Summary

  • Fans have debated for years whether the controversial killing of the snake in Friday the 13th was real or just a special effect.
  • The snake killing in the movie was indeed real, as there were no strict animal protection laws or supervision from organizations like PETA at the time.
  • The incident has resurfaced on TikTok, sparking horror and disgust from viewers and reigniting the debate about animal cruelty in film.

Was the Friday the 13th snake really killed in the horror classic? The movie doesn't short fans on violence and bloodshed, but most of the deaths in the franchise were human. However, fans have debated the controversial killing of what many know as the Friday the 13th snake for years. The iconic 1980 slasher film, directed by Sean S. Cunningham, famously introduced the world to the deadly, masked antagonist of the Friday the 13th franchise. The story of Friday the 13th follows Camp Crystal Lake's counselors who are slowly picked off by an unknown assailant on a murdering spree while they're trying to help get things back up to par for a reopening.

Of course, Crystal Lake is hauntingly intertwined with Friday the 13th's infamous victim of counselor negligence: Jason Voorhees. The former camper drowned there the year before, an accident which Pamela certainly hasn't forgiven over time. But, it wasn't Pamela's killings that sparked a disapproving buzz among many horror buffs, but rather the death of a snake at the hands of thoughtless teens. Interestingly enough, the most controversial killing in the movie is that of a snake. Among other shenanigans depicted at Camp Crystal Lake, its counselors engaged in violent action in an off-the-cuff scene that ended up sparking quite the discussion because of its real-life implications.

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Friday The 13th Snake Scene Explained

Friday the 13th snake scene.

The Friday the 13th snake killed in question involves Alice (Adrienne King) discovering it in her cabin and calling her friends to assist with the creature. Bill (Harry Crosby) runs in first, carrying a machete. The other campers are soon to follow, and all attempt to flush out the snake that has crawled under one of the beds. After it emerges, Bill kills it with the machete, and it is shown writhing and dying. The accident created a brief, yet disturbing, sequence — especially by today's standards for animal treatment in movies.

Did A Real Snake Get Killed In Friday The 13th?

Jason Voorhees Friday the 13th Camp Crystal Lake

Because there wasn't supervision from the likes of organizations like PETA or the same strict adherence to animal protection laws in Hollywood while making Friday the 13th, another animal death not only happened but was somewhat swept under the rug. While many have thought for years that this could have just been some of the legendary Tom Savini's artistic talent at play, the Friday the 13th snake killing was actually real. lso, the snake — which was a harmless bull snake — was accompanied by a handler who didn't know about its intended fate.

There are some unclear details about the handler's involvement in the Friday the 13th snake killed, but by many accounts, he was incredibly upset about it. In an article by Teamhadventures, it's reported that he had to be held back by crew members after it happened, and some even say he can be heard crying off-camera following the snake's death, as he was "inconsolable." In the 2012 franchise documentary Crystal Lake Memories, the Friday the 13th death is also confirmed by Jeannine Taylor (Marcie), who expressed regret over the on-set killing of a live animal, even though she didn't deliver the fatal blow.

Teamhadventures.com also reported that special effects maestro Tom Savini (Dawn of the Dead) came up with the idea of the Friday the 13th snake when he found one under his bed. However, Savini is the master of practical effects, and it seems this would be something he would create rather than kill a harmless snake. With that in mind, Savini answered the accusations and wrote on Twitter that he was not on set the day the snake was killed, nor was he the person who killed it. While Savini said he never killed the snake and wasn't there when it happened, he did make it sound like this killing did really occur - possibly based on his idea.

The Friday The 13th Snake Scene Has Gone Viral

Jason Voorhees holds an axe in Friday the 13th

In an interesting turn of events, the Friday the 13th snake killing has become a viral topic on TikTok. The movie came out over 40 years ago, and to this time it has always been discussed by fans who wondered if it was real or an urban legend. Thanks to social media, people are able to take a more active role in the conversation and bring it up once again, allowing it to spread more than it has in years. It also seems that many of the TikTok posters jumped onto the trend after Tom Savini admitted that he had nothing to do with the Friday the 13th snake killed.

As expected, the responses on TikTok were expressions of horror and disgust. Fans asked if the wrangler sued the production for the Friday the 13th snake killed. Others said they owned snakes and would be angry if anyone hurt one of their pets. While this happened over 40 years ago, it has opened up the debate once again for both Friday the 13th fans and people who likely never saw the movie as the fate of this one real snake outweighs the fictional deaths from the Friday the 13th franchise.