John Carpenter recently made an appearance on the Brett Easton Ellis Podcast. And when the American Psycho author asked the director to compare and contrast Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Friday the 13th Carpenter offered his unfiltered disdain for the latter. In so many words, he suggests that Friday the 13th was a Halloween knockoff that was made on the cheap. And he’s not exactly wrong. Director Sean S. Cunningham has been fairly transparent about his intentions in making the film. But, nonetheless, it’s still a little surprising to see Carpenter discuss it so bluntly. See for yourself exactly what the horror maestro had to say about Friday the 13th versus Texas Chain Saw Massacre, below.
“One springs from an organic idea and has a truly artist’s eye working,” explained Carpenter. “And Friday the 13th, I feel, affects me as very cynical. It’s very cynical moviemaking. It just doesn’t rise above its cheapness.”
“I think the reason that all these slasher movies came in the ’80s was a lot of folks said, ‘Look at that Halloween movie. It was made for peanuts, and look at the money it’s made! We can make money like that. That’s what the teenagers want to see,” the director continued. So they just started making them, cranking them out… most of them were awful.”
As always, we’re curious to hear what you think? Do you agree or disagree? Sound off in the comments section, below!
