Spanning six hours and forty minutes, Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th chronicles the film series that made Jason Voorhees, a machete-wielding, hockey mask wearing killer, a pop culture phenomenon. Adapted from Peter M. Bracke’s book and directed by Daniel Farrands (Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy) the documentary painstakingly chronicles the production of the entire franchise up to the 2009 remake.
Hosted by Corey Feldman (who was in Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter), offers up interviews with various cast and crew who share backstage stories, their love for the films and even some regrets. There are lots of photographs, artwork and even fan interviews. It’s a no brainer: Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th belongs in the collection of every horror fan.
While I’ve never been a huge fan of the horror genre, I’ve always appreciated Jason. I’ve watched every movie multiple times. Like countless others, I felt completely let down by the 2009 documentary His Name Was Jason. It amassed a huge roster of interviewees, only to stuff them all into an all too short 90 minutes of brief sound bites. Annoyingly frustrating! Thankfully, Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th leaves no stone unturned.
The filmmakers deserve huge credit for putting together so much incredible material in a way that flows really well. Whether it’s the interviews, backstage footage, publicity materials, etc. everything is seamless; it actually doesn’t feel like you’re watching a nearly seven hour film.
Image Entertainment brings Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th to Blu-ray as two-disc Collector’s Edition. The first disc contains the first four hours of the documentary while the second comes with the remaining two hours and forty minutes. Presented in the 1.78:1 aspect ratio, the 1080p transfer looks great. Cast and crew interviews were shot for the documentary and exhibit excellent clarity. Clips from the films and stock photos are surprisingly detailed, but a few moments are poorly resolved. Contrast is quite good and while color is generally good, it does run hot on occasion. Generally speaking, this is a good transfer given the nature of the mixed material.
Again, the DTS-HD MA soundtrack does a fine job given the mixed material. The musical score creates a strong presence and the dialogue during interviews is perfectly clear. Immersiveness isn’t always completely present, but effects do bleed into the other two channels on occasion. The mid-range isn’t anything to write home about, but it does the job. Essentially, the audio compliments the transfer well.
English SDH subtitles are included.
The following extras are available:
- Audio Commentary with Writer/Director Dan Farrands, Crystal Lake Memories Author Peter Bracke and co-editor Luke Rafalowski: This feature length commentary is a must listen. These three guys are fountains of information and like the documentary itself, leave no stone unturned.
