DBach Hangman 2010 for Sale!

THIS HAS BEEN SOLD. This was part of a very limited run of blanks by Dan Bachenberg back in early 2010. I am the first and only owner, as well as the painter. Mint condition--thick latex pull (maybe half inch), spent its whole 9 year life in a dark closet in a smoke-free home. One of the finest part 3 replicas ever produced. $300.

What Shirt Was Used in Part 3?

Thanks to the meticulous research of Nathan Bellew, we can now confirm the original shirt was an olive green Sears brand work-leisure shirt. We don't know exactly what fabric treatment (Penn Prest/Perma Prest/etc.) but we are sure now that it was Sears, rather than Big Mac.

As many collectors and cosplayers know, Big Mac and Sears manufactured nearly identical work shirts from the 1950's to the present. They changed slightly with each passing decade, but in the 1970's and early 1980's both companies made their work-leisure shirts with giant disco collars. Like so:

The two brands were nearly identical in almost every way. As Nathan discovered, the key to discerning the brand used in the film lies in the pocket stitching.

Apparently, nearly all Big Mac brand work shirts have square stitching in the pocket corners, with a cross stitch that's a bit less than an inch from the top of the pocket, passing straight through the button. Like so:

But Sears workshirts of the period have a triangle stitch in the corners... and a horizontal stitch that sits a bit lower. Like so:

The hero shirt bears these two vital characteristics. The triangle stitch:

And the lower horizontal pocket stitch (below is Big Mac on left, Sears on right; bottom is the screen-used shirt):

So there you have it. Have some of these shirts at home? Take a look at them and see if that bears out. I have several of them and this distinction is borne out on every one.

R.I.P. John Carl Buechler

John Buechler was one of the few F13 directors who was a hard-core horror nerd like ourselves and his creations will long outlive him, and probably, the rest of us. Cheers John, and thanks for the memories.

On Location: Camp NoBeBoSco

When I was nine, someone told me that the first Friday the 13th was filmed at Lake Waramaug in Kent, Connecticut. When our bus stopped there briefly on a school trip, I found a beach and proclaimed it the beach that Mrs. Voorhees was decapitated on. The teachers just about had to drag me back onto the bus.

Of course, I had been told wrong-- although Part 2 had in fact been filmed just a couple of miles away, I had the wrong beach at the wrong lake in the wrong state.

Since then, its been a bucket list item to get to the right beach. And last October I finally did just that-- on the 39th anniversary of the day they filmed Ari Lehman pulling Adrienne King into the 40-something degree waters of Sand Pond that frigid October day in 1979.

Adrienne was there herself--just the sweetest person you can imagine--and we even got a surprise visit from Robbie Morgan and Officer Dorf himself (all in character of course). Really great time! Here's a few photos. 

The fireplace in Van Deusen lodge, where most of the interiors were shot (including strip monopoly and Mrs. Voorhees monologue).

Van Deusen lodge: nice touch.

They let you get photos with the original sign at the end of the tour. Nice touch.

Adrienne is the nicest.

One of the larger cabins, which was altered by the crew to turn it into the bathroom.

Sand Pond! Finally made it!

The shop where the first two murders were filmed.

Adrienne acted as M.C.

Officer Dorf.

It was cold that day but they gave us sweatshirts and stainless steel thermoses as part of the tour, so that was nice.

The Best Part 3 Replica Ever Sculpted?

A couple years ago I told myself I was done buying fan sculpts--strictly movie mold from here on in. And then Dan Bachenberg started sculpting Jason pieces again and oh my goooooooooood

No part 3 fan sculpt is perfect. But detail for detail, this is easily the most accurate replication of this design. Beats Dan's earlier design. Beats the puffy-looking MEL Inc. and HHH busts. Destroys the classic ITZ-U. Not even a contest.

I don't want to get too deep in the weeds but let me show you a quick comparison so you can see. Both the MEL Inc. and the Hangman III are lovely sculpts. But the ears, the back of the head, the forehead, the sagging eye, the curve of the nose, and the chin are all more accurately reproduced on Dan's. The face is also more angular and less puffy than the MEL Inc.

I know the MEL Inc. is supposedly "movie mold" but if that's the case, it has been so thoroughly retooled it's essentially a tribute sculpt.

I bought a blank from Dan-- it was only $250, a fraction of the price of the MEL Inc.-- and I absolutely cannot wait to paint it.