J – “Jacob’s Ladder” to “Just for the Hell of It”

JACOB’S LADDER (1990)

JAIL BAIT (1954)

JAILHOUSE ROCK (1957)

JASON GOES TO HELL: THE FINAL FRIDAY (1993)
This entry, in a series that probably should have ended halfway through part one, gets big points for at least trying something completely different. It sports a twist opening for a change and attempts to create a brand new Jason Voorhees mythology that only acknowledges bits and pieces of the stories that came before it. Like in The Hidden, Jason is now, inexplicably a parasitic manifestation of pure evil that can jump from host body to host body. Fair ‘nuff. But there’s also the inexplicable introduction of a special Jason-killing knife that gets no context. Pretty silly stuff but the gore is over-the-top and big fun. Staple feature, gratuitous nudity, is acknowledged and appreciated. More fun than any of the entries that came before it, but too little too late for fans who stayed away in droves.
**½

JASON LIVES: FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VI (1986)
As confused by the running mythology as we are, the creators of Jason Lives decide that the only thing left to do is make Jason immortal. Evidently, one properly channeled bolt of lightning can raise the dead, even if said dead has been dead for years. Watch for a Welcome Back Kotter-alum in the film’s opening scene. The rotting Super Zombie Jason looks pretty cool, but like just about every other Friday, this is a yawner. And evidently audiences finally started catching on. This was as successful as Jason would be at the box office until he finally goes toe to toe with Freddy in 2003.
* ½

JASON X (2001)
It was only a matter of time before we’d get “Jason in Space.” After nearly a decade off, Jason returns in this inventive little lark that one-ups Jason Goes to Hell by sending him to a cryogenic space lab where a convoluted set of circumstances wake him from cryo-rest and send him on a celestial rampage. Adopting it’s own style and playing up the sci-fi elements were wise moves for a series pushed so far beyond it’s potential. There are some fun (if usually ineffective) scares and lots of great effects. I’d guess that this probably sported the biggest budget of the entire series and it shows. Nicely paced and intentionally tongue-in-cheek, this is a Jason movie I can actually recommend without reservation – but only to genre fans. Anyone looking for a seriously scary movie would find Jason X ridiculous. But considering the series that it tails, it’s a fucking masterpiece. There’s a “virtual Camp Crystal Lake” scene that serves as the movie’s (kinda’ hilarious) centerpiece.
** ½

JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (1959)
Bloated but colorful adaptation of the Jules Vern novel miscasts James Mason as a Scottish scientist who has uncovered an explorer’s detailed directions, via the mouth of an Icelandic volcano, to the earth’s core – which is less an unlivable world of molten rock and more a world of beautiful crystals, hidden cities (Atlantis?!) and dinosaur-like lizard monsters. Who knew? Pat Boone, of all people, plays Mason’s bright young (singing) protégé. Thayer David has the Peter Lorre/Dr. Smith role. With a running time exceeding two hours it takes way to long to get to the “journey” part of the story. The budget shows in the good effects and impressive sets. Boone sings “My Love is a Red, Red Rose” and spends most of the movie with his shirt off. A little too “gee-whiz” to be very exciting.
** ½

JUST FOR THE HELL OF IT (1968)
A gang of nasty teens tool around on cycles and wreak havoc wherever they go. If they’re not ripping up a soda shop they’re beating up the elderly or terrorizing little leaguers. The giggles stop however for a pretty heinous rape scene that destroys the movie’s last couple of reels. This would seem disturbingly coarse if the movie were remotely competent. It’s not without its charms however. It is quintessential David Friedman and that’s got to be worth something. Friedman’s superior The Blast-off Girls is paired with this on Something Weird’s DVD release.
**