Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History Of Friday The 13th (Blu-ray + DVD Combo)

Inspired by the critically-acclaimed book, Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th takes viewers behind the mask on an epic journey into the making of the landmark horror franchise-from its humble beginnings in 1980 at a New Jersey summer camp to the blockbuster release of its 2009 "reboot." Combining hundreds of rare and never-before-seen photographs, film clips, outtakes, archival documents, conceptual art and behind-the-scenes footage, and featuring interviews with more than 150 cast and crew members spanning all twelve films and the television series, Crystal Lake Memories is the ultimate tribute to one of horror's most iconic and enduring franchises.Corey Feldman (star of Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter) narrates Crystal Lake Memories, which features interviews with approximately 150 cast and crew members from all twelve Friday the 13th films and the syndicated television series, many of whom have never before appeared in on-camera interviews. Interview subjects include Kane Hodder, Robert Englund, Tom Savini, Danielle Panabaker, Sean S. Cunningham, Derek Mears, Betsy Palmer, Wes Craven, Robert Shaye, Alice Cooper and many more.Crystal Lake Memories is written and directed by Daniel Farrands and produced by Thommy Hutson, who previously teamed up for the award-winning Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy."As lifelong fans, we couldn't let 2013 pass us by without giving Jason his due," explains Farrands. "I hope that Crystal Lake Memories will serve as a fitting tribute to one of this generation's most iconic bogeymen.""We're thrilled that we are able to bring all the incredible stories from the cast and crew to life, showcasing why the Friday the 13th franchise is still going strong decades later," adds Hutson. "It's a testament to the blood, sweat and tears that went into making summer camp, and eventually a hockey mask, both terrifying and fun."In the 33 years since the original Friday the 13th premiered in May of 1980, the slasher franchise has grown to include twelve feature films, a television series, novels, comic books, merchandise and memorabilia. In addition to staggering box office success, the films turned Jason Voorhees and his signature hockey mask into a pop culture icon. Now fans can get an in-depth look that spans the entire history from those involved.(Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th is not affiliated with or sponsored by the creators or producers of Friday the 13th, New Line Productions, Inc., Warner Bros. Inc., or Paramount Pictures Corporation, and is not a sequel to or remake of Friday the 13th. Friday the 13th is a registered trademark of New Line Productions, Inc.)

First I will give the bad experience I had with trying to obtain this product. I had been dying (pun intended) for a really good Friday the 13th documentary since it is my favorite horror series, and admittedly I was underwhelmed by the "His Name Was Jason" feature that glossed over all of the films rather quickly. So, when I heard that the makers of the superb "Never Sleep Again" documentary that went in depth with the ''A Nightmare on Elm Street" series was making one about our favorite Hockey pucked freak, I got very excited. I ordered the Blu ray/DVD combo on the makers' website on Friday, September 13th, it's release date and I found out it would take weeks to get my delivery. To add insult to injury, the site seemed like it didn't want to release it to other retailers as all video stores in my area had it on back order, and even Amazon took a while getting it. So I cancelled my order, and placed one on Amazon, I got it a week later (today actually)and since I got it from Amazon, it didn't come with the bonus disc that's exclusive to the website. It will be the last time I order directly from that site.Anyway, on to good news, this documentary is everything a Friday fan can ask for and more. It's seven hours long, roughly, and gives a VERY indepth look at all the Friday films as well as any other things associated with the series (such as the tv show). It is chalked full of actors, directors, producers and special effects men and women giving their experiences working on the franchise, and shows the ins and outs of making the films. The main feature is broken up on two Blu ray discs, and if you don't have a Blu ray player, it also comes with two regular DVDs to make everyone happy. I highly recommend this product!!

Every wonder just where Friday the 13th came from? Did you ponder just how Jason became a household name and why the filmmakers chose a hockey mask? Look no further than this 6 hour 40 minute documentary that leaves no stone unturned. Taking a cue from "Never Sleep Again" this exhaustive documentary explores all twelve films and even the television series. Writer/director Daniel Farrands (who co-directed Never Sleep Again with Andrew Kasch) does a phenomenal job of bringing Peter M. Bracke's coffee table book to life with more than 150 interviews with casts and crews that worked on each film. Some might be turned off by more than seven hours of "talking heads," but don't let that deter you. Everyone has some interesting things to say. The film never feels long nor boring. In fact, by the end I was a little taken aback that the time flew by so quickly.If you've ever seen the previous doc, "His Name Was Jason," you'll get a few of the same stories, and even some footage cut in, but ultimately coupled with that film you really have absolutely everything you'll ever want or need to know about the undying franchise. I feel bad for the next who comes along wanting to do a documentary of these films as there's nothing really left to discover.What's also great is the clever use of footage from the films, especially rare behind-the-scenes footage and even some of the infamous deleted gore scenes as the mercy of the MPAA. If you're a fan then don't pass this up. It is worth every penny.Sadly, I was too late to the game to get the third disc with 4+hours of interviews cut from the main feature. Both the book and this great film sit proudly on my shelf ready to be experienced again and again.

I’m a big fan of the Friday the 13th films. Some are scary, some are awful, a lot of them are amusing (not always deliberately), and at least three of them are simply very good films. This DVD set is a wonderful exploration of the making of each film all the way up to the reboot. Corey Feldman narrates, and there are dozens of interviews featuring directors, producers, writers, effects designers, and of course a menagerie of actors.This is a funny and insightful watch that goes on for several hours without ever being boring. The interviews reveal appreciation, confusion, nostalgia, and often sheer perplexity that a low budget slasher film has gone on to become a global phenomenon (now living on in the highly successful computer game).I’d definitely recommend this to fans of the films, but even general horror fans or people interested in the process of making films will probably find this enjoyable viewing.

I have just watched all the Friday films back to back over the period of a week or so, so this was a perfect time to view this DVD. I initially was going to buy the Blue-ray, but considering it seems to go for £50+ at the time of writing this, I plumped for the DVD.This DVD definitely lives up to the praise it receives. Narrated by Corey Feldman (who obviously starred in a few of the Fridays) and does a great job introducing the various films. The amount of cast member they managed to get to do interviews is astounding, and each seems to have really fond memories of the films they were in.Anyway, not to ramble on, this is truly an amazing DVD, the best fan material, just simply perfect.

If you own the Crystal Lake Memories book you should buy this. Yes, it does go over some stuff that you've read but it's different hearing the actors talk about it. When they share the stories they're a little different and that is what makes this awesome. To hear the experiences of the actors from the actors themselves, instead of just reading about it, as satisfying as that was. It covers all the Jason movies to date, including the remake, (unless I'm getting my Jason DVDs mixed up) in a 3 disc edition that lasts over 4 hours. It's a great accompaniment to the book or if you're just curious about them without wanting the great detail that the book goes into. This is a good "covers everything without going into too much boring detail" documentary with so many interviews it'll make you giddy. I'm so glad they got so many people to take part. I was entertained the entire time and would say, if you're a Jason fan, you should add this to your collection, it's worth it.

If you are a fan of the Friday the 13th series then i think this is a must for your collection.The set covers all the films, giving behind the scenes details and covering all the major aspects of each movie.I would recommend to fans of the series who may not know the behind the scenes stories when it came to the making of them

Wow, what a lengthy and in depth documentary into one of the longest running horror franchises ever.Too many talking heads to count, so many great stories from the sets.Get lost in Camp Crystal Lake with this, but this time you'll come out alive.Fascinating - makes a great partner with Never Sleep Again.