Press Releases / News

11/29/22

For Immediate Release

Contact:
Ronnie Hein
CEO and Executive Director
201-390-9717
Ronnie@nychorrorfest.com

The New York City Horror Film Festival will be presenting its Lifetime Achievement Award to slasher icon Kane Hodder.

After a two-year hiatus, the New York City Horror Film Festival (to be held at Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas, 260 West 23rd Street, from December 1-4) will relaunch its Lifetime Achievement Award on the occasion of the fest’s 20th Anniversary. The recipient of 2022’s honor will be none other than Friday the 13th/Hatchet star Kane Hodder, who has been terrorizing moviegoers since 1988.

“No one does scary better than Kane Hodder,” says Ronnie Hein, the festival’s CEO and Executive Director. “Kane has been making audience scream their lungs out for decades, making him one of the true masters of horror. The New York City Horror Film Festival looks forward to honoring Kane for his long tenure in the genre. And our audience can’t wait to meet him for what promises to be a very special night.”

Hodder joins past recipients George Romero, Tom Savini, Tobe Hooper, Roger Corman, Mick Garris, Herschell Gordon Lewis, Frank Henenlotter, Bill Lustig, Robert Englund, Wes Craven, Lloyd Kaufman, Angus Scrimm, Sean Cunningham, Adrienne Barbeau, Brad Dourif, Tony Todd and Greg Nicotero.

Hodder has starred in hundreds of films and television shows, as well as being a stunt coordinator and stuntman on scores of films (including Seven and Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III). After years as a stuntman, Hodder made his way to acting. Hodder is the only actor to play terror titan Jason Voorhees more than once, across four entries in the Friday the 13th franchise, and even a videogame based on the films. The actor later segued into playing another fearsome scarred killer, Victor Crowley in four Hatchet flicks.

In 1977, Hodder was performing a stunt that went horribly wrong, leaving him with second and third degree burns over 40 percent of his body. It was a long and painful road to recovery, chronicled in his autobiography Unmasked: The True Story of the World’s Most Prolific Cinematic Killer and director Derek Dennis Herbert’s documentary To Hell and Back: The Kane Hodder Story. As proof of his dedication to his movie mayhem. Hodder has the word “Kill!” tattooed on the back of his bottom lip.

When he is not filming, Hodder spends much of his time working with children in burn centers, as well as with numerous charities. Despite the roles he portrays, Hodder is often described as a very kind, compassionate and generous soul, who truly cares for those who suffer life’s cruel blows. As anyone can tell you who has met Hodder at one of his many convention appearances, he loves and appreciates his fans. Hodder also has the most wicked and wonderful comedic timing, as evidenced when he played himself in the cult TV series Holliston. He is also an avid poker player who often competes in celebrity tournaments.

“Attitude is everything when it comes to the character,” Hodder once said of playing Jason. “I’m a real natural when it comes to looking scary. If you’re not seriously trying to frighten people, then the fear these movies are intended to generate doesn’t come across. I truly try to scare the shit out of people all the time. Between takes, in the make-up trailer, you never know when I’m going to go ‘Boo!’ That’s the main reason I keep getting asked to play Jason.”

The NYC Horror Film Festival is the brainchild of Michael J. Hein, who created the festival in 2001 as a venue for new independent horror filmmaking. After Michael’s passing in 2011, the festival created the Michael J. Hein Achievement Award to celebrate the hard work and perseverance of creators in the field. Rob Zombie, Stuart Gordon and Tom Atkins were the first recipients of this award.

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