Why is Friday the 13th supposed to be bad? Jesus was crucified on a Friday, which led to an ill association. As for the number 13, one of the biggest reasons given is that Judas Iscariot was said to be the 13th guest at the Last Supper and of course betrayed Jesus. So Friday the 13th is a double whammy. Most know the fear of the number 13 is called triskaidekaphobia. Did you know the specific fear of Friday the 13th has it's own name? Yep. It's called paraskevidekatriaphobia.

Further cementing this fear is the Friday the 13th movie franchise, which of course has huge Jersey ties with its shooting locations. Speaking of scary movies, we put our listeners on the job to come up with scary movies for this special day. Straight from our listeners, here's a list of 13 scary movies for Friday the 13th.

1) Insidious
Listener Rob called this one in. The first in a franchise, Insidious stars Patrick Wilson and centers on a family looking to prevent evil spirits from taking over their little boy who is trapped in a coma. Who could forget the horror of 'The Further' where the father must visit to try to save his son?

2) The Beast With Five Fingers
Called in by Erika, this one scared her senseless as a child. It's an oldie, way back from the 1940's. A one-handed disabled man is murdered, but the hand has ideas other than keeping quiet.

3) Jaws
Mike called this one in. Not your typical horror movie, but when you think of the real life impact of this movie with so many people swearing off the water for years to follow can anyone argue its genre?

4) The Children
Bishop's pick is this 2008 horror film where a family's vacation turns evil when the children turn on their parents.

5) The Shining
John's pick for a scary movie is the Jack Nicholson film made from Stephen King's novel by the same name. While I'll always find the book more frightening, this movie certainly has its place. John and I agreed neither of us can ever walk alone down a long, empty hotel hallway without thinking of the twins.

6) The Fog
Kimberly had this 1980 classic in mind when we asked for scary movie picks. How can you go wrong in a movie about shipwrecked, murdered lepers who come back for a town's centennial celebration?

7) It
Juan's favorite was the made for tv mini-series that did more to turn a generation against clowns than any other film. Another Stephen King adaptation, it follows pre-teen losers into successful adulthood when they have to go back and stop Pennywise, a clown that kills children.

8) Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark
Thanks to Janet for this one, who remembers it as one of the most terrifying movies ever. From 1973, it's about a couple inheriting a mansion that turns out to be inhabited by demons looking to make the wife part of their own family.

9) Last House On The Left
Mike's scary movie pick. He said what made this so terrifying is that it wasn't paranormal. It could happen in real life. Two girls going to a concert are kidnapped and brutalized by thugs. Things get more interesting when the psychos unknowingly come across one of the girl's family. And the family is on to them.

10) Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things
Not only practical advice, but the name of a great horror movie according to listener Gillian. From 1972, this film takes place in a cemetery where a group of friends decide to get stupid and dig up a corpse, conduct a ritual, and you can just guess where it goes from there.

11) Nightmare On Elm Street
April called in this Wes Craven classic. The great twist in this movie was that you were perfectly safe from Freddy Kreuger providing you just never go to sleep. Easy, right? Girls got to see Johnny Depp in bed. Of course, so did Kreuger.

12) The Birds
Pete had the Alfred Hitchcock film from 1963 starring Tippi Hedren. A wealthy socialite ends up in a small town that suddenly has birds of all kinds attacking people.

13) Salem's Lot
Manny completed the Stephen King lovefest by calling in this vampire flick. It was another made for TV movie from 1979. Manny remembers the scene that terrified him most was a young vampire floating outside a window and scratching at the glass.

So if you need a good scare, there you go! Happy Friday the 13th!

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