By Stephen Pytak 

   This is a decent history of the films which made
up the "Friday the 13th" series to date.
   But it suffers a bit because while the author has
great passion for the 1980 original, he doesn't seem
to have much enthusiasm for the others.
   It's a great book though, because it contains a lot
of information and reflection about these films. But
the opinions in the writing really make it feel like it
was written by fan who wasn't too keen on all the
entries in the series.
   Let's start off on a positive note here. 
   This book offers perspectives on the films that may 
not be included in the other "Friday the 13th" history 
published this year, "Crystal Lake Memories." 
   Like Peter M. Bracke, Grove conducted interviews
with key cast and crew, and includes a list before
the table of contents.
    Richard Brooker, 'Jason' actor for "Part III," talks
a bit about the cut ending: "The door just opened and
I flung the blade through the air and the head was
just gone."
    One interview with Cory Feldman, who played 
"Tommy" in "The Final Chapter," is amusing, but 
doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
   He suggests that when his character shaved his
head at the climax and tried to psych out Jason with
his "Don't you remember..." speech, he wasn't trying
to look like young Jason.
   "I believe that Jason believes that he's seeing his
mother," Feldman says.
   Run that through your little computer.
   There are many different images. Only a few 
pages in color. But Grove includes pix from the
Boy Scout camp just outside of Blairstown, N.J. 
where the original was filmed. And even though
they're in black and white, it's nice to for people
who can't go out and visit to get a look at the 
grounds near Sand Pond.
   The history Grove pens here, especially pertaining
to the sequels, is peppered with opinions. Some 
amusing. Some distracting.
   For instance:
   "There are reasons, not least of which is the fact 
that, despite its ambitions and supernatural 
overtones, 'The Final Friday' is a very silly film,"
Grove writes. "'The Final Friday' production team
deserve credit for ignoring the recent past and
starting over, as well as for attempting to demystify
Jason and create a new legend for the monster. 
Unfortunately, having opened up this can of worms,
the film does not find much of substance, except 
maybe the sobering discovery that there's not much
that can be done with a creature as one-dimensional,
predictible and sullen as Jason Voorhees."
   Maybe he's right.
   Or maybe not. 
   I just don't think the millions of fans who dig this 
"silly film" would agree with him.
   I also got a kick whenever Grove talked about
box office receipts and public opinion:
   "When 'Friday the 13th Part IV: Jason Lives' was
released on August 1, 1986, it received a bruising
reception from the paying customers who obviously
felt that -- despite new tongue-in-cheek promotional
campaign -- 'Jason Lives' was just another tired stalk
and slash festival," Grove states.
   "Whatever the reasons for 'Jason X's' dismal 
performance at the box office," Grove writes, 
"audiences plainly were not interested in seeing 
Jason in space."