his brother, Elias.

Did you write the role of the coroner’s assistant with yourself in mind, as you seemed to have given yourself most of the best lines?

Actually, I had no idea I would play the coroner’s assistant when I wrote it – that came much later. And the lines in the movie are not the lines that I wrote in the script. The truth is, I was terrified when it came time for me to act on the day of shooting and I couldn’t remember any of my scripted lines, so I just improvised other ones. Because I was the writer, no one questioned me – but it was really the result of complete terror.

What was the general atmosphere on set; was everyone pleased that they would finally (supposedly) be laying Jason to rest?

I think there was enthusiasm that Sean Cunningham had returned to the series and that, as a result, it would make a nice bookend to the first film. I wasn’t around for a lot of the shooting, actually, because I was writing my next movie at the time… although, I always made a point of coming by for lunch, because it was free and I was starving.

What was your opinion Eric Morse novels that were released to coincide with the movie’s release?

Actually, this is the first that I’ve even heard there were novels. I know they did a comic book but I was unaware of the novels.

Was there ever any talk about making a sequel that would follow directly on from Jason Goes to Hell and, if so, would you have been involved?

There was never any talk of a sequel – we always assumed it really would be the last movie. I don’t know if I would have done another, unless I had the opportunity to use the story that I had originally been interested in for the movie that became JGTH. I thought it would be cool to follow Jason Takes Manhattan with Jason Takes LA, and I was interested in putting Jason into the middle of a gang war with the Bloods and the Crips, forcing them, for the first time, to stop killing each other and join together to take down someone even badder. Of course, this was fifteen years ago – before urban movies had become so popular – and I thought, at the time, that it would have felt fresh and fun.

Florida-born Catherine Parks first gained acclaim as runner-up in the 1977 Miss America Pageant and had made her acting debut in Michael Crichton’s 1981 thiller Looker, in which plastic surgeon Albert Finney is suspected of murdering models that he has operated on. Following her role as Vera in Friday the 13th Part 3, Parks would make appearances in such TV shows as Three’s Company, Days of Our Lives and Street Hawk, whilst also providing comical support in the black comedy Weekend at Bernie’s (which also co-starred Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood‘s Terry Kiser).

Catherine Parks reminisces on her work on Friday the 13th Part 3.

How much did you about the Friday the 13th movies when you were offered the part of Vera in Part 3?

I auditioned for the part of Vera and because I was new to Los Angeles at the time I knew nothing of the previous Fridays.

What was it about your character that interested you the most and did she remind you of any character in particular from the previous films?

I had been in Los Angeles only six months and I was happy to working mostly. Friday was one of my first screen credits. I really enjoyed my character and when I watch it now it seems very real to me.

What was your opinion on the script when you first read it and were you apprehensive about working with not only prosthetics but also 3-D?

I was excited to learn something new. The prosthetics were a lot of fun. The script read easily for me.

What kind of preparations did you and the other actors do before filming commenced? Did you spend much time together before the shoot so your friendships were convincing?

Not so much before, but during the filming we really got to know one another and had a real blast! With this film there was lot of time during the scenes to prepare and Steve Miner gave us excellent direction.

How challenging was it to film your death scene, particularly with the 3-D effects?

We had to shoot that particular scene in one take because the prosthetics would be ruined once I hit the water. The water was freezing!

How did it feel to be the first victim to be killed on-screen by the new and improved Jason Voorhees (Richard Brooker)?

I remember having a really nice conversation with Richard and was sympathetic to how uncomfortable his mask was especially during the warmer months. He was very charming. When a film has an icon that people can identify with I believe it helps a lot. I’m grateful that the mask has caught on with the other Fridays as well.

Have you watched any of the Friday the 13th movies since Part 3 and how do you feel about the way in which the series has progressed?

I never imagined that it would, we were told by everyone that Part 3 would be the final series.

How has Friday the 13th Part 3 played a part in your life over the twenty-plus years and are you proud of your place in the series’ history?

I am very proud to be a part of something that has lasted so long. I believe this film has one of the longest running series in film history. I travel all over the country signing autographs at conventions honoring the cast members. I am very happy to be able to meet so many fans. It has been a wonderful experience.

At twenty-six, Paul Kratka was the oldest of the principal cast members of Steve Miner’s 3-D sequel Friday the 13th Part 3. A client of acting agent Judie Savage, whose daughter, Tracie (later a respected anchorwoman), would be cast as one of his fellow victims, Kratka’s first and only role for over twenty years was as Rick (originally named Derek), the boyfriend of Dana Kimmell’s heroine, Chris.

Retiring from acting, Kratka studied marine biology but, after visiting a chiropractor, decided to change his studies and instead earned a Doctorate of Chiropractic degree. Having ran his own practise in Carlsbad, California, for almost twenty years, Kratka dedicated his career to informing his patients on the importance of healthy living, finding the right food supplements and maintaining a balanced diet. More recently, Kratka returned to acting with appearances in several short films.

Paul Kratka talks about his work with 3-D and Jason Voorhees on Friday the 13th Part 3.

How much acting experience did you have prior to Friday the 13th Part 3, and how did you become involved with the project? What kind of audition process did you undergo?

Great question – I’ve never been asked about my experience prior to F13. I had had just a little professional (i.e. paid) experience; I had been studying for over seven years and I had done a few commercials, and a small part on General Hospital and I had done some theatre shows. Well, one day a good friend told me about a casting call he’d had where the casting directors had actually been friendly (which isn’t necessarily the case with casting directors, which is not very smart on their part because the more they put an actor at ease, the better the reading will be). Well, I went and read for them and they were nice and they seemed to think I would be good for the male lead so they asked me to come back the next day to read for the producer and director. I remember Bill Lytle, one of the casting directors, telling me he had gone home for lunch one day and his wife happened to have General Hospital on the TV and it just so happens that it was the episode I was on, and when it was over Mr. Lytle said he commented to his wife on how I did okay with my small part.

Also, when I was leaving that first day, the casting directors told me that the character I would be reading for was a guy who lived in the mountains and worked as a carpenter (meaning he wasn’t a city boy, so don’t dress that way). The next time I came in to read I had decided to come ‘in character,’ so I wore jeans, work boots, parka and I was carrying some lumber and a power saw. The producer, Frank Mancuso, Jr. (whose father was the head of Paramount Pictures at the time), and the director, Steve Miner, loved the fact that I came in ‘in character’. They also seemed to like my reading. Over the next six weeks they had me read again and again with various actresses as they were trying to lock down who the star was going to be. It was a nervous time for me because though I was inclined to think I had the part, I hadn’t actually signed any contract yet.

Were you already familiar with the previous two films before accepting the part, and were you a fan of those types of horror films?

That’s another funny story: when I came back for my second interview with the producer and director, they asked me if I’d seen the first Friday the 13th or Part 2. I was honest with them and told them that I hadn’t seen either and that horror films weren’t really my ‘thing’ (my film tastes run more toward drama ). They looked at each other with that kind of “Just our luck, this guy doesn’t even know about our films” expression; but truthfully, I think they were, if not impressed, certainly okay with that fact because at that point they knew I was honest (which was consistent with the character) and that I wasn’t trying to patronize them to ‘get the part.’

What was your opinion on the script when you first read it? Were you pleased with your character and were there any aspects which you were uncomfortable with for whatever reason?

Well, to put this into its proper context, I was so thrilled just to be hired on this film that I didn’t concern myself with too much thought about whether I liked the script or not. There was nothing that was uncomfortable for me. I did wish they hadn’t cut out the scene where Dana and I run across the old guy on our way back from our trip out to the lake (after the car battery died); but that’s just because no actor wants any of his scenes to end up on the editing room floor. I thought my character was perfect – he had a playful side to him, yet he wanted to reach Chris emotionally (okay, considering the hayloft scene, physically too). I also enjoyed the fact that he wasn’t part of the group that came up with Chris, so it gave him some separation and his own identity, apart from all the goofballs (sorry Larry!).

Were you hesitant about appearing in the third installment of such a despised series, as many critics seemed to have a strong hatred towards Friday the 13th?

Initially, the film wasn’t titled Friday the 13th – they were keeping it a secret – I believe because they were considering doing the film non-union. I wish I could remember what the working title was, maybe I still have the original script with the title on it (or check with Peter Bracke, he knows everything about the F13 series). I didn’t give the critics’ opinion one second of thought, they just like to bash films that don’t cater to the particular taste or genre that they enjoy. It’s a known fact that many ‘B’ movies make the ‘A’ money for the studios and critics never acknowledge that fact or that movies geared toward teens aren’t made for them (the critics). I think what many people don’t appreciate about horror films in general is that they’re simply entertainment for people who enjoy that type of movie, nothing more and nothing less. Some films are written to communicate a message or to make some social statement, but the vast majority are made to entertain. It’s no different than saying something derogatory about reading murder mysteries or watching the Hannibal Lecter movies. Now to the quality of the plot or the acting in horror films; no one is claiming exalted artistic mastery with these films or that horror films should be compared to Academy Award contenders. It’s similar to comparing quality TV shows (Law and Order, etc.) with reality TV shows – they all have their niche market, their own demographics.

How was it having to work with the 3-D effects? What kind of problems did it cause during filming and do you think your performance suffered at all due to this?

I don’t know if ‘problems’ would be the best way to describe the issues surrounding the making of F13 Part 3; I think a better word would be ‘challenges’ and yes, there were some for sure. We had to take more time in the set-ups for each shot because the technology was utilizing a dual-lens system for the 3-D effects, so I think that created more issues. Also, with the idea to exploit the 3-D effect with various scenes demanded careful filming and more takes than usual to maximize the 3-D effects. Another thing that was utilized on this film was a special type of remote operated crane called a Nooma crane which allowed for creative and interesting angles; however, it too demanded more time and special expertise for those technicians operating it AND, combining that with what I mentioned above regarding the 3-D technology challenges, there were some difficult days. Once, the crane structure/dolly collapsed and it was miraculous that no one was injured or killed. One weekend, a swarm of bees roosted on the set which required professionals to come out and smoke them out of the cabin, which delayed filming for a day or two. We had extreme weather swings from very hot to freezing cold days.

Were there any scenes of graphic violence or nudity that were cut during filming? What about the two endings that were reportedly filmed; one where Chris is decapitated and one where she cuts Jason’s stomach open, spilling his guts?

I’m unaware of either of those two possible alternate endings. As far as scenes that were more sexually or violently graphic, I have no idea – I do know that Dana and I did not film anything of that nature. I imagine that because it was a ‘slasher film’ the first edit was probably more violently graphic and the editors then toned it down to get the ‘R’ rating. That’s probably always the case in movies of that type.

When Richard Brooker wore the hockey mask for the first time, what kind of response did he get from everyone on set? Did anyone feel at the time that they were witnessing something very special?

I don’t think any of us had any idea of the historical significance of the now-famous hockey mask and the icon it would become (nobody ever does while something’s in the process of happening, right?). I do recall there being excitement on the set over the fact that Jason now looked much more menacing with the mask. And then of course there’s the fact that we didn’t even know that there would be a part 4.

How do you feel about your death scene, where your eyeballs fly out at the audience? Were you disappointed that a dummy was used instead or would you rather have filmed a death where you could have had prosthetics applied?

No, I loved the idea that the dummy was used – it was the most fascinating process. Two months prior to starting the filming, I went to a special effects lab where they encased my upper torso and head in plaster to create a realistic, life-size manikin of my upper body and head. The night we filmed that scene; it was three in the morning, dark, cold and perfect for filming. When the special effects technicians wheeled my manikin out, it was so spooky for me to look at this incredibly realistic model of myself with all the make-up and hair and everything so accurate. The head was made of a special silicon material which allowed the skull to be crushed again and again while they filmed multiple takes; the eyeball was on a monofilament line that was attached to the lens dead center so that it was not visible on the film as the eye came out – it was all very cool!

What was it like seeing the movie in 3-D? Was it as good as you had hoped? Most fans have only seen the film on VHS and DVD, where the 3-D effects were absent. How well do you think the film has aged without the 3-D effects, or do you think this takes away from the overall experience?

The first time I saw the finished film in 3-D (they screened it for the cast) I was blown away by the entire film – everything about it was awesome; it was suspenseful, scary, gory enough to get your attention and then the 3-D effects were off the charts. The first time the 3-D is revealed is in the credits, which come out off the screen in stages so that the audience is taken totally by surprise and it immediately captures the audience along with the opening musical score. Not long ago, I went to a horror film festival up in LA where the film was screened using its original 3-D print and it was just awesome again! I encourage all the F13 fans to try to see it sometime in a theatre in 3-D – it is so much fun and so many of the deaths in the film are enhanced with the 3-D effects that the film takes on a new dimension in horror.

What kind of effect did Friday the 13th Part 3 have on your life? You left acting to become a chiropractor for many years, during this time did you try to distance yourself from the movie, and have you attended many conventions over the years?

Well, on one level I can divide my life by the ‘Before F13‘ and ‘After F13‘ – it was a watershed event in my life that is still with me twenty-five years after the fact. I have always been proud of my involvement in F13 Part 3 and have never attempted to distance myself from it or the incredibly passionate F13 fans that have followed it over all these years, as well as the fans discovering it more recently. I have attended only a couple of conventions, mainly due to time commitments but sometimes because the people who organize events don’t always have their act together so I’m reluctant to invest my time or money on events that seem somewhat ‘sketchy.’

Have you followed the franchise over the years, especially with Jason Voorhees becoming such a pop culture icon? Did you ever wish that your character had survived so you could have returned for the fourth film?

I haven’t really followed the franchise, other than what comes across my radar regarding Part 3. Of course I would have love to have been involved in subsequent installments, but then again, I had one of the best deaths in the franchise. I haven’t seen any other F13s (can you believe that!).

Despite having missed out on the opportunity of working on George A. Romero’s seminal zombie classic Night of the Living Dead whilst serving in Vietnam, Tom Savini would become a major star within the horror genre for his work on the sequel, Dawn of the Dead, almost a decade later. Following his groundbreaking special effects on Friday the 13th, which was released in the summer of 1980 and would ultimately be responsible for the slasher boom, Savini became one of the most in demand make-up artists in the industry, leading to his memorable work on a host of splatter classics that would include Maniac, The Prowler and Creepshow.

In the mid-1980s, Savini would return to the world of both zombies and slashers with Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter and Day of the Dead, as well as guest starring as the Creep in Creepshow 2. As the decade came to an end, Savini began to distance himself from his gruesome roots by directing a remake of Night of the Living Dead, before turning to acting with roles in Innocent Blood and From Dusk Till Dawn. More recently, Savini has enjoyed cameos in Zack Snyder’s remake of Dawn of the Dead, Romero’s Land of the Dead and the zombie flick Planet Terror.

Tom Savini discusses his contributions to the Friday the 13th franchise.

How were you approached about working on Friday the 13th? What was it about the project that was so appealing to you?

I guess Sean Cunningham had seen Dawn of the Dead and wanted the same guy on his film that did that, ya know? Appealing ashmealing… it was a job. It was another opportunity to kill people in creative ways. That’s what I did back then.

Were the murders described explicitly in the script or were you given full rein over how you could kill each character off?

I think the script described some of the killings, and when you are in a creative situation and brainstorming stuff, it’s hard to remember who came up with what. But my memory is that we embellished and improved everything in the script, and I actually came up with Jason coming out of the water at the end in a dream sequence.

Which was your favourite gag in the movie?

In retrospect it is probably Kevin Bacon’s death. Much has been made of it, but I liked the axe in the face, and cutting little Robbie Morgan’s throat in the beginning. Sean said, “How long will it take? We are losing the light.” I said a half hour. I threw Robbie on my motorcycle and drove her back to the little makeshift studio we had at the boy scout camp, and I delivered her back to the set in a half hour. Sean was amazed that I did what I said.

What was your opinion the movie when you first saw it, and how do you feel about it all these years later?

I was very proud of that movie as it was not a bunch of grey zombies walking around but a true test of what make-up effects are supposed to be. I think it still stands up, as those effects happened right in front of you as if you were there and not some CGI stuff.

You declined the chance to return for Part 2 in favour of working on The Burning. Do you still feel that was the right decision?

Yeah, I turned down Part 2 ’cause they had Jason running around and it didn’t make sense to me. He was a kid that drowned in the first movie and the mother was the killer. What… he survived and nobody knew… even his mother? And what… he lived by the lake for thirty-five years eating crawfish or something… and nobody saw him… really? But don’t forget, when the series was floundering and part four, The Final Chapter, was made, they hired me to kill him. I stopped watching them after Part V, where the fucking ashtray was Jason… as his spirit took over things.

The most impressive death in The Final Chapter was Jason’s. Was it a difficult gag to design and how long did it take?

Jason’s death evolved when one of my crew guys held up the Dawn of the Dead machete to his head and that gave me the idea of hitting Jason in the head with a machete, but then making him slide down the blade. They didn’t have an ending to the film until I showed up, replacing Greg Cannom, and we came up with all sorts of things besides his death.

Having worked on so many slashers, would you say you enjoy watching those kind of movies?

I don’t enjoy watching that stuff as I did back then. Back then movies like mine where like going to see an exhibit from your favorite effects artist. Today, it’s all copying what we did under the guise of torture porno. I’m not into such shit, and don’t care for the people who are.

Having returned once to kill Jason, have you ever or would you ever contemplate returning to the series again, especially as the franchise is now being remade? What new ideas do you think you could bring to the character?

I would return to the genre. I would come out of make-up effects retirement to do a Friday the 13th the way it should be. But as the director, overseeing and consulting with an effects crew like KNB. I’ve been pursuing an acting and directing career and it’s working and I’m not really retired from anything, but I would make a big deal out of doing a Friday the 13th.

Zack Ward’s brief-yet-memorable cameo in Freddy vs. Jason, in which he would appear in the nightmare of Mark (Brendan Fletcher) as his older brother, who had supposedly committed suicide some years earlier, would prove to be one of the highlights of the movie. With Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) having taken the form of Mark’s brother, Ward gave a convincing impression of Krueger, impersonating both his mannerisms and facial expressions (although Englund would provide the voiceover).

Since working on the film, Ward has also appeared in Resident Evil: Apocalypse, Charmed, Lost and Uwe Boll’s surprisingle entertaining (if flawed) black comedy Postal.

Zack Ward gives his thoughts on Freddy vs. Jason.

How did you first become involved in Freddy vs. Jason? Were you a fan of either series and were you interested in the project prior to being offered the role?

I loved the movies as a kid and can still remember being thunderstruck watching the commercial for the first one. When the girl (forgot name, sorry) sits into the chair and then falls through it!. Scared the hell out of me. It was the first horror movie that wasn’t just hack and slash, it had a real mythology, and made more sense than Phantasm. It had blood and magic, and I was a Dungeons and Dragons geek so it was mana from heaven. I heard that Freddy vs. Jason was being shot and finagled a script. Fortunately, there was a perfect cameo for me playing the brother to Brendan Fletcher, who I’ve known for a while. Got the part, got fitted for the prosthetics (super cool) and walked on set… naked. Well, not completely naked as I had on a skin colored jock, or as we in the business call a ‘cock sock.’ But it was a strange way to be introduced to the crew, especially after sitting in a bathtub full of blood, the ‘cock sock’ turned into a wet t-shirt competition for my nads and everyone could tell my religion, if you know what I mean.

Do you feel that the script mixed the two franchises well, and how did you feel about the movie aiming more towards a slapstick, comic book feel?

I have still have the original script and man, is it different from the movie, much darker and grittier, like a Batman Begins compared to Spider-Man 3. I understand why they pulled away from the darker script and went with the carnival ride: they were scared of putting off new fans and losing money. That’s what it always comes down to. But also, that was at a transitional time in horror films. The industry was just making the jump from Jason X in outer space to Hostel and Saw. They were scared; go risky and lose your core audience and scare off a new breed of fans, or stick to the schmaltzy slapstick ‘fun’ stuff that doesn’t offend anyone, no religious groups picketing your theaters and you still have a bunch of Last Action Hero-style one-liners that people can quote around the water cooler when they’re playing with their Freddy doll. I guess they made the right decision because the franchise is still alive and moving on to Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash and the rumored Nightmare remake. I bet they’ll stick with comedy in Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash but go gritty and real for the remake.

How did you prepare for your role? Did you study Robert Englund’s previous performances as your character is really Freddy using the image of Mark’s dead brother to manipulate him? How helpful was Robert with giving you advice on how to play Freddy?

I spent time with Brendan and we built a back story relationship for the brothers. We hung out and told each other tales of when we were kids, creating a feeling of history. Then Robert Englund put me through Freddy school. How to walk, tilt your head, smile, move your hands, enunciate, the works. It was great. Robert is sweet man and passionate about his work, very inspiring. After all these Freddy films he still has the drive to make it all matter and I think it’s that dedication to craft that catches the fans and drags them smiling through each film

Did you enjoy being subjected to so much make-up? How long were you on set for and how straight forward were your scenes to shoot?

I was on location for about a week. Most of what I shot never made it to the film. The make-up was easy as they had a great SP/FX team. Luckily it wasn’t on my face so it didn’t drive me crazy. Most of the scenes were pretty simple, once you get over walking around with your bum hanging out of an assless jock strap. The part in the bathtub was difficult only because the blood got in my eyes making it hard to see. Otherwise it was a great fun shoot. I even brought my mom on set as we were shooting in Vancouver where she lived at the time. Honestly, having your mom with you when your naked and covered in fake blood makes everything feel better, like cookies and milk.

Would you rather have had a more substantial role in the movie? Which other character would you like to have played?

Sure, but who? I guess Deputy Stubbs, but honestly, Lochlyn Munroe was perfect for the part. He’s a good guy and old friend and I couldn’t begrudge him anything. Trust me, I want to play Freddy in the remake and ROCK THAT SHIT, but I’ve done a lot of films, played a lot of parts, and I’ve learned you just can’t look backwards or it’ll drive you crazy. Now, on the other hand, I would have LOVED for all my stuff to still be IN THE MOVIE. I had a two-page monologue in the original script that was AWESOME. But that got pruned down to twenty seconds of pounding exposition. But you know the actors motto, “What four letter word do you say after every film? NEXT.”

What was your opinion on the movie when you finally saw it finished? Did Freddy vs. Jason have any impact on your career and have you attended any conventions since to promote your appearance?

I was disappointed for myself as what I shot wasn’t on the screen, and we shot some really cool shit. It hasn’t affected my career, stuff like that doesn’t make an impact, just another film notch on the belt. If it doesn’t make you an international name that guarantees foreign sales then it doesn’t affect how and what type of jobs you get; thats just the way the industry works. I don’t really do the convention circuit, although I do go to Fangoria to promote my film Postal, and I find I’ve got a lot of fans from all the horror films I’ve done. Apparently people like watching me die or being dead. I’m not sure if that’s healthy,but I’ll keep doing it as long as I can, and when I really die, I’ll charge a cover price to come to the funeral. But it’ll be worth it! I’ll have them prop the coffin up and people can take pictures with me. Trust me, I won’t mind.

Even before Freddy vs. Jason was released at cinemas, a young rising executive at New Line Cinema was already plotting a sequel. Combining the characters of Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees with that of Ash Williams, the reluctant hero of the Evil Dead series, Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash became hot property at the studio and looked set to be their next installment for the fledging Friday the 13th franchise. Yet, despite the success of Freddy vs. Jason, New Line decided to shelve the idea and the project seemed doomed. Yet, through a collaboration with writer James Kuhoric and artist Jason Craig, the story has finally made its way to the fans in the form of a graphic novel mini-series.

Jeff Katz talks about the long journey of making Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash a reality.

How did you become involved with New Line Cinema and, more importantly, Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash?

I’d wanted to work at New Line since I was a little kid, about seven or eight years old. I fell in love with genre films – Elm Street especially – at a young age. Bob Shaye was from Detroit (Sam Raimi’s family lived next door to me as well) and I was inspired as a child that someone from my neighborhood could go to Los Angeles, start his own studio and make cool movies. Bob and I started corresponding when I was in fourth grade or so and I resolved to go to New Line as soon as possible. Following some lucky career breaks as a teen I was able to drop out of college, call in my chip with Bob and get an internship at New Line. My entire goal was to get involved with Freddy vs. Jason as I had read every script they’d done on the project to date.

I was fortunate enough to be put on the movie as an executive and, ultimately, it was what launched my career in Hollywood. FvJvA was something I pitched around New Line starting as an intern and, later, as an executive it seemed like something I could actually pull off. So once FvJ performed well at the box office New Line was cool enough to back my idea and had me write up the treatment. We tried to put a deal together a few times but the realities of Hollywood dealmaking prevented it from coming together. Still, I’m incredibly grateful for Freddy, Jason and Ash coming into my life and am proud to see the story live on as a comic.

Had you always been a fan of the three franchises and how confident were you that they would work well together?

Fan would be an understatement. All three franchises were a huge part of my life. They seemed to fit very naturally. My big thing after FvJ was to get a hero that would be as interesting as Freddy and Jason as villains. And in the genre there’s only one that comes close and that’s Ash. To have the Necronomicon in JGTH, enabling us to set it up, was just a bonus.

What was the length of the treatment that you wrote and how long did the process take?

I can’t remember specifically but it wasn’t long. Most of these ideas were things I had been playing around with before it ever seemed like a reality. I knew this would be something that would get people talking and it was an idea that I, as a fan, would’ve loved to have seen. So I wrote it very much from the standpoint of what I’d have loved as a hardcore fan, thinking that other hardcores would enjoy it the same way I would.

The story is centred around the Necronomicon, which was referenced in both the Evil Dead movies and Jason Goes to Hell. Was it difficult to fuse the three separate mythologies together, and which character were you most interested in?

The Necronomicon in JGTH was huge for us, as it gave us a legitimate underpinning to get these franchises together. It would have been forced otherwise, to say the least. It gave us an organic reason. The mythologies actually worked really well together, which didn’t really surprise me. These three guys together just always made sense in my mind. I love all three characters so the idea of Ash meeting up with these two, plus smartening up Jason and giving Freddy greater power generally made the entire thing something I could invest in and love to work on.

Were you impressed with the Freddy vs. Jason movie, as many fans felt it was too camp and dumb, even for a slasher movie?

Ha! But how do you really feel? Well, considering I worked on it and it launched my career, I suppose I’m slightly biased. I’d certainly argue we were less campy than the later Fridays and Nightmares. The idea was to return Freddy and Jason closer to their iconic versions, which to me was Freddy from one-four and Jason from four and six. Both in terms of look and tone. Those were my favorites personally. Generally the fans I’ve met have seemed like the liked the movie and the box office seems to speak to some level of satisfaction. But you’re never going to please everybody. All told though, I am proud of the film and think it’s very true to the characters and their continuity.

How instrumental were Sean Cunningham and Sam Raimi as you were preparing the treatment. Did you find that you were receiving a lot of support from the studio?

Well, I worked at the studio so I think it’s safe to say there were supportive. It required some education for them as to who Ash was, Evil Dead and all that. Generally they were terrific. I love Sean and Sam, who are both terrific guys, but it was pretty much me in a room. Sean, especially, was very supportive.

Had the treatment attracted the attention of any of the actors – Robert Englund, Bruce Campbell – and who were you hoping would play Jason?

Yes. I went to Bruce early on for his blessing. Bruce is also from my area in Detroit originally and his father and my mother were friends. So there was a natural connection. Rob Tapert was someone I roped in early as well. Robert was always hugely supportive. He’s a great guy and loves that character. In terms of Jason, we were open minded but – and I know this one will be controversial with the fans – I suspect it would have been Ken again.

Were any directors suggested for the movie or did talks not reach that far?

We had plenty of people reach out once word got out we were talking about it. Some names that would surprise you probably. It just speaks to the eternal popularity of these three franchises. They’ll be scaring and inspiring kids for generations to come.

How supportive were the fans of the movies once the concept was leaked out onto the internet?

Hugely. Just incredibly supportive. The fans are the reason this thing ultimately saw the light of day as a comic. And the success of the comic since the release is a testament to their dedication and love for the franchise. It’s really cool to see and it makes me proud to be one of them.

Once it seemed that the movie was not going to happen, how did the comic book come about?

It was something we were talking about casually over a couple years until ultimately David Imhoff from New Line put the deal together. It was timing, at the end of the day. Bad timing is what killed the movie deal. Good timing is what enabled the comic series.

How much input did you have in the writing of the comic, or was your treatment just used as a template?

James, Jason and Thomas were terrific about involving me. Initially the idea was for me to adapt the treatment but I left New Line to go to 20th Century Fox and was already writing Booster Gold for DC Comics, so schedule and my obligations to Fox were a major factor. Since Jason took the reins, though, he’s been incredibly gracious about involving me. All of them have been great guys. We’re all fans here and I think that shows in the finished product.

Have you read the comic series and, if so, what are your thoughts on it? Do you still wish it had been made as a movie, as many fans still ask about it?

Of course I read it. Movies are my day job, comics my side gig. I’d obviously love to have seen this as a movie as it was my passion project. But as a comics fan I can’t really be disappointed considering the response to the thing. I’m just proud it will continue to live on. And now, with the Friday and Nightmare remakes coming, in some ways the series is the true continuation of the current (or classic) continuity. I’m very very proud of that.

Had the movie happened, and had been a success, where do you think the new franchise could have gone from there? Which other horror icon would you have liked to have seen thrown into the mix?

The idea was for Ash to be the one to kill Freddy and Jason and then go off into a larger budget Evil Dead film for Sam to be more involved in. That was the idea. There were clearly other icons to get involved, and Malek Akkad and I had talked about it a few times as he’s a friend of mine. But ultimately I think the big battle royale version is best served as a video game, which is something I think will happen eventually.