Comments on: EP7: Friday The 13th

By: Jason

Jason — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:33:31 +0000

Yeah, the spear through the couple scene from Twitch of the Death Nerve a.k.a. Bay of Blood is “borrowed” for Friday the 13th Part2. The other connections between “Twitch” and Friday the 13th are the killing of Marcie with the axe in the head, which is shot very similarly to the killing of Bobby with a bill-hook in “Twitch” (although the scene is much more accomplished when handled by Bava), and the settings are quite similar with the cottages by the scenic lake in “Twitch” and the cabins by the scenic lake in “Friday”. Interestingly enough, several scenes from “Twitch” are also liberally “borrowed’ by Bob Clark for “Black Christmas”. Ahh, the incestuous and cribbing development of the horror film…

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:17:51 +0000

It’s Part 2. Jeff and Sandra. In case their names were important to anyone.

Not only Halloween, but think about Clark’s seminal (some pun intended) 80s teen sexploitation work, Porky’s. Ahead of his time, he was.

Haven’t seen Night of the Hunter in ages. Might have to rent and re-watch soon.

By: Robert W

Robert W — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:01:55 +0000

Then, of course, there’s the fact that one of the Fridays, can’t remember which one, maybe its was II, “borrowed” the double spear impalement from Twitch as well.

As for Black Christmas, well if Clark didn’t make it, I’d doubt there would have been a Halloween.

Another film that I think had an influence on Halloween, albeit a very tenuous one, was Night of the Hunter. Mitchum, I think, was the actual forerunner of the “Shape”. You’ll notice throughout the film, Mitchum is always slowly, almost leisurely, stalking the kids. Also, the end reminds me a lot of Halloween’s as well.

By: Jason

Jason — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:54:00 +0000

Hallmark distributing released “The Last House on the Left” and “Bay of Blood” a.k.a. “Twitch of the Death Nerve” stateside, so Robert, you are correct. You have earned a gold star for your acumen. Cunningham swears he had never heard of Bava before 1986, and I am inclined to believe him only because his ignorance is corroborated by his screenwriter for “Friday the 13th” who was blatantly told to “rip-off” the film “Halloween” for the set-up and “Carrie” for the ending. Bava was a gigantic influence on the evolution of the slasher genre as were the series of Giallo films that dominated Europe for a good 15 years. But let us not forget “Black Christmas” by the wonderful Bob Clark, as it was surely a stepping stone on the path towards “Halloween” and every slasher film subsequent. If you have not seen “Twitch of the Death Nerve” and you enjoy the latter day slashers you owe it yourself to check it out. It’s self-referential black humor and inventive kills are jaw-dropping.

By: Robert W

Robert W — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:06:05 +0000

I didn’t know about Savini having to blow through the blood tubing during the arrow through the neck kill. Great piece of trivia!

Interestingly, I think Bava’s Twitch of the Death Nerve was actually a bigger influence on Friday the 13th than Halloween. Admittedly I’m not up on my Bava trivia as I’d like, but I seem to remember some connection existed between Cunningham and the Death Nerve’s American distributor.