Marijuana And The Friday The 13th Films!

     It just wouldn’t be a relaxing camping trip at Crystal Lake (or Forest GREEN) without the pungent aroma of sticky-icky reefer wafting through the air.  Since the very first installment, our favorite franchise breathes in and out a rather progressive take on the imbibing of Colombian Gold, man.   Grass, hash, the weed, dig it? 

     While certainly illegal inside the jurisdiction of this cursed summer campground, marijuana has enjoyed an intoxicating role in the world of our beloved franchise.  Whether it was to get in the mood, relieve boredom, or just to mellow out, Mary Jane should be considered another character in the films.  In this look back at the Friday the 13^th franchise, we examine the use of the bubonic chronic that makes you choke.  Sh*t, this ain’t no joke. (My apologies to Snoop Dogg.)

     In the realm of the first four films, we are introduced to a group of randy, young teenagers who took great delight in twisting it up and putting it in the air.  Whether playing strip monopoly or taking it easy after getting lucky, the counselors of the original movie were ready to put some “kush up in it” decades before Dr. Dre made that phrase popular.  Remember in its sequel when Paul Holt, God’s gift to camp counselors, was almost indignant that the underlings he was training “smoke better dope than I do”?   One must also respect the steadfast resolve demonstrated by Mark to refrain from having a toke with Vickie, as to not derail his athletic training regimen.   A lot of good that did.  Later, in Friday The 13th Part 3, Chuck and Chili bring a brick of dank cheeba swag with them to Higgin’s Haven.  Does anyone else reading this take great delight in the irony that after all the sparking of joints throughout the movie, it is really Jason himself who SPARKS one up when he hurls Chuck face first into the electrical panel?  Who could forget during the Final Chapter when sexually frustrated Ted (Teddy Bear) Cooper unwinds with some ganja and silent film smut before finding himself on the business end of Jason’s butcher knife? 

    A New Beginning not only introduced a killer masquerading as Mr. Voorhees, it also featured Lana’s doomed date Billy, who introduced his nose to a little booger-sugar before Roy cracked his cranium.   Even a few puffs of nice-nice couldn’t calm the raging storm brought on by the “damn enchiladas” in Damon’s digestive tract!

   I know you all must have the munchies by now, so we will skip to the latest entries of the franchise.  Freddy Vs. Jason introduced us to the “Clerks” inspired Freeburg, whose trippy hallucination of the Freddy worm made us all wonder if our theater popcorn was topped off with a batch of cannabutter.  The 2009 reboot brought the entrepreneurial spirit out in force with Wade and Richie looking for a rumored bumper crop of potent purple haze tucked away in forbidden territory near the abandoned mine shafts.  Chewie and Lawrence have a deep conversation with “Lucille the Bong" and contemplate a reincarnated life as a button on the rear pocket of Bree’s jean shorts.  Donnie!  Alas, poor Donnie!  Another afternoon of self-medicating and self-pleasuring with his favorite Hustler magazine is cut short after Jason raids old man Garikes’ kerosene supply.

     Yes, marijuana is just as important as machetes to the Friday the 13^th films.  One hopes that the producers of the future Friday the 13^th films and TV show recognize this, and keep that fatty facet burning and smoldering for years to come! Cough, cough.

Of course, your thoughts and comments are always welcome!

COMING SOON!   We will continue this topic with a ranking of the most memorable stoners of the franchise!