ironhorse_iv Review of Friday the 13th: Part 3

Friday the 13th: Part 3 (1982)

Jason's back for a turd. A one-dimensional 3D horror of a film.

[5/10 · 13 November 2015]

Friday the 13th is one of the highest grossing horror franchise in the United States, nevertheless, it's Friday the 13th Part III, where it become very crystal clear that the film series to starting to get stupid. Directed by Steve Miner, and originally release in 3-D, Friday the 13th Part III is the first movie to feature the antagonist Jason Voorhees (Richard Brooker) with his iconic signature hockey mask, which has since become a trademark of both the character and franchise as a whole. As a direct sequel to 1980's Friday the 13th & 1981's Friday the 13th Part 2, the first part of the film follows the aftermath of the massacres at Camp Crystal Lake, very loosely. We see a recap of the last minutes of the previous film through archive footage. However, it doesn't really fit well, with the rest of this film, since that part wasn't shot in 3D. Other glaring factors is that none of the previous cast, return for this film. Not even, Amy Steel as Ginny Field, who surprising, was never even kill by Jason. I guess, they didn't want to do the Ginny at psychiatric hospital route, since 1981's Halloween 2 kinda did it first. Instead, the movie focus on a new batch of teenagers lead by Chrissy Higgins (Dana Kimmell) in a new location, Higgins Haven trying to have some vacation time, before the new school year on surprising Sunday, the 15th, not Friday the 13th. I wasn't impressed with any of the actors acting here. It was a bit jarring to see, mid 30s somethings, trying to act like teens. Not only that; unlike the other film, where most of the supporting characters were likable. Most of them in this movie, weren't likable! They were all, highly obnoxious! First off, you got Rick (Paul Kraka) whom loves, surprising and forcing sex on supposedly rape victims. Then you got the over-the-top Cheech & Chong rip-off, stoner, Charles 'Chuck" Garth (David Katims) who looks like, he has step into the wrong set! Then you got the cheesy Michael Jackson's 'BAD' looking motorcycle gang that really had, no purpose in the film, just to serve as filler. Then you got the guy, Andy Beltrami (Jeffery Rodgers) and his pregnant girlfriend, Debbie Klein (Tracie Savage) whom gimmick was it, to walk on his hands. Then you got Debbie, whom I really don't know, why they had to try to kill her and unborn child. I guess, the producers really hated, teen pregnancies. Then you got the really horrible character, Shelly Finkelstein (Larry Zerner), whom I didn't like him, at all! He really ruins the film for me. Does he have mental problems or something!? Who does mean pranks like that!? Are you sure, this movie wasn't made as a comedy, because they all, look like a joke! The only person, besides Chrissy that was somewhat decent was Vera Sanchez (Catherine Parks) who had an eye on things. Honestly, for the most part, I wanted all of them to die, quick. It's a bad sign, if you cheer for the bad guy, more than the good guys. Anyways, the movie is full of silly 3-D gimmicks. We get to see, a number of mundane 3-D effects from Yo-Yo being tossed at us to juggling tricks. It seemed like they were really stretching, when coming up with ideas on how to use the 3-D in this film. Still, there were a number of really cool shots that was worth seeing, such as the harpoon gun or pitchfork scene. Still, some of the deaths in the film were edited in order to avoid an "X" rating, and you really can tell, where the cuts ends. The film also contains an infamous alternate ending in which the lead character Chris, played by Dana Kimmell, is decapitated by Jason at the conclusion. Though this sequence has never been commercially released, stills of it can be seen. Still, the ending, they did choose, was very lackluster, with all the fake-outs dream sequences. Despite all the blood and gore, this movie lacks the suspense, compare to the previous two. I really didn't find, the movie to be, that scary. After all, the movie has a funky disco soundtrack by Harry Manfredini that sounds like a Halloween dance-off party and lots of nudity that give anybody, a chubby. When first released, the film was intended to end the series as a trilogy. However unlike its sequel Friday the 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter (1984) and the later film, Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993), Friday the 13th Part III did not include a moniker in its title to indicate it as such. Overall: it's one of the films, you have to watch at least once, if you into the 1980's horror genre. Just don't think too much about it when watching. It's just one of those films you watch if you want cheap thrills, nothing more.