Betsy Palmer in ‘Friday the 13th’-Courtesy of Paramount
1. Betsy Palmer nearly reprised her role as Mrs. Voorhees
Every major Friday the 13th fan has respect for Betsy Palmer. Even though she only appeared as the killer in the very first movie, she is a very important part of the franchise. Her portrayal as Pamela Voorhees, grieving mother turned serial killer, was practically flawless and helped launch what would become one of the most iconic franchises in pop culture history.
How unfortunate is it, then, that the producers of Jason X could have brought her in for a cameo, only to let the opportunity slip through their grasp? Apparently, while Jason X was being filmed in Toronto, they had access to Betsy Palmer, who was coincidentally in town performing in a play. Palmer was contacted by producers about reprising her role as Pamela for the movie, but negotiations quickly fizzled when the two were unable to come to an agreement.
So, what happened? Palmer probably just read the script. The original idea to use Mrs. Voorhees in Jason X would have been as a hologram in a scene where Jason tries to kill her, in an attempt to show how evil he had truly become. That sounds like a terrible idea, so it’s all for the best the scene didn’t make it to the screen.
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For what it’s worth, Jason X is highly entertaining, if not a “great” film. It’ll fit in nicely with horror movie marathons because of its humor and creative death scenes, and it’s a good film to laugh at in a room full of friends. Hopefully these ten facts will make a rewatch a bit more enjoyable for you.