With a total of 12 films and a run time of 18 hours and 43 minutes, roughly. It can all be watched in one day.
I haven't achieved this feat, the most I did was the 80's 8 or the first 8 films which were all released in the 80's.
So for a more average viewer or one that wants to maximize there Friday the 13th viewing, I have found that the 12 films can be grouped into 4 smaller more manageable packages.
Now there might be spoilers up ahead, so don't read on if you haven't viewed them.
Rise and Fall of Human Jason
- Friday the 13th Part II
- Friday the 13th Part III
- Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter
"Zombie" Jason
- Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI
- Friday the 13th Part VII : The New Blood
- Friday the 13th PartVIII : Jason Takes Manhattan
"UBER" Jason
- Jason X
- Freddy vs. Jason
- Friday the 13th (2009)
Not quite Jason
- Friday the 13th (1980)
- Friday the 13th: A New Beginning
- Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday
Now granted, these groupings don't mesh like trilogies, but I found it to enhance the viewing pleasure.
The "Zombie" Jason group or lets call them clusters. This cluster starts with Jason being resurrected from his burial place by a lightning strike. Similar to Frankenstein's Monster, he comes back and is supernatural, he kills and is then sent back to the lake, his original resting place. From which Part 7 goes into telepathy to bring Jasons return, this supernatural ability(mental lightning) awakens Jason, he kills only to be sent back to the lake from the telepathy's supernatural father. It ultimately comes to end in Part 8 when electricity revives Jason, he goes on his spree of killing and toxic waste washing the "zombie" away. It's my favorite of the cabin to watch for the sheer entertainment value. Obviously the common thread of the supernatural "Zombie" Jason only exists with these 3 films. Jason Goes to Hell and Jason X, also feature the undead Jason roaming the world, but there is no awakening or resurrection. He's just there.
The Rise and Fall of Jason cluster is the most well put together for my clusters discussion. Starting in Part 2 Jason is on the revenging warpath of his mothers death. So at another summer camp, Jason begins his reign of terror on Crystal Lake. He manages to take out a group of future counsellors only to leave, survivor girl Ginny to carry on his legendary status. Part 3 is the weakest of all the films, following the success of 2, this is the biggest gimmick Friday the 13th, basically as my cinephile counterpart Jody stated "a fan should make an edited cut into part 2 and 4 of Jason getting his iconic mask." He's correct, Part 3 was meant to shock the audience with its use of 3D, but it failed. But, the best in this cluster and #2 for best in series is Part 4, it found its groove, excellent story with a climatic ending. When watched in the cluster, it flows the closest to a trilogy, but the weakness of Part 3 gets balanced with the superior Part 4.
The "Uber" Jason cluster is the franchise trying to recreate the magic of Jason, so the up the ante here, making Jason larger than life, building on the mythos. Except, when you try to hard you fail. The "Uber" Jason cluster is enjoyable, but plenty of groaner moments, except for Jason vs Freddy, this is easiest the best of the cluster. From start to finish, Jason rocks and Freddy commands. The uber moment for this film, is when Jason goes to the corn field rave, craziness ensues. Jason X has awesome over-the-top moments, but is clunky like a robot, the homage to the classic 80's films is the standout, but seeing Jason in Space rocks. The Friday the 13th remake, was just a cookie cut at this point, I as horror fan flock to whatever horror I can, the originality was gone, the magic had faded. the uber moments, just weren't enough to warrant a sequel to this. Most enjoyable cluster to watch with friends and make a party out of it. Not to poke fun at, but laugh or cringe at the uber moments.
*SPOILER ALERT* This last part is loaded with a spoiler that could ruin the film.
The last cluster to discuss is, the Not Really Jason cluster. In this cluster again there is no tie to each other amongst the cluster, except the common thread, the killer is not Jason. In the original Friday the 13th, his mother seeks revenge upon the summer camp and is the killer. As any fan or avid viewer of films, character development is key. In a whodunit, the introduction of characters is most important. Friday the 13th, excellent whodunit, except his mother was never introduced so once the discovery happens, sure it a great feeling, but upon further thinking one feels cheated. I love the film for this flaw though, the original is great. Friday the 13th Part 5, totally not Jason, its the ambulance driver, trying to harness the original Friday the 13th whodunit feel, well it's an enjoyable film, but it's not Jason. The mask is different, the feel of the film is different. Plus the ambulance driver has that obvious stare that screams, "Its me." In Jason Goes to Hell, the coroner eats his heart and mentally becomes Jason, bizarre from the start. Sure it entertainment, but here Newline Cinemas was trying to bring back the franchise, this could have gone in with the "Uber" cluster, but it's not Jason, its his demonic spirit being passed around, its bologna and obviously with the end being a film to setup, Freddy vs. Jason.
Hopefully you enjoyed my brief breakdown of the clusters. Watch one today, I am, the Rise and Fall of Jason Cluster. Happy Friday the 13th.
