Directed by: Sean S. Cunningham
Starring: Adrienne King, Betsy Palmer, Jeannine Taylor, Robbi Morgan
Factual error: There would be no slide latch on the inside of the pantry that Alice hides in before hitting Mrs. Voorhees with the frying pan. It would be on the outside.
Continuity mistake: Crazy Ralph comes out of the pantry and Alice screams. Marcy and Ned come running into the kitchen. Ned is eating a hamburger that hasn't been cooked until the next scene.
Tierney: It's not bad enough to have Friday the 13th, we've gotta have a full moon too. We keep statistics. We have more accidents, more rapes, more robberies, more homicides, more of everything when there's a full moon. It upsets people. Makes them nuts.
Steve Christy: You're making a science out of coincidence.
Trivia: According to producer/director Sean Cunningham, Shelly Winters was the original choice for Mrs. Voorhees. He wanted a known actress whose career was winding down so the fee would be low. Winters wasn't interested. Estelle Parsons actually negotiated to be in the film, but ultimately backed out. Louise Lasser and Dorothy Malone were also considered before they finally would up with Betsy Palmer, who famously agreed to the role because she needed the money for a new car.
Question: Maybe I've missed the reason, but why is the film called Friday the 13th? I'm sure there is never any reference to that date, so why be titled this?
Answer: Sean Cunningham was the one who had an idea for a horror film called "Friday the 13th", because he really felt like it was a can't miss film title. He got with Victor Miller about making a horror film similar to "Halloween" and Miller began writing a script. Miller had titled the first draft "Long Night at Camp Blood", but he admits he's never been good at coming up with titles, so this was just a working title. Cunningham had called Miller and told him he wants to name the film "Friday the 13th" and Miller said "That's great. Unfortunately, there's no reason for that." To which Cunningham replied with "Stick one in." (Which is why there's a few references to the date in the film.) Cunningham was so sure of the film's title that he put an ad in Variety magazine in July before any sort of production of the film had begun.
Answer: Another reason is in the scene where Pamela is talking to Alice she mentions that today was Jason's birthday, Friday the 13th.
Answer: I do not recall any answer, definitive or otherwise, been given to your question. Originally the film was to be called 'Long Night at Camp Blood'. I have no idea why it was changed. Or why the new title was chosen. However the film is set on a Friday the 13th. And it is mentioned as such after the credits when Annie is walking through the town. On the radio, the DJ says as much.
Answer: After Barry and Claudette was killed by young Pamela in 1958, it then flashes white to Crystal Lake and words in the bottom saying "Friday June 13 The Present." Present means the year 1979.
Chosen answer: Just after the credits, there's a bank sign that says "Friday, 13 - 7:01 - 60 Degrees". Then the DJ says "It's 7:01 on Friday the 13th of June." and goes on to say some more about it and lists some other bad luck superstitions. At two other points in the movie, two characters (Ralph and Tierney) say "it's Friday the 13th". So there are at least four references to the fact that the movie takes place on Friday the 13th.
Myridon