Trivia / Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter

• Creator Backlash: Kimberly Beck stated in the Crystal Lake Memories book that she does not like the horror genre. In addition to this, she also said that she feels this film was not even a B-movie, but rather a C-movie.
• Hostility on the Set:
  • In addition to butting heads with Joseph Zito, Ted White was at first confrontational with Tom Savini. But once White found out Savini had experience with stunts, the two became friends.
  • According to White, Corey Feldman maintained a bratty attitude on set. Feldman maintains that this was due to poor treatment by Joseph Zito, and that during filming of the scene in which he attacks Jason with the machete, he was pretending that the sandbags he struck were Zito.
• Magnum Opus Dissonance: Ted White is best-known for this film and is considered by many fans to be one of the best Jasons; Mister White has no love for the film or even the slasher genre in general. Due to this and him and director Joe Zitto arguing all the time, he demanded his name be taken off the film, which is why he's uncredited and why he turned down the chance to play Jason in following sequels. After positive experiences in the convention circuits, he admitted he regrets turning down the offers.
• Making Use of the Twin: Camilla More actually read for the role of Samantha, but when the producers discovered she had a twin, they offered both sisters the roles of Tina and Terri.
• Money, Dear Boy:
  • The reason Ted White took the part and the reason he started appearing at horror conventions after refusing to do so for over two decades. He has warmed up to the role after meeting the fans, however.
  • Joseph Zito had previously directed The Prowler, but the studio wanted him to both direct AND write Friday the 13th Part 4. He said, "But I'm not a writer," to which they said, "Here's a contract paying you double to write and direct," and then he responded, "Yeah, I'm totally a writer." Zito used the extra salary to hire Barney Cohen to somewhat secretly write the script.
  • Crispin Glover admits to have taken the part of Jim for the paycheck, and that he's never even watched any Friday the 13th film outside of this one and the original.
• No Stunt Double: Due to the production's low budget, several actors had to perform uncomfortable or dangerous stunts themselves, including Judie Aronson, who was required to remain submerged in a lake in near-freezing temperatures, and Peter Barton, who was actually slammed into the shower wall when Jason attacks him. Ted White advocated for several of the actors, requesting that Barton be allowed to use a crash pad, and threatening to quit when Joseph Zito refused to allow Aronson to get out of the lake between takes. White and Zito ultimately developed a combative relationship on set, which resulted in White demanding his name be removed from the credits, calling it "a piece of shit."
• The Other Darrin: Ted White replaces Richard Brooker as Jason.
• Release Date Change: Paramount was originally going to release the film in October, 1984. After filming wrapped in January, Paramount studio head, Frank Mancuso Sr., screened footage of the film to much enthusiasm. After a window opened up, the release date was changed to April, upon confirmation from Joseph Zito that he could complete the film faster than planned. This led to Zito, producer Frank Mancuso Jr. and a crew of editors essentially remaining locked in a house in Malibu, editing around the clock in order to finish the film on time. This marked one of the only times that Paramount actively helped in the production of a Friday the 13th film, as they were generally produced independently, with the studio only handling marketing and distribution.
• Screwed by the Lawyers: The music in the Crispin Glover dance scene was originally AC/DC's Back in Black, but they had to dub it over with the Lion song Love is a Lie to avoid getting into a lawsuit with the former.
• Throw It In!: The scene where Jason grabs Tommy. Zito told Feldman when Ted White (Jason) was gonna grab him. Feldman was prepared for it, but the grab was delayed for a while. When Feldman was about to wonder what was going on White burst through and grabbed him. Tommy's screaming was really Feldman screaming for real as he didn't see it coming.
• Uncredited Role: Ted White was uncredited for playing Jason, although he would be credited for archival footage from this film in the Previously on… segment in Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood.
• Write What You Know: The Jarvis family sandwich hug was based on a group hug that screenwriter Barney Cohen's family did.

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