Friday the 13th Part 2 appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 1.85:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. Given the limitations and age of the source, this became a pretty appealing presentation.
Sharpness remained positive the majority of the time, as most of the movie appeared more than acceptably concise and well-defined. Some mild softness crept into the image at times, but those instances created no issues.
I noticed no jagged edges, shimmering, or edge haloes, and with a natural layer of grain, noise reduction didn’t become a concern. As for print flaws, I saw a small speck or two but nothing more than that.
Colors came across pretty well, as most of the hues appeared pretty vibrant and lively. While the hues didn’t pop off the screen, they held up well.
Blacks seemed fairly dark and tight, while shadows looked appropriately dense and visible. No one will use the film to show off their big TVs, but this nonetheless felt like a satisfying rendition of the original photograpby.
When I examined the DTS-HD MA 5.1 remix of Part 2, I felt it offered a satisfying piece. As was the case with the track for the first flick, this one focused on general atmosphere.
Not much else happened here, and surround usage tended toward support. I noticed a few unique elements in the rear speakers – like a barking dog in the right surround – but most of the time those channels just reinforced material from the front.
And that was fine, as the forward channels opened up matters well. They showed good stereo music and demonstrated a fine sense of environment.
The mix created a surprisingly natural sense of place, so if I didn’t know better, I’d have thought the film always came with a multichannel mix. The soundtrack fit the material well.
In addition, audio quality was positive. Speech came across as reasonably concise and natural; no flaws or edginess marred the lines. Effects didn’t boast great range but they seemed clean and accurate.
Music presented nice clarity and except for a somewhat dull-sounding rock song at a bar, that side of things appeared pretty robust. While the track never dazzled, it worked well, especially given its age.
How does this 2020 Shout Blu-ray compare to the Paramount BD from 2021? Both seemed identical, and I believe the 2021 Paramount release simply duplicated the 2020 Shout version.
The two differ in terms of extras, as the Shout edition comes with a longer roster. New to the Shout edition, we get two separate audio commentaries.
For the first, we hear from actor Amy Steel, filmmaker Thommy Hutson and author Peter M. Bracke. All three sit together for a running, screen-specific discussion of Steel’s casting, her role and what she went through during the production.
Overall, this winds up as a fairly useful piece. Steel brings enough concrete notes about the film to mean fans will take away good notes from it.
The second commentary involves Bracke and actors Russell Todd, Kirsten Baker, Bill Randolph, Lauren Marie-Taylor and Stu Charno. All sit together for a running, screen-specific chat about their casting, their characters and their experiences during the shoot.
Though we get a decent assortment of memories, this never becomes an incredibly informative track, as the actors mostly enjoy reminiscing. Still, they deliver enough substance to make the commentary worthwhile, and fans will likely feel happy to hear so many of the actors converse among themselves.
Inside Crystal Lake Memories runs 11 minutes, 16 seconds and provides an interview with Bracke.
Conducted by Dark Delicacies owner Del Howison, they discuss why Bracke decided to write the book, his research and the writing process, his approach to the material, aspects of Part 2 and thoughts about the series’ enduring appeal.
I was pleased that “Inside” spent so much time on the production of Part 2. I feared it would be little more than a way to promote Bracke’s book, but it never feels like a promotional tool.
Instead, we get good details about the series and Part 2 in particular. It’s too bad this disc doesn’t include the deleted shots Bracke mentions here, though.
Next comes the six-minute, 51-second Friday’s Legacy: Horror Conventions. It includes some remarks from Scarefest event manager Jeff Waldridge, Friday makeup effects creator Tom Savini, Friday writer Victor Miller, composer Harry Manfredini, Scarefest host Patty Star, and actors Ari Lehman, Betsy Palmer, and Tucky Williams.
We learn a little about Scarefest and why the folks involved in films like to appear there. Unlike “Inside”, “Legacy” does feel promotional. We get no real insights into the horror convention phenomenon and learn nothing more than how terrific they allegedly are.
A continuation of a piece started on the Friday the 13th disc, Lost Tales from Camp Blood – Part 2 goes for eight minutes, 55 seconds. Actually, “continuation” isn’t really correct, as both parts of “Lost Tales” show different short horror films. Neither offer much entertainment, so don’t expect much from them.
My Life and Ginny runs 33 minutes, 15 seconds. It gives us an audio-only chat with actor Amy Steel as part of Justin Beahm’s podcast.
“Ginny” examines aspects of Steel’s life and career as well as her memories of the Friday II production. Though we inevitably find some overlap with the commentary, the discussion’s primary focus on non-Friday II topics makes it useful.
With Slashed Scenes, we find four minutes, 23 seconds of deleted footage. Taken from a VHS copy owned by special makeup effects artist Carl Fullerton, the material lacks audio.
Between the absence of sound and the poor quality, the usefulness of the clips becomes limited. Still, fans will likely feel happy to get a look at some unused shots.
Finally, we find two trailers, two TV spots, three radio spots and two still galleries.
These cover “Movie Stills” (63 images) and “Posters and Lobby Cards” (76). Both offer good shots.
Like many sequels, Friday the 13th Part 2 does little more than remake its predecessor. However, it does so in a satisfying way, as it presents a discernibly more dynamic and visceral experience. The Blu-ray offers good picture and audio along with a minor set of extras. Friday the 13th Part 2 probably won’t win over any non-fans, but it acts as one of the better entries in the series.
Note that as of February 2025, this Shout Blu-ray of the film appears solely as part of a 12-film “Friday the 13th Collection” set. It also includes the 1980 Friday the 13th, the movie’s subsequent eight sequels, 2003’s Freddy vs. Jason, the 2009 reboot and two discs of bonus materials.
Note that this Blu-ray loses some extras found on the 2021 Paramount release. However, these appear on the aforementioned bonus discs, so the Shout set doesn’t drop existing materials.
To rate this film visit original review of FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2
