20 Things You Somehow Missed In Friday The 13th (1980)

It's hard to believe that the original Friday the 13th is forty years old this year.

Like John Carpenter's Halloween (1978) or Sir Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960), it has become such a staple of the horror genre that it seems virtually ageless.

However, it was not intended to be such a lasting film as it is. The film's director, screenwriter, and top-billed actress, Betsy Palmer have all admitted that they purely made the film to cover their respective bills at the time, erroneously believing that the film would simply come and be forgotten in no time at all.

Today, viewers can only imagine their shock when the film not only became a blockbuster success (if not a critical one) and went on to create one of the best beloved slasher franchises of all time.

Made in an authentic fashion with mostly unknown actors (at the time), Cunningham's film may be considered quite tame in comparison to the genuine blood baths that followed it, but there is plenty about it that remains hidden...at least the twenty items in this list.

However, be warned that "you're doomed" if you think that there aren't any spoilers ahead!

There is no mistaking that Friday the 13th was both inspired by and rode the success of Halloween, being one of the few films to successfully do so.

When the film became a financial (if not a critical) hit, a sequel became inevitable. Initially, Adrienne King's "final girl", Alice Hardy was to have led the franchise, not unlike Jamie Lee Curtis's Laurie Strode in Halloween. Unfortunately, these plans were scuppered when King was stalked by an aggressive Friday the 13th fan and asked that her character be written out.

Fortunately rebounding from her real-life experience, Adrienne King focused on smaller film roles, voice, and stunt work. Alongside this, she focused on painting and producing her own wines named after Crystal Lake. She also frequently contributes to Friday the 13th fan conventions.