Friday The 13th

I'm assuming that the remake of "Friday The 13th" is going to be released next week to coincide with Friday The 13th. Great marketing. I've watched the preview on YouTube and I've got to admit I'm excited about seeing it. Even though I often groan at the announcement of yet another horror remake, most of them are turning out fairly decent. Most would disagree with me, but I thought the remake of "When A Stranger Calls" was pretty decent, and I love the two "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" updates. Of course, there have been lumps of dung like the remakes of "Halloween" and "The Omen".

Another remake I saw just a couple of weeks ago was "My Bloody Valentine 3D" (the original of which I own on DVD), which I really enjoyed. The prospect of seeing a movie in 3D had me excited enough that I was bouncing up and down in my seat before the movie began. All that anticipation resulted in me being left a little disappointed, but I was still impressed, both by the film and the intention of the filmmakers. While most studios churn out remakes of the well-known films for a quick buck, these guys found a lesser-known movie (albeit one with some die-hard fans) and updated it. They threw in a high body count, some classic gore - the pick-axe through the back of the head and out through the eye was a keeper - and a six-minute long full frontal nude scene while one potential victim was being pursued. On top of that they thought: "what else can we do to make this even more extreme and gratuitous?"

So they made it in 3D! When the people involved in the project appear to actually enjoy what they're doing and actively find ways to give audiences what they want, how can you not like it? Cliches and predictability aside, there's something to be said for a movie that delivers exactly what you expect.

The reviews I've read so far of "Friday The 13th" suggest the base elements will be covered: death, gore and boobies. Just not in 3D.