Clayton George Wickham - final thesis

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‘sequel’ – or, if you like, the process of ‘sequelling’ – has itself become a
major convention of the genre, a phenomenon fully understood and, more
important, expected and embraced by a generically competent horror
audience. (2002; 106-107)
Whatever the basis of or motivation for these film sequels, they also exist as
individual films, that can be rented, sold, or even upon cinematic release, consumed
individually. Because of this, these films have the potential to be analysed on their
own merits, and also as individual narratives existing within the overarching
framework of a film series.
Despite its close emulation of the generic formula made popular by
Halloween, and its strong ties to the giallo film, Friday the 13 th does little to link
itself to other films. Dika writes, “Friday the 13 th has no artistic pretensions, no
film-school ‘allusions’ or ‘homages’; instead, its elements have been unambiguously
combined for their maximum impact and profitability.” (64) There are two
significant exceptions, however. Firstly, as Dika notes, “The title Friday the 13 th
again specifies, if not quite a holiday, as did Halloween, at least a recurring occasion
of sinister significance.” (66) Secondly, contrary to Dika’s claim about the lack of
allusions or homages, Friday the 13 th is heavily influenced by A Bay of Blood. With
Halloween’s financial success in 1978, the title itself became a major factor in
raising the production budget for the film. According to Sean Cunningham:
I took out this ad in Variety over the Fourth of July weekend of 1979. A
full-page ad that said ‘Friday the 13 th ’ in great big block letters, crashing
through a mirror. And underneath it read, ‘The Most Terrifying Film