Sometimes watching a good horror teaser can be as much fun as watching the actual movie. Trailers give us a sneak peek into the dark realm awaiting us once the theater lights dim and the movie starts to roll. I’ve always found them to be a lot of fun and whenever a horror trailer was released we all quickly learned to pay attention. Back then trailers didn’t spoil the movie by showing the whole damn thing. Instead only showed enough to give us a ravenous need to go see what they were advertising. Child’s Play 2 did this in spades!
With the tagline ‘Sorry Jack, Chucky’s back’ our tickets were as good as already bought!
REWIND THE CLOCK
Child’s Play was a huge hit upon its release and scared the bejeezus out of us bratty little kids. We were at that tender age when playing with toys was a sacred pastime. Saturday mornings were entirely dedicated to brainwashing us into rushing out and buying the newest and best thing to fill the toy box.
I mean these were the days when grown-ass men and women broke out into literal fistfights while in line at K-Mart over Cabbage Patch Kids of all things. Toys were a red hot topic and even our parents were getting in on the insanity.
So, gliding a razor’s edge across our societal vein, a little movie about a doll named Chucky (a cleaver resemblance to the famous My Buddy doll was not coincidental) hit theaters with ferocity, and if the idea of a killer doll wasn’t already a subconscious fear malignantly growing in the back of our cultural mind once Child’s Play released it was a full-blown phobia.
No, Chucky was not the first killer doll to darken our minds. Stuart Gordon’s malicious Dolls had already come out and scared people silly. Not to mention years prior little Talky Tina scared people out of their skin thanks to the Twilight Zone.
But all the chills these guys introduced to the cultural zeitgeist Chucky took to a whole new level. And his infamy lives on today proving what a demonic powerhouse of a monster the little guy has always been.
The idea of a killer doll was amped up on some serious coke thanks to Child’s Play so to introduce its inevitable sequel the marketing team put together one of my absolute favorite little horror trailers of all time. Those psychopathic bastards took a Jack-in-the-Box, something that plays on the fears of a lot of people already, and then showed it being crushed beneath Chucky’s feet. The killer doll was back and was carving out a bloody franchise for himself. He wasn’t playing around this time.
Today Chucky is as recognizable as his bigger brothers like Jason, Freddy, and Leatherface, and has left a landslide of creative carnage across his macabre legacy. Chucky is celebrated for his wit, humor, and that pure love for murder that drives him. He’s become a husband, a father, and overall terrible influence and downright satanic pain in the ass to all who encounter him.
Naturally, we love him for it. It’s also worth noting Spirit Halloween is selling the Jack featured in the trailer. That’s the impact Child’s Play 2 had on us. What a time to be alive!
There’s no better time than the spooky Halloween season to relive the thrills and chills invested in this psychopathic little guy. So turn down the lights and cuddle up close to the ghoul of your dreams because the fun is about to begin!
Even among the most iconic denizens of horror, he stands out as a colossal figure bowing to none and ruling over all others. He is the Son of the Devil, accursed of God, and Father of Plagues. The mention of his name conjures forth images of tall ruins and battlements, of permanent night and a castle haunted by nocturnal demons. A kingdom looming over fog-laden graveyards and midnight towers rising to scratch the silver frost of crescent moons. His presence haunts the Carpathian mountainside and his shadow far spreads across the villages of Transylvania, chilling the blood with ultimate terror. His legend is renowned and his history evermore draws out the mystics to return once more to the land of vampires where he sits enthroned among the ghouls. He is Dracula!
The Imperial Legacy of Dracula
Transylvanian nights, autumn-shaded fields, greying woods of barren trees haunted by werewolves, and, most of all, deep crypts beneath the demon castle where the undead slumber restlessly in an anguish of eternal thirst.
These are merely a handful of examples Dracula inspires within us. A devil, a king, and a tyrant. A vampire and a lover. The romantic and the fanatic, a man and a beast in one combined by howling passions and restless obsessions.
In every imaginable form, Dracula has mystified people around the world. History knows him as a blood-crazed warlord whose carnage saved his beloved Wallachia from invaders. The hillsides ran red with the blood of his enemies who hung between heaven and earth from the crude poles Vlad Tepes impaled them upon. Grizzly decorations to demonstrate his ruthless majesty and unwavering malice. He would feast beneath the agony of their slow death even though the air ran putrid with the black stench of human rot and cadaverous decay.
Among his various accounts, it was noted that Vlad was seen dipping his bread in a pool of blood and feasting thus solidifying the rumors of his vampiric legend even further. To this day the inhabitants of Romania hail Dracula as a national hero and do not view him as the monster he’s universally perceived as.
In literature, you’ll find no vampire any more recognizable or beloved than him. He’s not only dominated the bustling theater stage but has likewise wrapped his gossamer wings around movie-going audiences and holds generations enthralled by his mystique.
Even videogames get in on the power of Dracula’s immortal darkness and reap the rewards.
Through him, we recognize the darker aspect of our own nature. Those hidden longings and buried desires we all keep unseen by the light of day. Our thirsts and insatiable cravings that would otherwise wash us away in a tidal flood if not for the restraint of a good and proper conscience. Dracula, on the other hand, is unrestrained, and perhaps, in loving him, a silent exorcism of our own shadowy demons is at play. As the Prince of Darkness, he draws out the blackness of our souls and embodies our bestial aspects of nature so that we may go on with living in the sunshine. Oh yes, he is evil but is a necessary evil.
Perhaps for this very reason, scholars return back to his crypt year after year in hopes of some future discoveries remaining sealed away among the nocturnal mysteries of his haunted castle. And, as a matter of point, what a great discovery has been made concerning the legend of our beloved Count Dracula!
The Half Has Not Been Told – The Powers of Darkness!
Dracula’s legendarium is universally known by now, an achievement seldom ever accomplished and worthy of celebration. The Count rising from his grave to feed off human blood; the bats, the wolves, the castle, and stakes through the heart all come from association with Dracula’s immortal tale.
Ask children to draw a vampire they’ll draw you a figure with fangs and draped in a black cape. That’s Dracula. Ask anyone what a vampire turns into and they’ll say. ‘a bat.’ Again, that’s from Bram Stoker. Dracula isn’t just a vampire to the world. He is the vampire to us, the very quintessential embodiment of everything a vampire is expected to be. That is how well-established Dracula is.
He is a global phenomenon.
Nevertheless, as readily recognizable as the beloved Count is, and as one renowned Dracula scholar discovered, there may in fact be far more to this beloved vampire’s saga than we first thought possible. Could there be a completely different Dracula that’s secretly been hiding among us for over a hundred years? If so how perfectly fitting of it.
Enter the unusual Icelandic interpretation of Dracula AKA Powers of Darkness.
Much like how Dracula rises from the dead upon sundown this ‘lost’ edition rose up, perhaps at some astral appointed time, and unfurled its mystery at long last demanding recognition. This lost edition of Dracula was found in the Icelandic translation of Bram Stoker’s horror tale. At first, it was thought to be nothing more than an example of artistic freedom on behalf of the translation. It happens.
And yet, the more the Icelandic edition was studied the clearer it became this was not simply a bit of paraphrasing of the original, but this was in fact a genuinely different animal altogether. New characters, new chapters, and a new plotline awaited within.
When I first heard about this ‘lost’ version I thought maybe it would be similar to what happened with Universal’s Spanish Dracula. Both versions of the movie were filmed at the same time, the Lugosi version was shot during the day whereas the Spanish crew filmed at night. Though the movies follow the same plot many feel the Spanish version is technically superior to the Lugosi film. But the narrative doesn’t change much.
This isn’t the case between Dracula and Powers of Darkness.
Some of the glaring differences are as follows:
I: The Powers of Darkness is not at all a gothic romance, a thing its counterpart is celebrated for. The original Bela Lugosi movie was called a story of the strangest passion the world has ever known! Decades later Francis Ford Coppola would reinvent the wheel with his passionate retelling of the vampire’s romantic tale with Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
By the time Coppola’s film was released the world was inundated with many, many different Dracula movies. Many earning cult status on their own merits. As a matter of fact, to this day Christopher Lee’s portrayal of Dracula stands as most people’s favorite thanks to the Hammer Horror take on the Count. But after so many movies about this Prince of Darkness, it seemed either stupid or bold to make another one.
And yet, with nearly a hundred movies about Dracula already in circulation, this passion project hit theaters and stabbed at the heart of audiences all around the world, becoming an instant classic and inspiring a new generation of dark-minded individuals universally. It is not a 100% accurate adaptation by any means but it does stay closely to the vein of Stoker’s novel. Bram Stoker’s Dracula was a blockbuster sensation and Gary Oldman’s performance is chilling as well as tragic. The poster promises Love Never Dies, thus once more confirming the deeply rooted romance at the heart of Dracula.
Well, The Powers of Darkness has none of that. Removing the romance from the story grants the narrative a more menacing scope. For example, in Bram Stoker’s recognized story Dracula travels to London and there falls in love with Mina. Dracula is after her heart. In Powers of Darkness, Dracula is not out to steal hearts but to conquer the world. His planned trip to London is far more ambitious. London, for the time, being the pinnacle of world power naturally causes the Count to turn his reddened eyes her way with a lust to rule and dominate.
This version of Dracula thrills me for obvious reasons and I’m pretty sure my readers will know why. If you’ve been with us for very long and are accustomed to my writings you’ll know how much I absolutely love the Castlevania games. In Powers of Darkness, Dracula reminds me of the Dracula from that game series. An evil master of demons and Dark Lord of horror. He will engulf the world in his growing shadow and only the bravest can stand against him.
I’m not saying PoD is an action story by any stretch of the imagination, but I will admit it is thrilling.
II: Whereas the original novel takes place mostly in London The Powers of Darkness plays out mostly in the dark regions of Transylvania. And let’s be honest here. That’s way more interesting than London. When we think of Dracula he’s always in the top spires of his castle which is secured at the heart of Transylvania. Keeping the reader in the heart of vampire country allows for a much darker experience, one that is perfectly suited for Halloween which makes this edition the perfect new read come the witching season.
III: Compared to the original version this one’s positively dripping with eroticism. The romance of Stoker’s original novel may be gone but in its place is a silky and sensual carnality on full display. Today it would be considered tame by modern audiences but for those picking up a copy upon its initial publication a hundred-some years ago, they had to have felt red around the collar. It would have been altogether too obscene for proper Londonites of the day.
This further pushes the argument that Bram Stoker was behind the Icelandic release. As a writer, he must have known how reviled his original version would be seen by the society he lived in. In fact, even the version of Dracula that got published was considered far too ‘dreadful’ by many of Stoker’s associates. The idea of having lustful beings who equally feed on human blood and are children of the Devil would have been too extreme for people to accept. So what is a writer to do? If it was me I would get both editions published in order for the dream to live on across the world.
In Powers of Darkness, we don’t see pornography, of course not. It’s nothing of that degree, but young Mr. Harker’s mind is tortured by ungodly thoughts once he sees a mysterious beauty playfully about the halls of the castle. Her clothes are far more revealing than Mr. Harker has ever had the pleasure of seeing. Not to mention a full-on Satanic orgy is held beneath the castle. As I stated before proper English society would’ve been appalled.
IV: Character names are changed, and other characters are gone entirely. In Dracula, we follow Jonathan Harker into the mysteries of Transylvania where the Count awaits to greet him. Meanwhile, in Powers of Darkness, we follow Thomas Harker, the same character but different name.
The three Brides are missing here. The Brides were always interesting to me and added to the dangers lurking about Castle Dracula. They were tragic and foreboding, a beautiful menace not to be taken lightly and never to be underestimated. Their omission here is sadly felt.
Now that I think about it I don’t think Renfeild is in this either. Something about the lunatic Renfeild is really special and no one’s portrayed the part better than in Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
Played by Tom Waits, Renfield stole the show and caused me to more deeply appreciate the character’s role in the story.
V: Additional chapters. The one scene worth mention more than any other is the midnight ceremony held in the bowlels of the Castle. Thomas Harker stumbles upon a satanic extravaganza where cult members celebrate the profane in an occult ceremony led by Dracula himself. The unholy reaches its zenith with a human sacrifice and members of the dark gathering drinking the sacrificial blood. Harker knows he better get the fuck out after this little incident.
Could Bram Stoker Have Written Two Versions of Dracula?
This is either a blatant example of savage plagiarism at the expense of Stoker’s estate or it is in fact a whole other edition of Dracula certified and approved by Bram Stoker himself.
With its searing sensuality and a heavier focus on horror it is possible Stoker knew his society was not yet ready to accept his earliest vision of Vlad Tepes but instead of trashing a work he spent years on writing out, he could have sold the rights to Icelandic publishers knowing the descendants of Viking conquerors would be a bit more open-minded than his common tea-time enjoying Englishman.
Now that’s all speculation of course. Have we any substantial evidence to back up these claims though? In fact, we do.
Thanks to the newly released edition of Powers of Darkness, the scholarly evidence gleaned by noted Dracula scholar Hans Corneel De Roos is presented for our approval and it’s damn compelling. One thing De Roos points out is how – in Bram’s day – Iceland was all the rage. Many English families made their way to the mysterious land of Vikings to holiday and Icelandic wanderlust was in full bloom.
Others may find it intriguing that Bram’s work would be translated into Icelandic, but considering the fascination with Vikings and “the Old Norse” in the literary circles of his day it makes sense to me… Bram’s connection with the Vikings was personal.
Powers of Darkness, forward – Dacre Stoker
It’s also evident that the Stoker estate fully embraces this Icelandic version of Dracula and endorses it. Dacre Stoker writes the foreword of the book and insists Bram Stoker not only knew of the many changes between both versions of the story but in fact orchestrated them.
Another thing worth noting is the business agreement Bram Stoker had with his publisher. It allowed Bram Stoker ‘to sell Dracula – or any version of Dracula for translation.’
Bram would have loved the irony of the situation. He knew the best place to hide something was in plain sight – just as he hid his vampire Count as another face in the crowded streets of London.
Powers of Darkness, forward – Dacre Stoker
Finally, among many of the glaring differences between both versions is the introduction of Dracula from within Powers of Darkness. Many fans think of Bela Lugosi or Christopher Lee, with the swirling cape and smartly dressed vampire, when imagining Dracula. However, in the published account when Jonathan meets his vampire host Dracula is a withered old man covered in a solid black robe.
In Powers of Darkness though we see the very stereotypical Dracula we’re all accustomed to. The suave tall smartly dressed man of mystery. He is more like the Dracula we all have come to expect.
Now to further drive this point Bram Stoker’s background was (in fact) the theater and he had the rights to turn his gothic masterpiece into a stage play. The Stoker stageplay for Dracula is what Universal based its movie on when adapting the tale to the big screen. It’s also common knowledge that Bela Lugosi, years prior to being immortalized in the movie, was already well-established as Count Dracula on the theater stage. The iconic look was simply lifted to the cinema.
Bram Stoker approved of the look of his Count even if it was nothing like his novel’s description. It did match the description of Powers of Darkness though. Hmm, could it be a coincidence or is it evident the same mind was behind both versions?
It might as well be noted that Dacre Stoker has released an official sequel to Bram’s Dracula story, Dracula the Un-Dead. In Dacre’s story, Bram Stoker is actually a character in the tale and, yes, he’s in the middle of making the famous stageplay of his book. There’s a scene where Dracula barges in on Bram Stoker and furiously throws a copy of Dracula at the writer. “LIES!” Dracula hisses at the bewildered man before vanishing.
I didn’t think much of it until researching all this ghastly beautiful stuff and now I have to wonder if this scene was some inside joke of the Stoker estate. As if to say Dracula is not the entire story but only a version of it. That, possibly, there was another (lost) version out there waiting to be resurrected.
At the end of the day, we are free to draw our own conclusions. Personally, I like to think Powers of Darkness is indeed a lost version we’ve just now discovered. Having read and loved Dracula so many years ago I truly loved having one more chance to return to the realm of the Vampire and gain a brand new experience of one of my all-time favorite monsters!
Powers of Darkness does nothing to diminish the Count’s legacy, on the contrary, it deepens it. It should also be stated that for many readers Dracula may be considered a tad bit confusing and very flowery whereas Powers of Darkness goes for the jugular and offers horror fans a true look into the heart of evil and battles it out with the Lord of Darkness.
Regardless the evidence all points to one undeniable fact: Dracula is immortal. Could we possibly see a film adaptation of Powers of Darkness? Perhaps. Would audiences be open to seeing a brand new take on such a classic tale of blood and passion? That remains to be seen.
Personally, I like to lean on the original Dracula I grew up reading and originally fell enthralled with. That is not a criticism towards the Powers of Darkness either because I deeply enjoyed the journey it provided me as a Dracula fanatic. Being a lifelong fan of Bram Stoker’s horror masterpiece I can sincerely say PoD enriched my passion for the character.
So my final thoughts here are yes, it’s a must-read for fans of gothic horror. I cannot stress that enough. I also believe Bram Stoker wrote both versions. Just that fact the Stoker estate is behind it has me convinced and anyone familiar with the legal debacle that surrounded the release of the silent-film gargantuan masterpiece Nosferatu and the fit the Stoker estate threw over its release will know how big of a deal that is.
It’s been a tradition now for me to offer up book recommendations for Halloween time. It should go without saying that this is a must-read for anyone who loves horror, but especially gothic horror. Discover the lost mysteries of Dracula for yourself.
Three legendary icons of horror were destined to meet in an apocalyptic bloodbath over the souls of every living thing on this planet. The stakes were high and anticipation across all three fandoms had never been hotter. It was supposed to be a worthy sequel to Freddy vs Jason and meant to further the lore of A Nightmare on Elm St, Friday the 13th, and the Evil Dead.
This is the story of Freddy vs Jason vs Ash, a comic book that slipped under the attention of many horror fans when it was released but is now considered a worthy successor to the franchises.
Prologue: In the beginning, there was Freddy vs Jason
It was to be the cinematic event of every horror fan’s lifetime. Oh Hell’s bells y’all, even nonhorror fans were excited to see it! After all, it was about damn time these two horror icons met up in an all-out visceral splatter-filled fight to the death! So, at long goddamn last, fans were actually getting the movie promised to us in the final reels of Jason Goes to Hell.
At the end of JGTH Freddy’s arm rises from – what has to be assumed to be – the very pits of Hell to drag Jason’s mask down to the heated pits of Satan’s domain. It was a major tease and horror fiends everywhere waited on pins and needles for the movie (Freddy vs Jason) to be announced.
Freddy Krueger of Elm St and Jason Voorhees of Crystal Lake were finally crossing over in what had to be the best horror movie ever made. Our imaginations ran wild. Speculations flowed and expectations were sky high. The problem is JGTH came out in August of 1993. It came and went and still no movie featuring the two most popular slasher villains of all time was released. It wouldn’t be until a decade later that the film we waited on was finally released. In the meantime, it was doubted if the project would ever happen.
However, as the years ticked by, the initial hype for the project never faded from fans’ hearts.
If you grew up in the ‘80s you know what a humongous deal this was. How often did all of us little horror fiends meet up on the playground and argue over who could beat the other, Freddy or Jason? And I mean these arguments were professionally structured and each side of the respective fandoms brought their reasons as to why their favorite slasher baddie would obviously wipe the floor with the other one’s mangled face.
As kids, we dreamed of seeing a legit Freddy vs Jason movie. Yeah, we were a weird little bunch who grew up on slasher movies and dark cartoons all the while the glowing threat of the Cold War loomed hazily over our heads every day. We grew up tough.
As aforementioned Jason Goes To Hell clearly set up the scenario for these two blood-soaked forces of evil to meet up. Truth of the matter is the plan to pit Freddy and Jason against each other was a hair up the filmmakers’ asses ever since the seventh Friday the 13th movie, New Blood. Already back then (1988) the plans were being laid to have them fight.
Due to licensing regulations, Jason could not fight Freddy just yet and so a ‘Jason vs Carrie’ style movie was made instead.
This scrapped FVJ movie would be the first in an avalanche of scripts to wind up in the trash before the studios finally locked on to one they liked. Was it the best one out there after all the ones that passed through executives’ hands? Was it a good idea to let the film be directed by a man who never watched a single movie from either colossal franchise? Did we really need someone from Destiny’s Child to be a lead character?
Fun Fact: Jason would face off against Leatherface before he ever got the chance to fight Freddy.
Today FVJ isn’t really looked upon fondly by fans. It does have its flaws. Like a lot of them. Starting with why isn’t Kane Hodder Jason? He was promised the role and fans couldn’t wait to see him fight Freddy. So who’s bright idea was it to ruin that? Not to mention the lead characters are weak and boring as well. Plus Jason has never been afraid of water so that plot point was in fact pointless.
All we wanted was to watch Freddy and Jason tear the everliving fuck out of one another. And that’s where the movie shines. It’s also why it was a hit at the box office.
Nevertheless, upon initial release, horror fans loved Freddy vs. Jason. People screamed and laughed, and some peed themselves with excitement. It was a fun popcorn movie and immediately once the credits rolled everyone just knew there had to be a follow-up… Right? I mean the movie ends with Jason carrying the severed head of Freddy Krueger (showing us who truly won the fight) and the Dream Demon winks at the audience. This fight was far from over. In fact, we had to be witnessing the start of a brand new franchise now combining both series into a fusion of carnage and carnality.
It wouldn’t be long before a sequel would be announced. Not only that but rumor was Ash of the beloved Evil Dead franchise would be entering the upcoming fight. This would be nothing short of epic.
Only, as we all now know, it never exactly happened. Even Robert Englund was hyped for the project and shared a few thoughts about what the poster design should be – Ash holding both Freddy and Jason in a dual head-lock with a tagline promising to keep audiences safe from remakes forever. The project would have been a sensation. Too bad some idiot in charge of New Line didn’t like the idea of making money because the idea was poo-pooed and FVJ still hasn’t had a proper sequel. Theatrically, I stress it’s not happened theatrically.
Freddy vs Jason vs Ash – comics do what Hollywood can’t
The sequel idea didn’t die and was carried over to the medium of comic books where the three juggernauts of horror got a chance to meet at long last in a little-known series called Freddy vs Jason vs Ash. Rolls right off the tongue.
Right away I want to praise the artwork. The artist (Jason Craig) truly brings this story to life, charging it with beautiful spectacles of gore and outrageous violence, not to mention bringing to life each character who is honestly larger than life due to the actors who’ve lived the role for decades now, which lends a definite cinematic feel to what would be an otherwise very static story.
The Plot
The story opens five years after the grizzly events of FVJ. Times have now changed and the disquieted residents of the Crystal Lake region would gladly like to move on and think beyond the horrible secrets of Camp Blood and the sorted history revolving around it.
Shall the blood-speckled horrors of the Past no longer hold sway over its traumatized citizens? They’d sure like to think so, but, as has been stated before, people like to forget that he’s out there lurking under the lake…
In what feels like a certain act of defiance – probably some definite denial too – they’ve happily renamed the whole region Forest Green to avoid any bad association linked to the moniker Crystal Lake. Nevertheless, my Ghoulies, a name change does not an exorcism make and demons, no matter how deeply buried they may be, do not vacate a residence so easily.
Too much blood has been spilled on these unhallowed grounds. Enough to drown two generations beneath its crimson tide, and the land is cursed by the sins of the wicked. Evil does not rest idly by.
But denial is a powerful persuasion and recently the surviving members of this disturbed little community have reason to be excited. A brand-spankin’ new S-mart’s been given the green light to open its doors of consumerism right there in the heart of it all. And right around Christmas time too so shoppers can be sure to smart extra smart (shop S-mart) this coming holiday season! I mean what could possibly go wrong?
And who better to get these primitive yokels in line than Mr. Groovy himself! That’s right fiends and ghouls, Ash Williams has come all the way from Michigan to be up in Jason’s ghastly neck of the woods to lend a firm hand (the only one he’s got left) in training the new employees and getting the store into shape. It won’t take long before heads start rolling.
Meanwhile, to tie up loose ends, Laurie, the final girl of FVJ, just can’t help herself and goes back to the forbidden grounds of Camp Blood to make double sure both Freddy and Jason are dead. Tagging along is her boyfriend Will, who also survived the bloody outcome of FVJ and serves as the voice of – very much needed – reason here. After all, if you survive an encounter with only one of these slasher kings why in the fucking of all fucking hells would you lack the common sense God gave a goose and take your sorry ass back to their haunted territory? Most of the time the survivors of these films only want to get on with their lives. But no, Laurie thinks she has some special plot armor and won’t be affected by the nasty stabby bits of a slasher’s blade.
I really don’t know what the Hell this idiot was thinking but upon reentering Jason’s dark domain the Demon of the Lake appears and Will gets a bad case of being slaughtered. Laurie soon comes to greatly regret her big dumb decision when she realizes Jason isn’t friendly! No, not at all and he doesn’t give a fuck who you are. To him, we’re all just a bunch of meat sacks that he gladly spills all over the place. It’s not long before Jason makes quick work of Laurie and her warm blood flows thickly into the wintery snow. Funnily enough, it feels like the storytellers had some real contempt for her character and couldn’t wait to kill her off at the first chance they got. So they did so right at the very beginning of the story! It shows this story isn’t messing around and we’re all just part of the ride.
In keeping with how FVJ concluded, Freddy’s nothing more than a severed head and sits alongside Pamela’s beloved cranium at the cabin’s shrine. Still, bereft of body as he now is, Freddy proves to be no less dangerous nor any less treacherous in his maniacal scheming.
He has full access to Jason’s mind and provokes him every chance he can, showing himself to be Mommy Dearest’s new lover and, by proxy, Jason’s step-daddy. Yeah, it gets really weird. This is all played out inside of Jason’s messed up mind by the way and he sees his mom naked in bed with Freddy…like I said it’s weird.
The Dream Demon has big goals for this hulking mass of violence and intends to send Jason out and obtain a hidden copy of the Necronomicon planted somewhere around Crystal Lake. It’s from here that the story centers primarily on the importance of getting hold of that accursed tome of necromancy.
It’s also here that a lot of fans roll their eyes – myself included – because the storytellers try to force the narrative that Jason is a Deadite and I hate that idea. Adam Markus tried dredging it up a few years ago and it still made no sense. During the Paramount era it was never once hinted that Jason could possibly be a Deadite. He was a kid who drowned in the lake and became a restless spirit of wrath and violence. He never exhibited any qualities of a Deadite. For one, Deadites can speak and love berating their victims with devilish taunts and jeers. They also have an over-the-top sense of humor. Something Jason lacks on both accounts. It wasn’t until New Line acquired the rights to the franchise that this notion was shoe-horned into the lore as if someone needed a reason to say ‘Oh that’s why Jason is what he is!’ No, Jason is just Jason. Freddy would be more suited to being called a Deadite given how many of their qualities he personally exhibits. But, again, Freddy is just Freddy. Sometimes there doesn’t need to be any reason beyond that. It’s way more interesting to let the Deadites, Freddy, and Jason be their own separate demonic monsters. Three separate forces of Evil all at war with each other. That’s way more engaging.
So here the narrative says Pamela got hold of a copy of the Necronomicon (somehow) to resurrect Jason from the Lake and thus making him a Deadite. Keep in mind how, had this movie been made, we would’ve been 12 movies deep already into Jason’s lore thus making this the absolute first time this idea was pushed on fans. It doesn’t fit with any of the lore previously solidified. Now I could buy into an idea that oh let’s just say, some occultists arrive at Crystal Lake with a copy of the Necronomicon to indulge in some dastardly occulty stuff. It being a virtual hot spot for mass murders and restless spirits after all. Maybe Freddy could have used his influence over dreams to get people to bring the Necronomicon out that far and Jason killing them off before they could hand over the book to him. That would be a really good reason for Freddy and Jason to start fighting all over again. Ah well.
Regardless, this is how the storytellers chose to get Necronomicon into the plot. Jason’s mom used it to resurrect him and now Freddy wants the book to resurrect himself and become both a terror of the dreamlands as well as the waking world. You can imagine what kind of catastrophe that would prove to be should he get hold of that ancient grimoire.
Highlights of the story
1- We get a genuine Christmas horror story that crosses over Evil Dead, Nightmare on Elm St, and Friday the 13th! Hell could you imagine if this had been made into a movie? It would’ve been an annual must-watch among all three fandoms. A very sad missed opportunity here. At least we get it in comic book form though.
carol this, assholes!
2- The violence is off the scale here. Jason is in true form, my Nasties. Right away he kills the heroes of the last movie and then quickly ventures out to the cheery festivities being enjoyed by the locals. It’s not long before Jason impales a caroler and then cuts off the heads of the rest of her caroling crew.
My favorite moments happen when Jason walks boldly into S-mart and opens up a slaughter aisle.
I mean fucking Hell he takes a buggy (shopping cart to the rest of y’all) and uses it to completely mince some guy through the cart’s grid! It’s like a hot cheese grate splashing through warmed butter! Without a doubt, this has to be my favorite Jason kill of all time right here. Just take a look.
I mean just look at this crazy shit!
Absolutely beautiful. Jason removes people’s upper bodies from their hips and goes splashy slashy everywhere he steps. Jason is a full-on bulldozer of graphic destruction. The censor’s board would have hated this.
3- Classic Ash, baby! He is the man with the chin and the shit-eating grin. He pulls out all his classics here too. The witty charm, the goofball antics, and a revved-up chainsaw.
We’ve wanted to see what would happen if he ever got to fight either Freddy or Jason. At last, we get not just him fighting one of them but both! And, this story delivers. He fights both in their own respected fields of expertise too. For example, Jason throws Ash through a few walls inside S-mart. At some point, Jason loses a hand and takes a page out of Ash’s playbook, and shoves a machete into the meaty wet stump. That’s pretty awesome.
Ash also fights Freddy in a dream where Ash’s hand suddenly regrows itself and Ash gets to enjoy the moment only for a brief instant before razor-pointed claws grow from his regrown fingers. Ash has no choice but to cut the hand off again, spilling his blood on the dirty floor. Echoing events from Army of Darkness, dozens of bloody little Freddies pop out of the blood puddles and soon form together to grow into a full-sized Freddy Krueger.
4. The fights are off the charts. This is a genuine monster mash slugfest. It doesn’t waste timerehashing what we’ve already seen from the FVJ movie either. No, this time around there’s a slew of new tricks.
For example, Freddy, being in perfect form here, uses necromancy to resurrect Jason’s old victims of the past to attack him.
You can tell the storytellers were having fun here as cameos from past films make their appearance to drag Jason straight to Hell. It’s a surge of nostalgia and frankly it’s appreciated.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, it’s a great monster mashup featuring all three beloved properties and it harkens back to the chilling crossover events Universal Pictures was known for the moment Frankenstein first met the Wolfman and the harrowing tale of the graveyard smash was born. Whatever your thoughts about the whole ‘vs’ movie craze may be it’s hard to deny what a wasted opportunity this project was. Freddy vs Jason should have been the foundation of what could’ve become the ultimate slasher evolution! Imagine a series of movies where horror films crossed over into one another and led characters into a fight for their lives against iconic slasher icons. Just imagine Chucky or Pinhead entering the conflict.
the Hellpriest nearly made a cameo at the end of Freddy vs Jason
Maybe it would’ve sucked, but we’ll never know. What followed was the horrid and inevitable remake apocalypse. Every one of us had to watch our favorite horror icons get rehashed, reimagined, and rebooted in inferior ways by filmmakers who didn’t know the first goddamn thing about the beloved franchises they were entrusted with. I know which of the two styles of films I would’ve rather watched.
Others felt the same way too if things like Terrordrome, an independent fighting game, are any indication. The game is free to play and features a wide roster of horror slashers to tickle the funny bone of any fan. Ash, Jason, Pinhead, Ghostface, Freddy, the Tall Man are just a few the game offers. Even professionals got in on the action as Mortal Kombat offered fans a chance to play as either Leatherface or Jason and hack it out in bloody magnificence.
Fans wanted more of this kind of thing, bottom line, and at least comic books let us explore the possibility of what could’ve happened. Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash finishes its story with an all-out battle atop a frozen Crystal Lake where Freddy is now fully empowered by the hellish secrets of the Necronomicon. Ash finds himself locked in the most dangerous battle of his life against Jason as Team Ash desperately tries to chant the incantation to send Freddy into another dimension altogether.
Ash finds strength in his trusty boomstick and fires a face full of hot lead right into Jason’s mouth shattering his iconic mask and giving Jason a brand new ghoulish look that, honestly, I’m shocked NECA hasn’t capitalized on yet.
Jason is then sunk to the bottom of the frozen lake in a way that’s closely reminiscent of how Jason Lives ends…that is if Jason was hit by a car and the weight of said car carried his rotting ass down to the dark and chilling depths. It’s still similar.
The incantation is said aloud and Freddy is hurled into a nether realm of demons.
Jason is gone and Freddy is trapped in the Deadite dimension. Ash is victorious and all is well. The comic sold well too. So well that the inevitable sequel happened! It’s not over, bitch! Freddy isn’t dead and Jason cannot die!
The sequel of Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash is kinda where the story shines brightest. I mean in this story survivors of both ANOES and FT13th appear. Tommy Jarvis and Ash do not get along either. Freddy’s daughter makes her come back here as well. It’s nice to see even more lore from both franchises get explored in this story.
To be certain this is a direct continuation of Freddy vs Jason vs Ash, and, honestly, serves more like the second half of a two-part story than it does as a sequel. The stakes are now even higher and the surviving members of our favorite slasher franchises must team together to stand against ultimate evil,
It does get super fucking weird though with Freddy making out with his daughter in one scene. She’s totally into it btw and proves to be just as fucked up as her ol’ dad. Jason gets magicked up and grows some very unsettling long luscious hair. I … I really don’t know what the fuck they were thinking with that.
Oh, and Freddy becomes President of the United States with a whole army of Deadites at his command. You can’t make this shit up.
And they went all out here. Already we’ve mentioned Tommy Jarvis but also making her return is Tina Shepherd from Part VII: New Blood, who was always one of my favorite final girls. Not to mention someone was a big NOES 3 fan because holy shit the Dream Warriors are back to fight Freddy’s evil Deadite army!
You might think I’m done, but you’d be mistaken because Nancy from ANOES 1, 2, New Nightmare, is back in spirit form to put a stop to Freddy for good.
That’s not to mention Freddy’s freakin’ mom, the nun herself, shows up to kick her son’s evil ass too.
Overall it’s one helluva fun story. This time they incorporated Army of Darkness into the monster mix and a war of ghosts and demons outside the White House brings the story to a satisfying WTF close.
You don’t need to read the sequel but then again yes you do. You want this crazy shit. It’s like the last slice of pizza you know you shouldn’t eat but you won’t be happy until you do. So you eat it and hate yourself later for it. In like manner you don’t need the sequel – I mean the first run ends itself satisfyingly with everything wrapped up – but I like to see these two as two halves of the same story.
So ultimately I feel this honestly is a must-read for any horror fan of the ‘80s and ‘90s. It was made by fans for fans. It features our favorite heroes and villains of the slasher era, combines them all brilliantly together, and pits them against evils so great only together can they work to bring back sanity to their crumbling little world. It’s not for anyone seeking highbrow horror though. This is Freddy and Jason with Ash, so you know what you’re in for. And the story doesn’t disappoint. It’s a perfect thing to dive into as you prepare for the fast-approaching Halloween season.
Problem is the books are out of print and just a single issue can cost up to hundreds of dollars. I don’t know how I lucked out to get the full run when I did but if you find any issues in a used comic bend at your local comic store I highly advise picking them up.
Realistically no one has that kind of money to order these online. Fans also don’t all have the convenience of a good comic shop or the luck of finding a full run at one. Happily, though there are audiobooks on YouTube that cover the whole story from beginning to end. It’s the easiest way to enjoy this nearly-forgotten story.
This story came out at a time when horror was bloody good fun, and it reflects a lot of great nostalgia we could all use a bit of. Whatever way you find to experience it I do recommend you indulge in the antics and carnage waiting herein.
Nightmare Nostalgia 