NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #27

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Xref: sparky alt.horror:5023 alt.cult-movies:10455 rec.arts.sf.fandom:1192 alt.fandom.misc:46 Newsgroups: alt.horror,alt.cult-movies,rec.arts.sf.fandom,alt.fandom.misc Path: sparky!uunet!haven.umd.edu!darwin.sura.net!Sirius.dfn.de!news.belwue.de!news.uni-ulm.de!fh-ulm.de!schaefer From: schaefer@fh-ulm.de (Klaus Schaefer) Subject: Re: Friday The 13th (TV SERIES) Message-ID: <schaefer.4.0@fh-ulm.de> Keywords: Friday The 13 TV Series NOT THE MOVIES Sender: news@wega.rz.uni-ulm.de (News Net) Organization: Fachhochschule Ulm - Software-Labor References: <1992Nov12.030041.12979@pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu> <BxLrzy.ALD@news.cso.uiuc.edu> Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 08:24:40 GMT Lines: 343 In article <BxLrzy.ALD@news.cso.uiuc.edu> tgt33358@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Thanatos) writes: >From: tgt33358@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Thanatos) >Subject: Re: Friday The 13th (TV SERIES) >Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 12:28:44 GMT >Keywords: Friday The 13 TV Series NOT THE MOVIES >In article <1992Nov12.030041.12979@pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu> manowar@pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu (Brent Bomwan) writes: >> First of all, I had NO IDEA which newsgroup to ask this >> question to, so if this doesn't belong here, SORRY. >> >> I am looking for someone/anyone that liked/watched/taped >> any of the Friday The 13th TV Series... >> >Well, I don't have these episodes on tape, but I DO have an episode guide... >> One of our St. Louis TV stations is showing "Friday the 13th, the >> Series". This show (which has nothing to do with the movies) has >> items which have been cursed for a reason. The show's premise is >> explained in the opening credits (which are probably copyrighted by >> Hometown Productions, Variety Artists, and/or Paramount): >> >> "Lewis Vendredi made a deal with the Devil to sell cursed >> antiques, but he broke the pact and it cost him his soul. >> Now his niece Mikki and her cousin Ryan have inherited the >> store--and with it, the curse. Now they must get everything >> back... and the real terror begins." >> >> The cursed antiques cannot be damaged or destroyed, so the people who >> have inherited the store must recover the items and lock them away. >> Most of the episodes deal with the recovery of one of the items. >> >> The interesting part is the nature of the curses and the reason behind >> them. In Christian theology, the Devil seeks to corrupt people by >> causing them to sin. Therefore, the purpose of the curse is to >> encourage the owner to sin; more specifically, to commit murder. (The >> show _is_ called Friday the 13th.) The owner of the item _benefits_ >> from the curse, but must kill another person to receive the benefit. >> This benefit may be the ability to kill -- easily and undetectably. >> More often the benefit is something else -- power, money, love, fame, >> health, beauty, and so on. >> >> The owner is (usually) not forced to use the item, and can get rid of >> it at any time. The owner knows that using the item will kill >> someone. Thus, the (Christian) criteria of knowingly and of free will >> committing a mortal sin apply, and if the owner uses the item he is >> literally damned. >> >> Adapting this form of curse to a FRP campaign may pose some problems, >> as it requires the equivalent of free-will sin and the Devil as a >> tempter. That is, people must be judged in some way by the acts that >> they freely and knowingly commit, and there must be a powerful, evil >> entity which encourages people to perform evil acts. This might not >> fit in well with some game worlds, but it is an interesting reason for >> the existence of some cursed items. >> >> A campaign based on the series premise -- recovery of a group of such >> cursed items -- might be interesting. Incorporating such items into a >> campaign requires that the players be good ROLE-players, though; ones >> who would say, "Sure, by using this item my character can get rich; >> but would he do so at the cost of eternal damnation?" >> >> >> The first season objects: >> ------------------------- >> >> Doll -- The doll talks to its owner, encouraging her to commit evil >> acts. If the owner consents, the doll can help perform the >> acts through the use of telekinesis-like powers. >> >> Quill pen -- Anything evil written with the pen ("John will die") >> happens. >> >> Cupid statuette -- The statuette will cause anyone to fall in lust >> (not love) with the owner. The owner must kill the victim >> after they have sex. >> >> Teacup -- When the victim drinks from the cup, the cup kills him and >> makes the owner younger. The additional youth only lasts for >> a day or so. >> >> Magician's cabinet -- The victim is locked in the cabinet, and the >> owner then performs amazing "illusions", such as having swords >> plunged into his body. The wounds the owner would have >> suffered are instead inflicted on the victim. >> >> Scalpel -- When used in an operation, the scalpel will cure hopeless >> cases. The scalpel will also cut through anything (metal, >> stone, etc.). The owner must "recharge" the scalpel by >> killing people with it. >> >> Boxing gloves -- The wearer of the gloves is invincible in the boxing >> ring. During the match, the owner's shadow takes on a >> separate physical existence and kills a person chosen by the >> owner (and yes, the episode title was "Shadowboxer"). >> >> Garden mulcher -- Any person fed into the hopper of the mulcher comes >> out as currency. The denomination of the currency depends on >> the wealth of the victim; the richer the victim, the larger >> the denomination. >> >> Comic book -- The comic book's owner can become "Ferrus the >> Invincible", an armor-plated superpowered humanoid. Ferrus is >> immune to (almost) all forms of attack, can smash down steel >> doors, and can kill in one blow. >> >> Scarecrow -- The scarecrow seeks out and kills (by decapitation with a >> scythe) any person whose photograph is pinned to it; it can >> teleport while pursuing the victim. By causing three such >> killings each year, the owner is guaranteed an abundant >> harvest. >> >> Glove -- The glove miraculously heals any disease or injury when the >> owner touches it to the ill person. The disease is >> transferred into the glove and "magnified"; it must soon be >> transferred (again by touch) to another, who dies. If the >> disease is not transferred within a certain time, it kills the >> owner. >> >> Cape -- The cape makes its owner immortal, irresistible to women, and >> a vampire. If the owner removes the cape, he instantly >> becomes old and withered; replacing the cape restores him. >> >> Lantern -- When shone on a shipwreck, the lantern uncovers buried >> treasure (it might even _create_ the treasure; this was not >> clear). After each such use the lantern must be shone on the >> diver who brought up the treasure, who burns to death. >> >> Compact -- If a beam reflected by the compact's mirror strikes any man >> in the eyes, he falls in love with the owner. The owner must >> later kill him. >> >> Tattoo needles -- The owner tattoos the victim using the needles >> (which also give tattooing skill). Later, the owner has good >> luck while gambling, and the tattoo comes to life and kills >> the victim. >> >> Trephinator -- This device was built in the nineteenth century by a >> quack who thought intelligence could be transferred via >> cerebro-spinal fluid; the curse makes it work. The person who >> is drained dies of severe brain damage, while the owner gains >> their intelligence and memories and some personality traits. >> >> Electric chair -- The owner can receive and hold a powerful electric >> charge by electrocuting someone with the chair, then sitting >> in it. The charge can be released by conduction as the owner >> desires (possibly to kill other people, so this curse is >> doubly corrupting). >> >> Quilt -- The owner of the quilt can dream whatever they want while >> sleeping under it, but some other person (chosen by the owner) >> experiences the dream as a nightmare and is killed by it. The >> chosen victim is forced asleep when the owner begins dreaming. >> >> Camera -- Taking and developing a picture of a person with this camera >> creates an exact duplicate of the person. The duplicate must >> obey the orders of the photographer. Destroying the negative >> destroys the duplicate. If the negative is not destroyed >> within five hours, the original dies. >> >> Foghorn -- Sounding the foghorn summons the ghost of Angus MacBride, a >> pirate who died when his crew mutinied. The ghost will trade >> gold coins for the bodies of any of the crew's descendants. >> >> Sheriff's badge -- When the badge is pressed against the victim, the >> victim is branded with a star pattern and dies in convulsions; >> the badge then teleports back into the owner's hand, allowing >> a safe getaway. >> >> Pipe -- Lighting the pipe produces a cloud of smoke which will seek >> out and kill the victim by asphyxiation. If the victim runs, >> the smoke will follow; it can ooze through the smallest >> cracks. After the victim dies, both body and smoke disappear. >> >> Cradle -- The cradle will keep even the most sickly baby alive, and >> will eventually completely heal the baby. For this to happen, >> the baby's parents must kill seven people in water. >> >> >> Two additional magic items were presented. These were not cursed; >> instead they were used by Lewis (played by R.G. Armstrong) in attempts >> to return from the dead and continue serving the Devil. >> >> Amulet -- The amulet lets a ghost take material form until the next >> sunrise. >> >> Canopic jar -- Fumes released from the jar cause anyone who inhales >> them to have a dream in which they re-live their most >> terrifying experiences, eventually causing a heart attack. >> This was the end-of-season show, incorporating scenes from >> previous episodes. >> >> ****** >> >> The second season objects: >> -------------------------- >> >> Mask -- a voodoo totem which gives various magic powers. >> >> Radio -- broadcasts false "news reports" which can be used to kill. >> In exchange, the radio broadcasts information that profits the >> owner. >> >> Coin -- can be used to resurrect a corpse, even one that is centuries >> dead. >> >> Violin -- allows the owner to play as a virtuoso. >> >> Makeup Case -- can make even the ugliest person beautiful, for a short >> time. >> >> Handkerchief -- can animate a wax figure, which must obey the owner. >> >> Boutonniere -- also can animate a figure. In the episode, it was used >> for a ventriloquist's dummy. >> >> Watch -- the owner can experience one hour (starting and ending at >> 1AM) in which everything else is stopped in time. >> >> Key and Chain -- allow the owner to win auto races. >> >> Beehive -- makes "vampire bees" which are able to kill by draining >> blood. The bees then sting another person and change his >> appearance to that of the victim. To remain alive, the >> transformed people must eat honey made by the bees. >> >> Playhouse -- can transport a child to a world where he can have >> whatever he wants, provided he brings other children to be >> trapped. >> >> Magic Lantern -- permits travel to the time and place of projected >> slides. A person must be killed both to travel back in time >> and to return. >> >> Compact -- makes the owner beautiful, for a short time. >> >> Syringe -- can draw fluid from the victim's brain, removing a part of >> their humanity. The fluid will temporarily cure a psychotic >> person. The victim becomes increasingly animal-like, until >> nothing human is left. >> >> Movie Camera -- makes a movie character real; the character kills >> people who were filmed by the camera. >> >> Ring -- shows the outcome of a future sporting event. >> >> Shard -- anyone stabbed by the shard becomes a statue. >> >> Coffin -- can resurrect a child. The child has to kill to live. >> >> Amulet -- can resurrect a corpse. >> >> Bauble -- grants wishes, after hypnotizing and killing the victim (who >> obeys all orders, including commands to commit suicide). >> >> Pool Cue -- allows user to win games. >> >> Symphonia (Music Box) -- forces people to dance to their death, but >> the dances are beautiful works of art. >> >> Rattle -- cures diseases. >> >> Kamikaze Jacket -- makes the wearer invisible. >> >> Sculpting Tool -- converts clay into mommets ("voodoo" dolls) >> >> Several additional magic items were presented which were not cursed >> (at least not in the same way as the above items) but were used by >> various evil groups to attack the main characters. >> >> Mirror -- provides a gateway to hell. >> >> Snow Globe -- contains a miniature universe which people can enter. >> >> Witch's Ladder -- magnifies a magician's power. >> >> ***** >> >> The third season objects: >> ------------------------- >> >> Book -- a "Satanic Bible"; if its prophecies are fulfilled, the devil >> will rule the world. >> >> Dagger -- Summons and controls demons. >> >> Wheelchair -- enables the user to move about in a spirit-like form and >> kill; the chair gradually heals the user. >> >> Hearing Aid -- allows thoughts to be heard. >> >> Coin -- can be used to resurrect a corpse, even one that is centuries >> dead. (It was also in the second season, in a different >> episode.) >> >> Car Radio -- takes the car and occupants through time to the year of >> the radio's manufacture. >> >> Cross -- destroys vampires. One of the better episodes, due in part >> to the moral ambiguities: a cross, cursed by the devil, >> destroys vampires -- provided the holder kills someone else >> with the cross. >> >> Movie Print -- a character from the film can be brought into the real >> world, but someone else takes the character's place (and >> dies). >> >> Fountain Pen -- allows the owner to control the behavior of another. >> >> Monkey Idols -- "see no evil" allows the owner to change another >> person's perceptions; "hear no evil" allows thoughts to be >> heard; "speak no evil" speaks, giving useful information. >> >> Aspirator -- a mortician's device; it can raise the dead. >> >> Cameo -- holds the soul of a dead person, which can be released >> (reviving the dead person) by killing another. >> >> Charm -- allows transfer of a soul into another body. >> >> Leash -- transforms animals into humans and vice-versa. >> >> Jack-in-the-Box -- allows communication with the dead. >> >> Television -- maintains life. Used by a medium to show images of the >> dead to her clients; the images later attacked the clients >> through other televisions. >> >> Cernuous Statue -- animates an oak tree and reproduces itself. >> >> Painting -- allows travel back in time. >> >> There was also an episode involving the ghosts of a motorcycle gang; >> this didn't fit the cursed object theme. >> >> >-- >I don't mind being the smartest / Thanatos, DeathUrge, Master of Unknown >man in the world...I just wish it \ Time and Space tgt33358@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu >wasn't this one... / It's a Zen thing... > -Ozymandias \ you wouldn't understand...