| Friday the 13th Part 2 | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Steve Miner |
| Written by |
|
| Based on | Characters by Victor Miller[1] |
| Produced by | Steve Miner |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Peter Stein |
| Edited by | Susan E. Cunningham |
| Music by | Harry Manfredini |
Production company | Georgetown Productions Inc.[2] |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures[2] |
Release date |
|
Running time | 87 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1.25 million[3] |
| Box office | $21.7 million[4] |
Friday the 13th Part 2[a] is a 1981 American slasher film produced and directed by Steve Miner in his directorial debut, and written by Ron Kurz. It is the direct sequel to Friday the 13th (1980), and the second installment in the franchise. Adrienne King, Betsy Palmer, and Walt Gorney reprise their respective roles from the first film as Alice Hardy, Pamela Voorhees, and Crazy Ralph. Amy Steel and John Furey also star. Taking place five years after the first film, Part 2 follows a similar premise, with an unknown stalker killing a group of camp counselors at a training camp near Crystal Lake. The film marks the debut of Jason Voorhees as the series' main antagonist.
Originally, Friday the 13th Part 2 was intended to be an anthology film based on the Friday the 13th superstition. However, after the popularity of the original film's surprise ending, the filmmakers opted to continue the story and mythology surrounding Camp Crystal Lake, a trend that would be repeated in every film in the franchise.
Like the original film, Friday the 13th Part 2 faced opposition from the Motion Picture Association of America, who noted its "accumulative violence" as problematic, resulting in numerous cuts being made to allow an R rating. The film opened theatrically in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco on May 1, 1981.[5][6] Friday the 13th Part 2 received negative reviews, and was less financially successful than the first film, grossing $21.7 million in the U.S. on a budget of $1.25 million. A direct sequel, Friday the 13th Part III, was released one year later.
- ^ "Friday the 13th Part 2". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on June 6, 2020. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
- ^ a b "Friday the 13th Part 2". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on December 18, 2020. Retrieved November 5, 2022.
- ^ Bracke 2006, pp. 314–15.
- ^ "Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)". The Numbers. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015.
- ^ "Two movies to open". The San Francisco Examiner. April 27, 1981. p. E6. Archived from the original on October 12, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Friday the 13th Part 2". American Film Institute. Archived from the original on May 3, 2021. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
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