Remember Crispin Glover, the quirky actor from Back to the Future? Well, before he time-traveled with Marty McFly, he faced a different kind of terror – the relentless Jason Voorhees in Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter. Now, imagine the possibility of Glover returning to the franchise! Would he? Could he? I recently had the chance to ask him.
When I posed the question of a potential return to the Friday the 13th series, Glover's response was pure amusement. He chuckled, admitting the idea was quite funny. His exact words? "Anything is possible." He then added, "That is such an unlikely thing that would happen. It’s not something I’ve ever even contemplated. I don’t really see how that would happen, but you never say never, I suppose."
He further shared his perspective on the franchise's enduring popularity, stating, "It is funny to me how that particular film and franchise is such a thing, because it certainly wasn’t what I was in it for, but people really do like the Friday the 13th series.”
Glover's memories of the time are particularly interesting. He recalled the year Friday the 13th was released, mentioning a re-release of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre around the same time. At 16 years old, he was an avid moviegoer, driving around Los Angeles and soaking in the cinematic landscape.
He explained, "When I saw Texas Chain Saw Massacre as the re-release, I liked it. I thought it was an interesting movie. And then I went and saw Friday the 13th, the first one, in its first run at the movie theater." He found Friday the 13th derivative, adding, "My sense was Texas Chain Saw Massacre was the better film. It wasn’t like I hated Friday the 13th, but I wasn’t compelled to go see another one of the movies."
Here's where it gets controversial: Glover believes the entire slasher genre is essentially inspired by The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. He admitted, "I’m not that drawn to the genre as a filmgoer, but I understand there are people that like it.”
When it came to auditioning for Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, Glover's perspective was refreshingly honest. He confessed, "It was the fourth part of a series that I hadn’t seen the second or third, so I wasn’t particularly thinking, ‘Wow, this will be great!’ I was thinking, ‘I need a job as an actor!'”
He also shared an interesting tip for actors. He explained that before the audition, he rehearsed with the person he was going to audition with, to ensure their energy meshed well. "We rehearsed it, and then went in and did the audition, and I got the part. I was glad I got the part, because I needed to work,” he chuckled.
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, released in 1984, saw Jason Voorhees return to terrorize a group of friends.
Crispin Glover is currently touring with his new film, No! You’re Wrong. or: Spooky Action at a Distance.
What do you think? Would you like to see Crispin Glover return to the Friday the 13th franchise? Do you agree with his assessment of the slasher genre's origins? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
