About this episode
In this episode of Screen Creeps, Jeremy, Josh, Joe, and special guest Dad (Paul) tackle #28 on the "Top 35 Scariest Movies According to Science": the original 1980 slasher Friday the 13th. The team dives deep into the film that spawned a massive franchise, debating whether it truly qualifies as "horror" or if it sits firmly in the "slasher" sub-genre.The discussion highlights the film's humble origins, noting that it was admittedly created to ride the coattails of Halloween (1978). Despite its low budget and "B-movie" status, the crew marvels at its massive box office return. A significant portion of the conversation focuses on the "Mandela Effect" regarding the killer; while everyone associates the franchise with Jason Voorhees, the group revisits the shock of the original twist—that Jason's mother, Pamela Voorhees, was the one doing the killing. The episode wraps up with a nostalgic look back at the scare factor, with Paul noting that while it was a solid 7 or 8 on the "Creepo-Meter" in 1980, modern desensitization drops that score significantly today.Key Highlights [01:16] Science of Scare #28: The hosts introduce Friday the 13th as the 28th scariest movie according to science, based on heart rate studies. [05:08] Ripping Off Halloween: The group discusses how the producers explicitly aimed to copy the success of Halloween, placing ads for the film before the script was even written. [07:39] Budget vs. Box Office: A breakdown of the financials, noting the film made nearly $60 million on a shoestring budget of roughly $550,000. [14:15] Kevin Bacon’s Cameo: The crew points out one of the film's most famous trivia bits: a young Kevin Bacon in one of his earliest roles before hitting it big with Footloose. [17:42] The Pamela Voorhees Twist: A discussion on the ending reveal, clarifying that Jason was not the killer in the first movie, and how subsequent sequels retconned his survival. [46:22] Creepo-Meter Ratings: The team gives their scare ratings. Paul argues it was a 7/8 back in 1980, but the group agrees that by modern standards, it sits closer to a 3 or 4.
