Ari Lehman (Jason Voorhees - Friday the 13th)
Ari Lehman has the distinct honour of being the first ever actor to play the role of
the iconic-pyscho-madman-killer Jason Voorhees. Well...before he became *that guy*, but nonetheless
Ari played a pivotal role in the Friday the 13th saga...the original "little" Jason...enjoy!
1: You gave me a fear of the lake, canoes, and aquatic
evil children...I was quite traumatized for several years after watching the
end of Friday the 13th. How does that make you feel?
Hey John, I want to say Hi and Thanks to you, and all the
Pit of Horror.com members. The answer to your first question is "Great!"
If the special effects designed and created by Tom Savini
scared your socks off, then their intended goal was
fulfilled, and the whole team was successful.
Of course, I truly hope that people will not develop an
overwhelming fear of swimmming in lakes and ponds,
but instead, that they appreciate the underlying "Water
Safety" message. Weren't we all taught the "Buddy
System" when we were kids? I mean, after all, WHERE WAS JASON'S BUDDY?!
2: Your interpretation of Jason is different than the later
Jason's. What was your approach towards the part?
Good Question!
When I got the script for the Jason character , I
immediately noticed that he had no lines, and that the
screen time alotted to his actions needed to be brief.
Therefore, I created a detailed background history for
both scenes, so that when Jason appeared onscreen his
motives would feel more authentic and emphatic.
The scene of the drowning portrays a neglected Jason,
bewildered and vulnerable.
In the final scene, however,
Jason re-appears suddenly, somehow transformed, far
stronger, covered in muck, and full of vengeful purpose.
The story of Jason's survival under the waters of Crystal
Lake and his transformation from an abandoned,
disabled, weakling to an semi-aquatic monster on a
vendetta, provided a rich source of historical information
for me to work with. In my version, Jason's regenerative
powers are also acquired during his underwater sojourn.
This topic is more fully explored in the lyrics of an
upcoming CD/DVD I am working on at this time.
3: What is your favorite Friday the 13th film (other than the
original) and why?
Well "The Final Chapter" is good, and it has Tom Savini
back at the special effects helm. "Jason X" has a great
concept, and Kane Hodder is always a good Jason.
I feel that all of the Jason's, for that matter , have brought
their own interpretation to the part, each one giving the
part more depth. "Freddy vs. Jason", is also a new favorite, of course,
because the young Jason character that I helped to
create is portrayed once again, I must say quite well.
4: What do you think of how Friday the 13th has evolved
into straight "Jason" films i.e. Jason Goes to Hell, Jason X etc... and
now a totally new franchise with Freddy vs. Jason?
I think it's awesome, and more directly, it prooves that
THE POWER IS IN THE HANDS OF THE FANS! The fans of Jason are the ones who bring him back to
life, year after year, and as long as they continue to make
their voices heard, Jason will live on forever!
5: What's your favorite horror film (non Friday the 13th)?
Let's see...
The Abominable Dr. Phibes
Dr. Phibes Rises Again
The Creature From the Black Lagoon
The Crypt Club (Independant)
6: Talk to us about Ari Ben Moses?
For the past twenty years, I have been working as a
touring and recording artist, appearing in the U.S,
Canada, Europe, and Africa as a keyboardist and singer
for some of the top names on the Reggae/World Music
circuit. Now, I have my own World Rock band, ARI BEN MOSES
BAND, and we perform at festivals and events throughout
the U.S. Our CD, "Burning Bush", received critical
acclaim, and has been featured on WBAI-FM, WSIA-FM,
and WLIB-AM radio sations in New York City, WNUR-FM
in Chicago, as well as Radio Eshel 106-FM in Israel.
ARI BEN MOSES BAND is releasing a new CD later this
year.We will be appearing at the The Five Spot in Atlanta,
Ga, on July 22nd, as part of the Atlantis Music
Conference. Visit us at www.aribenmosesband.com
7: Can you tell us about your upcoming CD based on
Jason Voorhees and the Friday the 13th mythos?
As I mentioned before, a CD/DVD is in the works that
draws it's inspiration from the inner workings of the
young Jason's mind during the 11 years he spent under
the waters of Crystal Lake. The material is cut from a
darker cloth than my other projects, and I am currently
assembling the right musicians for the task. The former
drummer for The Cro-Mags is already on board. We hope
to be recording this project in NYC this Summer.
8: What is the strangest fan reaction you've ever had
upon meeting you?
Honestly, most people are just psyched to meet the kid
who scared the popcorn out of them so many years ago.
Sometimes they get so excited, that I get pretty psyched
up about it myself. It's a blast. Some people like to have
their picture taken with me holding them in a headlock,
and some fans seem to be actually scared of me!
At the last Fango/ChillerCon, a couple of fans actually got
married, and asked me to be in one of their wedding
photos! Of course, I gave them an autographed photo of
Jason in action as a wedding gift.
Would you reprise the role of Jason if asked? Any
possibility we will ever see you on film again?
Well, with the new technology making DVD's the medium
of choice, I do intend to participate in a number of
independent productions, including my own.
I would be happy to appear in a "Friday the 13th"or
"Jason" film with my band, performing in a bar, party or
concert, in the background, if asked. I think that would be
a fun way to include me in a future film, for the benefit of
the fans and trivia buffs, without jarring the story line.
The illusion of reality might be suspended if I were to
appear as a character, and I don't think anyone of my size
could be a convincing Jason since he became a
super-muscular giant killing machine. The illusion is
everything in Horror. All of the fun, really, is in how
effectively you are surprised, scared, frightened, stunned,
and left gasping for air with your heart still pounding!
HaHaahh! We got you again!
Well, that's all for now, but keep your eyes on
www.pitofhorror.com for more updates and remember,
it's the fans of Jason who keep him going strong!
MORE POWER TO YOU! Many Thanks.
Have Fun ! ~ Ari
