Friday the 13th 8-Movie Collection review: Jason Voorhees comes to Blu-ray in an affordable package

For many horror fans, the arrival of the massive 10-film Friday the 13th box set from Scream Factory last year was a dream come true. The 16-disc Blu-ray set finally brought together the entire franchise in one box set (yes, even the contentious 2009 remake). Yet all that content comes at a price, with the Scream Factory set retailing at $160 (though it’s often been as low as $100 online). For fans who just want an affordable box set of the films without the elaborate packaging and exclusive extras, Paramount Home Video has just released the Friday the 13th 8-Movie Collection Blu-ray as one slim-downed collection.

As the title implies, the Friday the 13th 8-Movie Collection features the first 8 films, leaving out Jason X (Jason in space!) and the aforementioned remake. The new set boasts new transfers of the first 4 films, as well as all of the previous extras from the earlier Blu-ray and DVD sets. 

The films are spread over six discs, with the first four each getting their own and the latter films doubling up per disc, with the set contained in a fittingly blood-red Blu-ray case. The physical presentation is pretty bare bones, but on the plus side, this version takes up almost no shelf space while the hulking Scream Factory set will have the minimalist in your life shaking in their boots.

One clear advantage the Paramount set has is the addition of digital codes for all 8 movies, so you can throw on your favourite entry anytime without hunting down the discs. Unfortunately, the digital copies don’t include the extras, so don’t keep the set too far.

If you’ve read this far you’re likely/hopefully already sold on the merits of the franchise. Film Twitter had a ball ranking their preferences when the Scream Factory set was released, and one of the most impressive discoveries of that viral moment was just how different everyone’s lists were, showcasing the wide breadth of fandom for these ’80s slashers.

While you can’t beat the comprehensive nature of the Scream Factory collection, if you just want the majority of the franchise in HD at an affordable price, you can’t go wrong with the Friday the 13th 8-Movie Collection Blu-ray. The new transfers of the first four films look great, and there are enough extras included to keep you busy until the spooky season truly kicks into high gear this fall.

The Friday the 13th 8-Movie Collection Blu-ray is available now.