Leading Lady

Since I'm exhaustively going through "Friday The Thirteenth Part 8: Jason Takes Manhattan", now is as good a time as any to address the ostensible protagonist, Rennie. Her name reminded me of Dracula's Renfield, which I guess is not flattering. She is a troubled soul, just as was her predecessor in Part 7. Indeed, she and McCulloch in this one are the same as the young woman and Terry Kiser in that film. It's odd that they should have judged that such an effective component of that movie as to warrent being brought back as a virtual carbon copy.

Rennie is some kind of creative type, and her teacher gives her something she says was used by author Stephen King in his youth. It's what looks to be a 200 year old fountain pen, and the moment got quite a laugh from the audience in the theater where I saw it. I don't think it's supposed to be funny, but my guess is that at any time in his life when Stephen King was not using a typewriter or computer, he was probably using a BALLPOINT pen.

Anyway, Rennie's appearance upsets McCulloch (although it's fair to say that sunrises probably upset him), who is her legal guardian. Rennie has an issue with swimming, and if you suspect that may come into play numerous times during an ill-fated boat ride, you are correct. Mattering less often is the dog that follows her everywhere, but still she insists on having the dog. Could it be meant to soften her image? Isn't the leading woman of a movie like this supposed to be sympathetic on her own?

As a boy watching this film on basic cable, I remembered liking Rennie a lot. She was pretty and she seemed both smart and likable. Watching it this time, I don't know quite what I was thinking then. She seemed lesser than my memory of her in about every way. I feel badly about that. I've experienced quite a bit since I was fifteen, but this is one of those times where I'd rather I knew less and managed to still enjoy the thing. Anyway, she's still better than some.