Jason Takes Manhattan Shooting Script





There has been so many pieces of information uncovered from old or revised scripts used in the production during Friday the 13th films that they truly do give fans the pieces necessary to filling in the blanks when it comes to certain scenes that come across as nonsensical. Some scripts show how expanded dialogue or images would lend more weight to scenes. Such is the case inDuring the opening of Friday The 13th Part 8: Jason Takes Manhattan , Jim Miller and Susie Donaldson are cruising Crystal Lake at night in a houseboat. During that late night rendezvous, boyfriend Jim reveals the ugly truth about Crystal Lake and the murderous Mrs. Voorhees and her son Jason. As Jim explains the sorted past, flashback scenes of a younger Jason are shown drowning in Crystal Lake. No other flashback scenes are revealed.The shooting script for the film reveals that there was supposed to be a lot more flashback images revealed from previous Friday the 13th films! Director Rob Hedden has mentioned in the past that his intention was to tie the entire series together withas Paramount intended to make the film the last in the Friday the 13th film franchise. One goal of Hedden was to introduce the history of why Jason kills to the audience one final time and show past events of the previous films, much like the prologues of Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter and Friday the 13th Part 7: The New Blood . Reading the shooting script, Hedden's intentions would have become reality.Below is an excerpt from the shooting script in which Jim explains the curse of Crystal Lake. Although many people find Jason Takes Manhattan to be one of the weaker entries in the film franchise, do you think that showing a montage of clips from previous Friday the 13th scenes would have made this opening scene more impactful?FLASHBACKEight year old JASON is desperately trying to treadwater, flailing his arms like a marionette to getattention as he gulps down gallons of mossy lake water.YOUNG JASONHhhhelp....me....I'm drowning...JIM (V.O.)None of the counselors heard him.YOUNG JASONMmmmmmommy.......And Jason finally slips under the surface for good.INT. HOUSEBOAT - CONTINUOUSJIMA bunch of years went by and everybodyforgot about it.(beat)That's when the murders started.FLASHBACK MONTAGE (STOCK)as our senses are bombarded with QUICK CUTS of assortedteenagers just about to die, their screams echoing overeach other. We do not see the attacker. As thecacophony reaches a screeching crescendo, CUT BACK TO:INT. HOUSEBOAT - NIGHTas the silence hits us hard again.SUZYJason did it...?JIM'That's what some people thought. Butthey were wrong.FLASHBACK (STOCK)as MRS. VOORHEES comes directly at camera wielding a hugeknife and a primal scream.INT. HOUSEBOAT - NIGHTJIMHis mother blamed the counselors forhis death and tried to kill them all.(dramatic pause)She got her head chopped off by one ofthem.We don't need to see this clip...Suzy's reaction is quitesufficient.SUZYSo the murders stopped?He gives her a long, penetrating look.JIMNo.FLASHBACK MONTAGE (STOCK)We're bombarded with QUICK FLASHES of a hockey maskedJASON wreaking havoc on assorted teenagers...brandishingeverything from hatchets to knives to chainsaws. Just asJason is about to stab us, CUT BACK TO:INT. HOUSEBOAT - NIGHTSuzy flinches as if she were getting the knife.JIMLegend has it that Jason came back toavenge his mother's death, vowing tokill every teenager from the area.(beat)And every now and then, the murdersstart up again.The boat lurches slightly, tugging at the anchor cable.She's scared: he's frightened himself a little, too.JIMForget about it, Suzy. They're juststories.He brushes her hair back, kissing her cheek gently,finding the nape of her neck again. She closes her eyes,trying to dismiss what he's dredged up. But she can't.Suzy begins to rationalize.SUZYWe're the last graduating class,right?Jim's kissing her body, putting Jason behind him.JIMRight.SUZYI mean, Lakeview High just closed itsdoors for good, right?JIMRight.SUZYSo there's no reason for him to comeback because there won't be any of usaround...right?Jim stops, looking her squarely in the eyes.JIMRight. Except that Jason isn't realso none of it matters anyway.She starts to relax, returning his kisses.