The Burning (1981) vs Friday the 13th (1980)

I'll go with F13 because it takes advantage of the backwoods atmosphere a little more effectively, I think. Better death scenes.

The Burning is one of the better slashers from that era, too, though. It's got that classic early 80s summer camp setting, nothing original about that, but it does it well. And then there's a young Jason Alexander, with a full head of hair.

I like both, but would give a slight edge to Friday the 13th.

F13 by a mile.

Really, the only thing "The Burning" has going for it is Tom Savini. And since F13 has him as well, that should cancel out. After that, F13 pretty much wins every other category.

- Better actors. Adrienne King, Betsy Palmer, etc.

- Way better music. Harry Manfredini kills the soundtrack, including creating the now iconic "Ki Ki Ki Ma Ma Ma" sound effect that became a staple for the franchise.

- Better Ending. First time watching, no one expects Mrs. Vorhees to show up. And to see the kind of crazy that she is suffering from is pretty disturbing.

- Kills. I prefer F13 kills, but if there was an argument to be made, I could see where "The Burning" could match up. But again, it's Tom Savini playing against himself.

- Legacy. F13 went on to become a powerhouse franchise in horror. One of the "Big Three"

The Burning - even if Friday1980 is more "iconic."