July 13, 2018

‘Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives’ Director Tom McLoughlin on How Comedy Can Produce Great Horror

One of the best entries in the ‘Friday the 13th’ franchise was made by one of its most versatile directors.

The most highly spirited, self-referential, all-around-good-time entry in the lucrative 12-film-deep Friday the 13th slasher franchise, Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives is the crème de la crème of the hockey-masked Jason Voorhees’ numerous film acting credits. Released in theaters on August 1st, 1986, the film was heralded as a breath of welcomed fresh air, debuting in the number two slot at the North American box office (behind the prosperous third week of James Cameron’s Aliens).

Written and directed by Tom McLoughlin, a 36-year-old musician, mime, stuntman, and yes, filmmaker, not only did the film do what its title stated it would (resurrecting our machete-wielding maniac), but it also infused hearty laughs and a lighter tone upon the typically dead serious franchise. The expectedly large body count would still be amassed, of course (scroll down to see one of the film’s highlights: the funniest triple decapitation you’ll ever witness), but not without its own touch of irony and grim wit.

Read More

Source: NoFilmSchool