FRIDAY THE 13th (1980)

Seven young counsellors open up Camp Crystal Lake, unaware that there’s a maniac on the premises, with a penchant for finding imaginative ways of offing teenagers. The first and by far the best of the long-running summer camp slaughter series is a showcase for a whole series of stomachchurning Tom Savini make-ups (axe in the head, impaled on a bed, throat cutting, decapitation etc), which are presented at decent inter vals inbetween loads of effective knee-jerk scares and a shock climax that really did make audiences jump of their seats. The film set the pattern for the many “have sex and die” shockers that followed, but few had such memorable effects and were so singleminded in their pursuit of gory thrills. We are delighted that the film’s famed Final Girl, Adrienne King, will be joining us for the screening.