DVD Review: His Names Was Jason
His Name Was Jason (2008)
Studio: Anchor Bay
DVD Release Date: February 3, 2009
Directed By: Daniel Farrainds
Brutal As Hell Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Review By: Marc Patterson
Jason is a household name. He’s a killer that breaks the bounds of his genre. Even the people in your life who are the most straight laced and uptight know who Jason is, and very well may have seen one of the twelve films that have spanned his nearly thirty year reign of terror. You hear that sound in the dark “ki, ki, ki, ma, ma, ma” and you can’t help but have shivers sent up and down your spine, or at least wonder who left the DVD player on. Jason has been the gateway drug for many who have been led to a lifelong obsession and love of the horror genre. If there were a proper Horror Hall of Fame, Jason would be one of the first villains inducted.
While a variety of books have been written on Jason, the movies, and the mythology there really hasn’t been a proper DVD that pays homage to our iconic (there… I finally used that word) anti-hero. Until now. His Name is Jason is a two disc retrospective that chronicles the life of Jason by tracing his roots from the first film to the newest remake about to hit theaters. It’s a documentary featuring the directors, the cast, the actors who played Jason, the critics, and of course Tom Savini, the man who brought Jason’s horror to life. Full of great stories, and with plenty of snark, snip, and reminiscing the documentary sheds light on everything you knew, thought you knew, and had no idea about. Especially refreshing was how irreverent the commentary is at times. Let’s face facts. Jason has had some great moments, but there have been some real “What the Fuck?” moments along the way. Check that. There have been A LOT of those moments. The franchise has managed to be just as stupid as it has been groundbreaking and this wasn’t lost on some of the commentators.
The initial 90 minute feature is the starting point but many of the better features are found in the extras which included extended interviews with the directors and even better… extended interviews with all the men who went behind the mask. One of my favorites extras was the Camp Crystal Lake Survival Guide, which was a slice and dice reel in the format of a classic 50’s “how to” video. Featuring many of the cast and critics spouting off their humorous wisdom in how to attempt at making it out of Camp Crystal Lake alive, since so few have. With fan videos, and even more interviews there’s enough here to keep you busy for a full Saturday afternoon. We’re talking over four hours of bonus materials in total.
While at times the material is monotonous for those who are fairly familiar with the franchise, and for those who have already devoured anything out there on Jason, it’s still a must own for the collection. We certainly enjoyed it and without a doubt this comes recommended to any self respecting fan of the genre.
