Icons of Horror: Jason Voorhees

“His name was Jason…” - Pamela Voorhees.

In 1980 writer Victor Miller and director Sean. S Cunningham crafted a horror film that would make critics start calling all in its class “slasher films”. That film was Friday the 13th and it’s central character’s name is Jason Voorhees. Ever since his conception he has been known as a silent killer who ironically speaks loud volumes of the American conscious. He is also one of the greatest icons in the history of horror.

Jason Voorhees was born on June 13th, 1946 in the town of Crystal Lake. He was the oldest child born to Pamela and Elias Voorhees. Jason also has a younger sister named Diana who became estranged from the family in light of their future history. Jason was born with physical and mental abnormalities that would forge his fate in the future. In 1957 Jason attended camp in his hometown of Crystal Lake. His mother Pamela was a cook in the camp cafeteria at the time. While at camp many of the children bullied Jason because of his physical deformities. One day while being picked on Jason drowned in the lake at camp because the counselors weren’t watching him.

After Jason’s unfortunate drowning his mother Pamela went on a killing spree to exact her revenge for what happened to Jason. After being killed by one of the would be counselors in self defense Jason came to and took up her mantle as a killer and started murdering anyone who returned to the camp, believing that he was merely punishing young people who were engaging in the same sinful acts that led to his drowning.

With 12 films in his franchise Jason has not only served as the main antagonist to the Friday the 13th film series, but has inspired other killers in two of those entries in the franchise. Jason’s motivation as a killer is to punish anyone who sets foot in his wilderness of Crystal Lake because they are most likely doing the same things that were being done when he was left to drown in 1957: drinking, getting high and having sex. When many of the victims in the Friday films are killed it is often when they are taking part in these acts. I guess it would be safe to say that Jason is a buzzkill. In a sense is the biggest victim in his series and many would argue that most who die at his hands are kind of deserving of their fates being that they are taking part in the actions that molded Jason in the first place.

Jason Voorhees has always been one of my top five horror icons. Like many fans I can relate to his sense of isolation that so many of us have felt at one point or another. Like other horror icons I grew up watching, Jason was very popular with my family and friends. Jason’s physical development overtime made for impressive shock value when he went from simply being a strong country fed man to being a supernatural being during the second half of the 80’s and forward. Me and my family and friends who were Jason fans loved discussing his most popular moments and we always joked about what we would do if we were ever caught in the crosshairs of his mayhem. I also have always enjoyed the moments when Jason was taken out of his natural elements like when he went to New York in the eighth film in the series and when he went to space in the 10th film in the series.

Perhaps the most memorable moment of Jason being taken out of his element was when he crossed over with the central villain of the A Nightmare on Elm Street villain Freddy Krueger. Jason definitely showed up and showed out for that showdown 20 years ago. When you talk about the greatest horror icons of all time you can’t forget to mention Jason Voorhees.