After a full year of dance parties presented by the son of a hundred maniacs, it's about damn time good old Jason got a little love around here, and what better time than on Friday the 13th? The answer is…there is no better time than Friday the 13th to show some respect for one of cinemas finest Slahser veterans, Jason M. Voorhees. Actually, I don't think he has a known middle initial, but it just sounded better. You know, more official. So, whether it be Ari Lehman, Warrington Gillette, Steve Daskawisz, Richard Brooker, Ted White, Tom Morga, C. J. Graham, Dan Bradley, Kane Hodder (!), Ken Kirzinger, Derek Mears or whomever The Man Behind the Mask may be in any given film, Jason is a horror icon that is rivaled by few, and I am happy to dedicate this party to that mongoloid maggot-faced sonuvabitch, on this - his special day.
Written by Kane Roberts, Tom Kelly and performer Alice Cooper, He's Back (The Man Behind the Mask) appeared on the Constrictor album but is best known as the theme song for 1986's Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives. The song was written as a sort of celebration for the return of Jason Voorhees after his annoying hiatus in A New Beginning, where Jason turned out to not actually be Jason, in a Friday movie that turned out not to be a good Friday movie. So you can guess that Jason's return was worth celebrating.
Now, we all know that Freddy ruled the roost when it came to awesome music videos and song dedications, but He's Back (The Man Behind the Mask) is as good as anything from the Freddy camp, and it's unfortunate that there weren't a few more quality songs and videos like it for the Friday series. The song is incredibly catchy with an infectious chorus, and the use of ki-ki-ki, ma-ma-ma-ma simply brings a smile to my rotted face, though I am wearing a mask, so you can't tell. It's certainly great that the song is brought to life by Alice Cooper, someone that has always been so heavily influenced by horror and all things wicked in his music and Grand-Guignolesque stage act. Plus, he is Freddy's pops, so there is that whole connection there too.
Anyways, fantastic video, and I hope it starts your Friday spent with Jason films off on the right foot. Enjoy your Friday the 13th everyone, before you lack the blood and innards to do so.
Possibly the foremost contender on my list of greatest songs ever. Great pick. "No, don't turn out the lightsss..."
ReplyDelete:)
... oh, and incidentally, my dad is dating a woman who sorta looks like Alice Cooper.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm very disappointed a better-quality version of this video never made it onto any of the FRIDAY THE 13TH DVD features; publishing rights issues, no doubt. I'll stop stinkin' up your comments section, now.
I saw Alice Cooper live a few months ago and I was a little bummed that he didn't perform any of the songs from Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives. Oh well, I still love him. I'm going to try to have a Friday the 13th marathon tonight and remember what it was that made me fall in love with Mr. Jason Voorhees in the first place.
ReplyDeleteohhhh he's back the man... and he's out of control... my first real cherry introduction to alice cooper. loved him ever since...
ReplyDeletenice post...I listen to this song all year long on my iPod. Alice Cooper is the king of this genre, so you are right, it's fitting that he did the song.
ReplyDeleteAstro: Dude, Alice is a girls name, so maybe you're on to something...
ReplyDeleteIt is pretty weak that it has never shown up on any of the DVD releases. That old Nightmare box set had a handful of awesome music videos on it, but the Friday films have always gotten the shaft I suppose. I had a bitch of a time just finding an embed video that would actually play on the site because it was blocked for most places.
Morgan: Cooper obviously has a mean catalog of classics, but I too would be a bit bummed if he strayed from playing any one of the songs from the film.
Hope you enjoy your marathon, though, I might finally try and watch Friday the 13th 3 in 3D. We'll see how long that lasts before I pull my eyes out due to strain!
Zombie: Is there a better way to be introduced to him? I can't imagine there is for someone like us!
Jay: He sure is and his biggest strength is just how long he has been around for. He's very influential and he's not afraid to tell you about it either, and rightfully so!
Awesome pick! :D
ReplyDeleteIt's the only reason I keep the credits rolling after I watch Jason Lives. Wonder if Cooper was handpicked for both song and Freddy's dad. I should know the Freddy one. If I'm correct, he was/is a fan of the franchise.
I was thoroughly disappointed that not even Spike did its routine Friday the 13th marathon. Since when does Jason get no love on the very day he made popular?
Dude He's Back p0wnzEs most other Freddy MV's, Alice Cooper > ALL
ReplyDeleteI proudly admit that this song is programmed on my Sirius and I play it at least once a week. And I definitely made sure to play it this past Friday, of course. "He's a dangerous, dangerous man!"
ReplyDeleteAshlee: He actually plays Freddy's dad in a flashback sequence in Freddy's Dead, a movie that is so terrible, but I love it still! As for Spike, that is lame and the Friday films should be playing on at least a few channels at different points throughout the day. It's just par for the course.
ReplyDeleteCarl: It is definitely top notch and as I said, it is too bad there weren't more like it. I don't think Jason had the marketing prowess of Freddy, but that may be one of the biggest differences between the two characters right there.
Geof: It had been a while since I had heard the song, so it was nice to do so and I was reminded of just how great of a tune it is. I will be adding it to my iTunes asap!