“Ki-Ki-Ki-Ki- Ma-Ma-Ma-Ma”
In 1957, at Camp Crystal Lake, young Jason Voorhees drowned in the lake on Friday the 13th. A year later two counselors who were having sex in a back room were killed. The camp closed. From time to time the owners tried to reopen the camp but something always closed it before it opened. Now, Steve Christy (Peter Brouwer) a relative of the original owners, is in the middle of refurbishing it and plans on opening the camp in a couple weeks. He has hired some young people to help get things in order and to be counselors.
Annie Phillips (Robbi Morgan), hired to be the camp cook, is on her way to the camp. In town she gets a ride halfway by a truck driver (Rex Everhart). The driver warns her about the camp’s history and advises her to go back home. Annie doesn’t believe in ghost stories and continues on her way. She then gets a ride from a passerby. Annie gets spooked and wants out, but the driver goes past the road leading to the camp. Annie jumps out of the car and takes off through the woods. She then gets killed.
Back at the camp, the other counselors are working away. Steve has to run an errand and leaves Alice (Adrienne King) in charge. One of the kids, Ned (Mark Nelson), sees someone enter one of the cabins. He follows after to find out who it is. Later Jack (Kevin Bacon) and Marcie (Jeannie Taylor) sneak off to have sex and enter the same cabin unaware that Ned’s dead body is lying in the upper bunk. Their turn is next. A thunderstorm begins to rage as, one by one, the other counselors become victims of the unseen killer.
“Friday the 13th” was released in 1980 and was directed by Sean S. Cunningham. It is an American independent slasher style horror movie and part of the subgenre teen horror. The film was a big hit and spawned twelve sequels, including a reboot, a few crossover films with Freddy Krueger from the “Nightmare on Elm Street” films, as well as one with Ash Williams from the “Evil Dead” franchise, with each film getting cheesier and cheesier.
The movie is your basic slice and dice from the 80’s. Bad reviews from both Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert helped to boost box office sales, even though Siskel gave away the ending of the movie in his review hoping that the masses would complain. On the contrary, the masses couldn’t care less what Siskel, or Ebert, thought of the film.
The movie was shot at an actual Boy Scout camp, Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco in Blairstown, New Jersey. The camp is still in operation and takes pride in its contribution to the film.
According to special effects wizard Tom Savini, the snake in the film was real, and so was its murder. The movie is also credited as being the first slasher movie with a practical joker character, sometimes also referred to as the comic relief or comedian. The chant heard when the killer is stalking his/her prey sounds very much like “Chi,Chi,Chi-Ha,Ha,Ha but is actually “Ki,Ki,Ki-Ma,Ma,Ma”. According to composer Harry Manfreadini the sounds represent the words Kill and Mommy that are echoing through the killer’s head. Manfreadini did the vocals for the chant.