Aside from Alice, who has a minor role in the second film as well as the starring role in the first, Tommy Jarvis is the only recurring protagonist in the series, albeit played by three different actors.
Years after the release of this film, Kevin Williamson told director Tom McLoughlin that this film had a huge influence on him growing up and helped inspire him to write his meta slasher film Pânico (1996).
Director Tom McLoughlin took home some props from the film, including Jason's tombstone - which sits outside his house, made to look like Jason is buried in his yard - and his casket, which sits in his garage. The DVD box set includes a scene in which he shows off these props at his home and tells of how a city employee refused to enter his yard to read the meter because he thought a body was really buried there.
The little girl who keeps having nightmares is called Nancy, which has been interpreted by many fans as a nod to the name of the protagonist in A Hora do Pesadelo (1984), played by Heather Langenkamp. However, director Tom McLoughlin actually named the little girl after his wife, Nancy McLoughlin, who plays Lizbeth in this film.
Crew member Dan Bradley played Jason on the first day of shooting, which is why Jason's build in the paintball scenes are different. This is also why Jason's eye color changes during the film. Paramount had seen the first day's rushes and asked that Jason be recast, feeling that Bradley looked too bulky for the role. Therefore Graham was given the part.