Every horror fan knows Kane Hodder, whether they realize it or not. Sometimes he is a stuntman in the background of a film, other times the killer under layers of makeup or a mask, or even front and center in your favorite horror movie. His most famous film roles are from the Friday the 13th and Hatchet franchises, playing the main villains in both. While many people know of him because of his work in the film industry, not many can say they truly know who the man is. In the documentary To Hell and Back: The Kane Hodder Story, audiences get to learn everything there is to know about their favorite horror villain.
The film does a great job of going through Hodder’s entire film history. We get to learn how he started doing stunts just to get a reaction out of his friends, and how that eventually led to him auditioning for a stunt film role. The documentary takes extra care to go over Hodder’s two biggest roles as Jason Voorhees, starting with Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood, and Victor Crowley of the Hatchet films. Hodder has killed more people on screen than any other actor, and a majority of them are from those two fan-favorite franchises. It’s only natural that a lot of time would be spent on Hodder’s time in those films.
Looking at the hulking man we all know as Kane Hodder, it is hard to imagine anyone trying to pick a fight with him. Yet when Hodder was younger, he was bullied and beaten. While eventually he learned to hit back, which got rid of the bullies, he still went through a lot of hardship along the way. Hodder not only tells the story of his childhood trauma, but he uses this time to talk about the amount of physical and emotional harm bullying can do. He even discusses how often bullying can lead to suicide. Hearing that someone who plays Jason Voorhees went through the same experiences of bullying as many others not only reveals Hodder’s softer side, but it allows fans to relate to him on a more personal level.
Fans love meeting Hodder at various conventions. He always takes the time to talk to his fans, and if you want a photo of him strangling you he will strangle you for real. Anyone who has met the man in person has likely noticed the burn scars all over his body. For years the origin of those scars was kept relatively secret. While I won’t go into all the details, I will say that Hodder not only describes the true events that led to his horrific burns, but there are also still photos of the event shown. What’s even more horrific than the accident itself is the long recovery process that followed. While this is a horrible and tragic event in Hodder’s life, it actually benefited his career. Not only does he still do fire stunts to this day, but he also takes care to make sure that every stunt he performs (or coordinates) is the safest it can possibly be.
To Hell and Back: The Kane Hodder Story is an absolute must for any horror fan. It shows a side of Hodder rarely seen by fans, and it allows us to connect with him even more. The documentary includes some great clips, images, and interviews with Hodder. It also has interviews with Hodder’s friends and other big names in the horror film industry such as Adam Green, Robert Englund, Bruce Campbell, and Cassandra Peterson (aka Elvira). The documentary is equal parts funny, interesting, and heartfelt. Not only do I recommend this to avid horror fans, but I think even non-horror fans will appreciate learning about one of the greatest stuntmen alive.
OVERALL RATING: MUST SEE*
*Since this is a documentary about a person’s life, it didn’t feel right giving it a number rating out of 10. Instead I am giving it a “MUST SEE” designation. I strongly urge people to see this documentary, especially if you get the chance to see it on the big screen.
