This Friday is Friday the 13th so be careful and watch out for machete-wielding hockey-masked killers. Or… go watch THE machete-wielding hockey-masked killer as Jason Voorhees returns to the screen at the Cinema Arts Centre in Huntington, Long Island, New York. The mini Friday the 13th marathon, presented by Retro Picture Show, kicks off at 10PM with Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning, followed by Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan, with both films screening in 35mm.

Sean Cunningham’s original Friday the 13th was released in 1980 and despite getting hacked up by critics for its gratuitous violence and nudity, it drew huge audiences and became sequel bait on an almost yearly basis in the ’80s with eight films in the series by decade’s end. Ironically and also hilariously, the two ’80s Friday the 13th films most slasher fans would rank at the bottom of their lists are probably Parts V and VIII. That makes Friday night’s double feature even more fun.

Released in 1985, a year after The Final Chapter, the appropriately titled A New Beginning was co-written and directed by Danny Steinmann and is considered the middle of the Tommy Jarvis trilogy (parts 4 – 6). Returning for a brief cameo is Corey Feldman, before we get “ROY Jason” as yes, this is the infamous imposter Jason episode of the F13th series. The movie does feature a few memorable kills, lots of nudity, and plenty of so bad they’re good moments.

The double feature continues with the best advertised and likewise most falsely advertised film in series, 1989’s Jason Takes Manhattan, written and directed by Rob Hedden. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, this installment in the horror franchise is the one where a group of high school grads take a cruise (out of a LAKE, mind you) to New York City only for Jason to tag along. The film only features about 10 minutes in actual New York City with the majority of it shot in Vancouver, B.C. and Los Angeles. But hey, the New York scenes are some of beloved Jason actor Kane Hodder’s favorites in the four films he was in, so you can’t totally hate it.

For more details on Retro Picture Show events, visit their site at retropictureshow.com. The Cinema Arts Centre hosts tons of great novelty events like this, and their entire calendar as well as ticket info for this week’s special double feature are available through their website at cinemaartscentre.org. They are located at 423 Park Avenue, Huntington NY 11743. Bring your hockey masks and have a slashin’ good time this Friday the 13th.

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