By far my favorite entry in the Friday the 13th franchise, it was also the first one I saw, and in the theater no less! This movie actually propelled my passion for film as I was astonished and mesmerized that lights, sounds, and images from the screen could have such an effect on the audience. If I could go back and make a dream list of locations, the Jarvis house would definitely be in the top five, so I am eternally thankful for the opportunity to have visited it a couple years. Ok, on with Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (or so they said in 1984)....
First up is post-credit sequence location where the filmmakers returned the same set used in the previous film. Continuity has never been a strong point in horror sequels, so big kudos to the production for not only going back to the same locale, but set-dressing it to ensure that the all the details were the same such as a broken railing on the porch. This was shot at the Veluzat Movie Ranch. For more info on this, visit my Friday the 13th Part III page.
Next up is the main setting of the film, the Jarvis home. Located at 1801 North Topanga Canyon Boulevard in Topanga Canyon, California; the home was owned by a couple for many years before they sold it in 2013. Now called Blackberry Creek Farm at Kelly Gulch, the property is available for events and film shooting, but typically does not allow fans to stop by and take pictures. As there will be many scenes here throughout, I will just put a quote or two of the scene with any other useful information.
"Why don't you try killing a few more up in your room."
"He'll probably challenge him to a game of Zaxxon."
"The computer don't lie!" While there are some driving shots done in Topanga Canyon, the production did a few shots at the Franklin Canyon Park. The most identifiable spot is where Franklin Canyon Drive and Lake Drive intersect and can be seen in the background. This area was also used in Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning and Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare.
The next few shots were also shot in the park, but it is difficult to to any particular screen-matching as the road and greenery has changed quite a bit in the past few decades, but you can get a sense of how it looks now. Zaca Lake was used for other shots in the film including the skinny dipping lake and where Trish and Tommy meet Rob.
"I feel like.... a Jarvis sandwich!" Some updated appliances in the kitchen, but at the time - same countertop!
"Gordon, do you have a girlfriend or something?" Obviously they switched out the front door for one that will be burst through later in the film, but otherwise everything looks pretty familiar.
Moving on to the rental home next door, this house was built specifically for the production and taken down after filming. Right now this is the prime spot for events that happen on the property. The trees do help line up the area where it was originally located though.
"Don't forget, 6AM, once around the lake."
Tommy's bedroom is located upstairs as it appears in the movie, although his window wouldn't have an actual view of the house across the way.
"Would you like to come in for a minute?" One of my favorite shot re-creations is this scene where Rob, Trish, and Tommy arrive at the house.
"Hello, Mrs.... " "Jarvis!" Tommy seems unusually excited to bring a man up to his bedroom...
"Amazing." Back to Tommy's room, unfortunately no masks to be found in real life...
"If it gets too cold out there or you need to take a shower, we're always home." Trish and Rob part ways with a nice little kiss here...
Although the skinny dipping scene was shot in Zaca Lake, we return to the Franklin Canyon Park reservoir for the death scenes of Sam and Paul. Again, too hard to line up exact location spots, but here it is...
"You slut!" Some shots of where the house used to be, as lined up by the trees...
Quick detour for a deleted scene where we get to see Trish's bedroom. This same spot and nearly identical angle was used two movies later in a scene from Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood.
"Tommy, where's Gordon?" Mrs. Jarvis arrives to a dark house...
"As a matter of fact, where the hell are you?" One of my other favorite screen-match shots is looking up the dark stairs...
Mrs. Jarvis appears to meet her fate as she leaves the back of the house. My mind used to reel at the possibility of what really happened, especially since Fangoria printed at the time that she was drowned, but years later we find a bit more out in a deleted ending...
"Where is she?" After finally getting that bypass patch cord, Trish and Tommy arrive home and look for mom...
"Mom?"
"She's never gone this long... and in the rain." Astute viewers will see the mother's bedroom is actually Tommy's bedroom with different set dressing. I'm pretty sure those are the same curtains!
While Trish looks for Rob, Tommy goes to the basement to turn the electricity back on. (I did my best to patch together some shots of Tommy's flashlight POV, but couldn't get good quality - but you can see what he was looking at the time.)
Tommy's started by a rattling at the back door...
"I'm calling the police."
Jason watches from outside and takes out the phone line...
"Tommy, hold the fort."
Rob and Trish make their way to the rental house next door.
"Is he here?" While looking through some of Rob's articles on Jason, Trish arrives back at the house.
Trish makes the mistake of standing next to a big bank of windows...
Poor Rob is hammered...
"Trish, help me!" This made me leap out of my seat in the theater!
One of Jason's best entrances in a film is though the Jarvis' front door...
When Jason throws the hammer at Trish, you may notice that area of the wall is built out a bit to accommodate the special effect.
"What's he doing?" Back to Tommy's room where they put a flimsy bookshelf to stop Jason...
Another favorite shot of mine is where Jason is making his way inside and looks up menacingly at Trish and Tommy...
Those old monitors were lethal!
My attempt to recreate the shot of Jason laying unconscious in the hallway... the illusion of course ruined by the cat wondering what I'm doing!
"Trish!" Barely surviving the ax swing, Trish leaps over Jason to escape in the upstairs hallway...
"Tommy, no!" Jason hedges his bets and goes after Trish...
Trish makes a final run next door to try to survive...
"Tommy.... you were supposed to leave!!"
Trish really knows how to wield a machete!
"Tommy, get the hell out of here!"
"I'm going to give you something to remember us by."
Jason attacks Trish in the living room...
"Jason!" In a scene that brought both gasps and laughs in the theater, Tommy has transformed himself into young Jason...
Distracted by seeing his younger self, Jason leaves Trish on the floor...
"Remember, Jason."
Never one to stop fighting, Trish takes another swing at Jason, flipping off his mask...
The iconic shot of the mask hitting the floor. (This shot was met with someone yelling out "Quiet Riot" in my 1984 audience!)
As things move into slow motion, the machete hits the floor...
Trish backs away in disgust and horror....
Tommy jumps to the floor and grabs the machete...
After swinging the machete into Jason's head, he falls to the floor...
Tommy and Trish hug it out...
But someone's fingers are still moving...
"Die!" Tommy swings the machete over and over onto Jason's body...
Although the original film had a small hospital scene as the epilogue, the alternate ending was released on the DVD and Bluray releases. I wish it was better quality, but it is a nice shot approaching the house...
...to find Trish and Tommy collapsed on the couch, to be awoken by sirens next door...
After sending Tommy to go get help, Trish waits on the couch but hears water dripping from upstairs...
Trish goes up the steps to investigate...
Now I am not sure if this is the same location or not, but this is the upstairs bathroom. It "kind of" looks the same, but the sink and tub are on the opposite sides of the room. It could have very well been renovated in the past thirty years, but I included photos for reference at least.
And finally, I've been fortunate enough to meet a few of the actors and the director of the movie over the years. I've also included a few from the earlier films, technically they are in this film in the best-ever pre-credit scene!
