Friday the 13th (1980 film)
Updated: 12/10/2025, 11:00:53 AM Wikipedia source
Friday the 13th is a 1980 American slasher film produced and directed by Sean S. Cunningham, written by Victor Miller, and starring Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King, Harry Crosby, Laurie Bartram, Mark Nelson, Jeannine Taylor, Robbi Morgan, and Kevin Bacon. The plot follows a group of teenage camp counselors who are murdered one by one by an unknown killer while they are attempting to reopen an abandoned summer camp with a tragic past. Prompted by the success of John Carpenter's Halloween (1978), Cunningham put out an advertisement to sell the film in Variety in early 1979, while Miller was still drafting the screenplay. After casting the film in New York City, filming took place in New Jersey in the fall of 1979, on an estimated budget of between $550,000 and $650,000. A bidding war ensued over the finished film, ending with Paramount Pictures acquiring the film for domestic distribution, while Warner Bros. secured international distribution rights. Friday the 13th became the first independent slasher film to be acquired by a major motion picture studio. Released on May 9, 1980, Friday the 13th was a major box office success, grossing $59.8 million worldwide, making it the fifteenth highest-grossing film of the year, and the second highest-grossing film for Paramount. The film's critical response was largely unfavorable, with numerous critics deriding it for its graphic violence, though it did receive some praise for its cinematography and score. Aside from being the first independent film of its kind to secure distribution in the U.S. by a major studio, its box office success led to a long series of sequels, a crossover with the A Nightmare on Elm Street film series, and a 2009 series reboot. A direct sequel, Friday the 13th Part 2, was released one year later. The film has been subject to critical analysis in film studies for its depiction of youth suffering violent deaths after engaging in premarital sex, a trope at the center of the film's plot that was frequently used in subsequent slasher films. It has received mixed retrospective reviews and garnered a cult following.
Infobox
Directed by
Sean S. Cunningham
Written by
Victor Miller
Produced by
Sean S. Cunningham
Starring
mw- Betsy Palmer Adrienne King Harry Crosby Laurie Bartram Mark Nelson Jeannine Taylor Robbi Morgan Kevin Bacon
Cinematography
Barry Abrams
Edited by
Bill Freda
Music by
Harry Manfredini
Productioncompany
Georgetown Productions Inc.
Distributed by
Paramount Pictures (United States and Canada)Warner Bros. (International)
Release date
May 9, 1980 (1980-05-09)
Running time
95 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$550,000–$650,000
Box office
$59.8 million
Tables
· Reception › Accolades
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Thrills
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Thrills
Institution
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Thrills
Year
2001
Category
America's Most Heart-Pounding Movies
Recipient
Friday the 13th
Result
Nominated
Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival
Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival
Institution
Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival
Year
1981
Category
Grand Prize
Recipient
Sean S. Cunningham
Result
Nominated
Golden Raspberry Awards
Golden Raspberry Awards
Institution
Golden Raspberry Awards
Year
1981
Category
Worst Picture
Recipient
Sean S. Cunningham
Result
Nominated
Worst Supporting Actress
Worst Supporting Actress
Institution
Worst Supporting Actress
Year
Betsy Palmer
Category
Nominated
Satellite Awards
Satellite Awards
Institution
Satellite Awards
Year
2005
Category
Best DVD Extras
Recipient
Friday the 13th
Result
Nominated
Saturn Awards
Saturn Awards
Institution
Saturn Awards
Year
2014
Category
Best DVD/Blu-ray Collection
Recipient
Friday the 13th
Result
Nominated
| Institution | Year | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
| AFI's 100 Years... 100 Thrills | 2001 | America's Most Heart-Pounding Movies | Friday the 13th | Nominated | |
| Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival | 1981 | Grand Prize | Sean S. Cunningham | Nominated | |
| Golden Raspberry Awards | 1981 | Worst Picture | Sean S. Cunningham | Nominated | |
| Worst Supporting Actress | Betsy Palmer | Nominated | |||
| Satellite Awards | 2005 | Best DVD Extras | Friday the 13th | Nominated | |
| Saturn Awards | 2014 | Best DVD/Blu-ray Collection | Friday the 13th | Nominated |
References
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- Nominated for the documentaries included on the Crystal Lake to Manhattan DVD set.
- Nominated for Friday the 13th: The Complete Collection Blu-ray set.
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- The Miami Newshttps://www.newspapers.com/clip/14988147/fridaythe13thwillscarethebejabbers/
- The Baltimore Evening Sunhttps://www.newspapers.com/clip/22929897/the_evening_sun/
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazettehttps://www.newspapers.com/clip/14988209/friday13thunluckydayformoviegoers/
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