Ranking The Masks of Jason Voorhees

I know it’s Sunday the 15^th, but I’ve still got Friday the 13^th on my mind!

Last month on Friday the 13^th, my Blood-Shed colleague Evan A. Baker ranked all twelve of the Friday the 13^th movies from worst to best. For this list, I’ll be ranking the masks of Jason Voorhees in the same manner.

This may seem strange to the casual Friday fan who see the iconic hockey mask as relatively unchanged throughout the franchise. Dedicated fans, however, are well aware of the differences (subtle and otherwise) that add unique elements to each mask, giving each film and incarnation of Jason Voorhees a particular vibe.  Jason’s mask is like a manuscript, where every gash, nick, and dent describes a piece of his bloody legacy.

As Jason was mask-less in Part I, this list will include Part II through Part X of the original franchise, along with the 2003 crossover Jason vs. Freddy and the 2009 Remake; since Jason wore two very distinct masks in Part X (Jason X), I will be rating them both, for a total of 12 masks. Enjoy!

Jason X aka Friday the 13^th Part X (2001, Isaac)

Even though this is a ranking of Jason’s masks and not the films themselves, it’s worth noting that Jason X is a terrible film on many levels. It was conceived by Todd Farmer and was the only pitch given to the studio, having suggested sending Jason into space as a means of advancing the franchise while Freddy vs. Jason was mired down in Development Hell. It was an inauspicious was to bring Jason into the 21^st Century. After being converted into a cyborg, Uber Jason emerges with a chrome mask that, while interesting, is completely cartoonish making the villain laughable as opposed to menacing. Bad move!

Friday the 13^th: A New Beginning aka Friday the 13^th Part V (1985, Steinmann)

I’m not one of those fans who hates Part V on principle, but the bottom line is this is Roy’s mask; the blue highlights also differentiate this mask from the iconic form. Since Jason never wore this mask, it ranks way down here near the bottom.

Jason Lives: Friday the 13^th Part VI (1986, McLoughlin)

Remember, this is a ranking of the masks, not the films themselves—which is especially ironic in this case as Jason Lives is one of my absolute favorites in the franchise. The mask, however, not so much; the curved-up edges bug the hell out of me, and makes Jason’s head look fat.

Friday the 13^th Part III (1982, Miner)

I know a bunch of you will be up in arms over Part III’s mask being ranked in the bottom half. I realize that this was the first time Jason donned the iconic goalie mask, and therefore all future masks are indebted to it, but let’s be frank: The mask in Part III was cheap plastic. It doesn’t even look strong enough to deflect an actual puck.  It doesn’t hav e any character yet; it’s too clean, almost antiseptic.  When Jason returns in Part IV, the mask has obviously been upgraded to fiberglass.  It’s also banged up and weathered, sporting the signature gash on the left side of the forehead.

Jason X aka Friday the 13^th Part X (2001, Isaac)

Even before he’s transformed into Uber Jason, the mask he wears in Part X stands out for all the wrong reasons. The mask in Part IX (Jason Goes to Hell) was tattered and battered all to hell, but somehow it’s returned to near pristine condition when Jason goes to space—even though the mask is hundreds of years old. It all adds to the cartoonish feel of the film, where Jason is glossy and over-stylized—an unfortunate aesthetic decision that took most the terror out of our beloved villain.

Friday the 13^th Part IIIV: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989, Hedden)

My biggest complaint about Jason’s mask in Part VIII is that they undid all the damage that had been inflicted in the previous films: Gone is the sever boat-propeller damage from Part VI and the cracks from Part IIV. For Jason to appear in a (relatively) shiny new mask takes me out of the film.  It actually looks best in its final moments, after it’s been drenched in toxic waste.

Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday aka Friday the 13^th Part IX (1993, Marcus)

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love the decayed look, but the mask Jason wears in Part IX looks like it’s about to dissolve! It’s like a used up paper plate that a strong gust of wind could rip off. All of the edges seem worn down, making it appear too small for Jason’s big old lumpy noggin.

Freddy vs. Jason (2003, Yu)

The mask that Jason wears while battling his nemesis is great, especially with Freddy’s signature claw-marks raked across the face.  The forehead is slightly squared-off which, along with Jason’s amazing stature, gives him a Frankenstein-vibe.  Even though this mask has literally been to Hell and back, it looks solid in spite of its scars. There’s a relic-like quality to this mask that enhances the supernatural elements of Jason’s mythos.

Friday the 13^th (2009, Nispel)

In the Remake, subtle changes to the brow and the bridge of the nose add volumes of subtext, allowing more human elements to emerge from Jason’s near-emotionless aesthetic. There’s a definite intensity to this one.

Friday the 13^th Part II (1981, Miner)

Some people love it, some people hate it, but I’m personally a big fan of sack-face Jason. It’s a look reminiscent of the villain in The Town that Dreaded Sundown, and the hood worn by the Elephant Man. There’s a self-conscious yet non-pretentious feel too it: Jason doesn’t want you to see his face, but he’s hardly out to make a fashion statement.

Friday the 13^th Part IIV: The New Blood (1988, Buechler)

For me, this one is the quintessential tattered mask; the damage tells the story of Jason’s violent past like a manuscript (the axe-cut from Part III, the boat-propeller damage from Part VI, etc.). It’s hardly the kind of thing you’d expect to find in a garage or attic, more like something you’d find in a trash-heap or dredge up on a fishing trip. In spite of the emotionless nature of the mask, the damage makes this one especially foreboding—like a cursed object.

Friday the 13^th: The Final Chapter aka Friday the 13^th Part IV (1984, Zito)

Whereas the original hockey mask in Part III feels like an after-thought, the one Jason dons in Part IV is absolutely perfect: Sturdy, menacing, and completely unnerving.  Gone is the bright-white-fresh-out-of-the-box shine it had in Part II; it’s aged to a perfect weathered yellow. The mask was cracked during the barn scene in Part III, but in Part IV, that cut on the left side of his forehead becomes an integral part of the entire aesthetic, proof that Jason takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’!

This is also the mask in what is perhaps the most iconic image of the entire franchise, instantly recognizable worldwide, etched into flesh as thousands of tattoos: The mask with knife through the eyehole, resting on a puddle of blood.

All of the featured mask images provided by Crystal Lake Industries, purveyors of high quality fiberglass masks and replica goalie masks; all masks can be purchased on their website: HERE!

How would you rank the masks of Jason Voorhees? Sound off in the comments section!

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