Movie Review: Friday the 13th Part 3

 

Hey everyone, my name is Anthony and welcome back to Movie Review.

Well, we’re already in October. Which means another time of “SPOOKY MONTH!”, with more trick or treating, cosplays, party and even watching horror movies like I do. Which is exactly in today’s review in my own “Halloween Special” in this month, but to going back to another unusual date for my unfinished business, with our familiar friend with now Hockey Mask.

“Friday the 13th Part 3” is a 1982 slasher and the third installment of Friday the 13th film that was directed by Steve Miner (being the only director of two Friday the 13th movies), produced by Frank Mancuso Jr., and written by Martin Kitrosser and Carol Watson.

Following the success of Part 2, its no stranger Paramount wanted to have another yet another installment of its franchise, this time they wanted it to be even more better and promising with more gaining budget of $2.2M with various reasons like getting new equipment of production and even bringing back 3D effect since the 50s (though we’ll get there). Plus in the early draft, Amy Steel (who played Ginny) was originally meant to be return in the 3rd installment after being taken in a stretcher in Part 2’s ending, but she refused for either money or script issues (though she said she’s disappointed that she would’ve say yes.), leaving back to the drawing board. Not to mention, it also originally intended as a trilogy that the 3rd one is meant to be the end, we all know how it turned out. However, despite the production looks good at the time (again, we’ll get there), but their behind scenes of production was anything but nice, it was hell when they’re making movies from various reasons like technical problem, struggling shoots and couple other problems.

When this movie came out on August 13th 1982, it wasn’t received well based on the obvious repetitive writing and the plot over the previous installment. But the box-office was the opposite, thanks to the marketing for releasing this movie in 3D (along with titles like Friday the 13th Part 3 in 3D) that it sold more than millions of tickets and out beaten E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. As time went on, like always, it became a cult following for Friday the 13th fans, especially its the first film that we finally have the familiar Jason we all know and love, Jason with his signature hockey mask after wearing a bag on his head from before.

Oh and just to be clear, I watched this movie in normal view and 3D version, specially with a cheap 3D glasses with red and blue-ish green. Yeah, im not in a mood to watching a cheap old 3D since I watched “The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3D”.

So with all that said, is it a well starting to have a hockey mask, or is it repetitive with questionable 3D effect?

Well, lets find out.

The Story

You think this that is gonna be a completely different plot to figuring out how to dealing with Jason, right? Well, its yes and no.

The movie picks up right after part 2, but the movie literally starting with a long stock footage of the Part 2’s third act until we get the new filming (Jeez, what a laziest way to start). After the obvious stock footage from Part 2 (which I fast forward while watching it, cause again, what a lazy start on this movie), we start with a new filming with Harold the glutton shop owner who didn’t have a care of his wife Edna. But the searching won’t last long when Jason smash stabs at Harold’s wooden fat belly to death and Edna also gets killed by impaling through the back of her head with a knitting needle. In next mourning, we introduce another new campers (though they’re not camp councelers), Andy and his pregnant girlfriend Debbie, an annoying prankster Shelly, unlikely prankster’s lover Vera, the stoners Chuck n’ Chilli (huh, kinda referencing Cheech and Chong) and our new main girl, Chris Higgins, where they preparing to going a camping at Higgins Haven (though im easily assuming its Crystal Lake again, but changed the name much like before) run by Rick, after ignoring Abel (the poor man version of Crazy Ralph) about his warning while showing us his weirdly fake eyeball. But little did they know, aside of Shelley and Very getting bullied by bikers Fox, Loco and Loco, while they’re camping in Haven, they should’ve realizing Jason is out there to kill somebody, its up to Chris and Rick to checking around when Jason is on a massacre.

Yeah, its no stranger that its the same plot as before, introducing new characters to either kill or not being killed, like you might as do yet another check list of cliché;

-Introducing new characters without bringing back the previous survivor? Check.

-Annoying prankster since before? Check.

-Smokin’ dope? Check.

-Ignoring the warning sign by an old man without Crazy Ralph? Check.

-Live peacefully to not just smoking, but also sexing without acknowledging nor even mentioning Jason? Double Check!

Yeah, the latter of which has a problematic of the writing, not only they recycling the same plot as two previous films, but also forgot to having the mention of Jason Voorhees, which really sucks that, like I said, Jason is on the loose with a signature hockey mask (again, more on that later), talk about being busy for sexing, doping or even doing nothing. Well ok, even though the writing feels like nothing new, but they also including a reminder, like when the new campers sees an ambulance from what happened from Part 2, which obviously, this movie takes place on Saturday the 14th, which is a nice reminder how we picked up, but it was only the beginning. Plus, they also add a small development about Chris’s neglectful family from the past until she’s chased by a deformed man, but based when I looked on this scene, im not sure if Jason is harassing her, or is it another deformed man trying to going after her. I get the character development that have a sympathy on her, but the flashback scene of creepy man or Jason after her, its pretty confusing what happened about this moment. Though they also add some slightly humor on this movie, which I did chuckle but most of jokes cam from a prankster Shelly, which those pranks aren’t as funny to acting like a fake killer or a fake dead body, just plain to make a cheap cliché.

The plot is no stranger to be lazy for recycling the same plot as the previous films, but the additions are either ok to questionable and sometimes annoying, specially the latter with a prankster.

The Presentation

The production of this movie is even more improved with more than $2.2M, does it the effects and kills are looking good even more? Well, im not so sure, despite a high budget, it felt like exposing the effects.

Unlike the two previous movies, it was filmed in Veluzat Movie Ranch at Sangus, California. Instead of filming in existent camp grounds, both the lodge and the barn are build from scratch. I will say, the lodge itself looks pretty good with have three stories, but sadly, it was burn down by a moron in 2006, only the barn and one fireplace are still there to this day. However, we never be able to see the lake, cause the lake itself looks pretty fake, it looks more like a swamp than a camping lake, its no stranger that they had to creating their own lake, again, from scratch, but the “lake”, if you can call that, looks awfully ugly that it looks more like a swamp. I mean come on, Shrek needs that swamp so badly.

When it comes to the filming (aside the location), they use Louma crane for a smooth and stable movement of filming. Its fine I guess, but I prefer when there’s a shaky camera from the first or a use of steady cam at Part 2, which they give a suspense feel, but Part 3 is too smooth and kinda less suspenseful, even the crew members aren’t a huge fan of Louma, especially there’s one moment that the crew member had a freak accident when a Louma crane fell off, leaving a mess during their shooting day.

Meanwhile, the biggest selling point of this movie is filming in 3D. Sure, they use some special effects for the purpose of 3D, but there’s also some actors doing their 3D actions, but they definitely shows how dated the effect looks, its pretty much doing a close-up at the camera for the purpose of 3D, I get what they’re trying for their trick, but its pretty obvious that its dated for their tricks and others, especially some actors doing a multiple takes to do a “Perfect 3D Shots” for their final cut, leaving some actors in frustration if they did something right or doing more reshoots.

As for the special effects and kills, they’re not bad, but this is where the effects are easily exposed if you watching a high quality like I do, like there’s some effects are obviously using wires that you can actually see some wires from either a snake or an eye pop out from a fake head while Jason crushing Rick’s skull (I will admit, it looks cool, but again, the cheap effect easily shows with exposed wire). Speaking of the kills, they’re pretty fine, but not as creative from typical stabbing at Harold’s wooden gut with a meat cleaver that you see it bled, but other shot its not bleeding, two bikers got impaled by pitchforks (one where Fox suspended in the air and Loco dramatically fell to death after being impaled with his cigarette drops, I will admit, it kinda made me chuckle). But my favorites are Vera got headshot from a spear gun (Gotta love headshot) and Andy got nearly cut in half from Jason’s signature machete with the use a white body cast and filmed bellow the glass with a creative shot, which il give a credit for the latter. But some kills im not a fan is Debbie getting impaled from bellow much like Part 1, but due to filming with multiple lights, Debbie’s fake torso (which is made in latex) got metlty and that you can see it gotten glossy from a heat, and Shelley got his throat open when some character are too stupid to realizing he’s dying. Not to mention, how long he’s got there when he got his throat open by Jason??

As for the amount of kills if you’ve watched Dead Meat like I did? Only 12 people were killed by Jason, again, Jason’s amount of kills is certainly better than his debut he had 9 kills in Part 2 and 10 kills from his late mom and Alice Hardy.

As for the signature hockey mask? Well, after we saw Bag-head Jason, some people either Frank Mancuso Jr., Steve Miner or even 3D supervisor Martin Jay Sandoff for suggesting to finding a new mask for Jason. But then, Sandoff, being a hockey fan, suggested to finding various hockey masks, until they found the 1950’s Detroit Red Wings’ goalie mask as a perfect fit for Jason. Nice touch of figuring out what this signature mask came from from Sandoff, or Mancuso, or Miner? And I still love that mask to this day, I used to have a cheap foam made hockey mask back in my old days of Halloween, if only I could have a not-so cheap replica of Jason’s hockey mask.

One last thing I wanna talk about is the soundtrack, while the soundtrack composed by Harry Manfredini are good for say the least, but the its the opening and the end credit is pretty surprising, funky and catchy that I love pumping my head, this disco-remix theme of Friday the 13th is done by Michael Zager. I know its a weird music choice, but still its pretty good one in a unique opening credit with smoky background with 3D texts.

While I like some kills, the birth of Jason’s signature hockey mask and a disco theme song, the rest of the presentation are either fine to “Uhh yeah, it definitely shows the exposure of cheap effects”.

The Characters

Its no stranger that we have some typical characters you can find on our checklist or even on bingo, some are fine, but others could be forgettable.

Lets start off with the main antagonist since Part 2, Jason Voorhees himself, this time, played by the late Richard Brooker. This is the Jason that we all know, walking around killing people with his signature hockey mask. While Jason looks cool with a look we all know, as well as his brutal kills, but sometimes, like Part 2, Jason could also be a pushover at the 3rd act, even though this was before Jason becoming a powerful zombie slasher. Like he grunts or groan in humiliating from bumps or even stabbed. Not to mention, we can also see Jason running than a menacing slow walk, which im cool to have a killer running after to making him more menacing than wasting his walking. I should also pointing the clothes he’s wearing is much better than seeing him looking like he’s dressing up as a farmer, certainly improvement over before, more badass and menacing than being a klutz and balls kicked in Part 2.

As for the new characters in this movie? They’re average at best for say the least.

First, there’s Chris Higgins (played by Dana Kimmell), who’s the main last girl who’s asked for camping in Haven, despite she got a traumatic flashback from being abused by her parents to getting chased by a strange man (or Jason if you think of the flashback scene). I find her to be passable, she may not be as memorable as either Ginny or maybe even Alice, though il give a credit to having her going to the camping that gives her a PTSD, but due to a weak writing, it made her being an average final girl in my book, but she does get a bit better when she’s dealing with Jason, but not as genius as Ginny. Though I’ve nothing against Dana, I think she did a nice work of her performance.

As for the rest of the people coming in, like I said, they’re either ok or forgettable when it comes to the writing.

There’s Rick (played by Paul Kratka) who’s a jocky owner of Haven, Debbie (played by current journalist Tracie Savage) who’s a pregnant lady with her lover Andy (played by Jeffrey Rogers) who’s probably enjoying himself of head-standing, Shelly (played by Larry Zerner) who’s annoying Seth Rogen look-a-like for pulling pranks and probably being responsible to introducing a hockey mask (Wow, he’s soo dead…!), Vera (played by Catherine Parks) who’s not into relationship with Shelly to keeping him into Friendzone, Chuck n’ Chili (played by David Katims and Rachel Howard) are to stoner lovers of taking pots, not to mention when Shelly dies, Chili gave us the most cringing panic acting I’ve ever seen, the bikers like Fox (played by the late Gloria Charles), Loco (played by Kevin O’Brien) and Ali (played by Nick Savage) are there for bullying Shelly and Vera, im quite surprise Ali has a slight potential to fight back, but didn’t last long, while I enjoy Fox for either being a leader of the gang to one time playful at the farm. Abel (played by David Wiley) who’s obvious poor man version of Crazy Ralph, but with weirdly holding an eyeball. And there’s Harold and Edna (played by the late Steve Susskind and Cheri Maugans) are a neglectful relationship from Harold being a fatty shop owner to Edna always bickering.

While some characters are forgettable, but some are ok to be a pass, but still, I enjoy this movie’s Jason for the introduction that we all know.

SPOILER ALERT if you’ve seen the movie or didn’t care.

The final act is pretty much the same, but kinda less slapsticky than Part 2.

Once Chris is left alone after Rick got his head crushed to death a wired eyeball popping out, but after seeing multiple of dead bodies that she knows and knowing nothing about one of the bikers, she started chasing away by hockey masked Jason, but not before she stops him with environment like pouring books all over him (Oh no, books! Jason’s one weakness!). Once Chris is in a room with dead Debbie with a knife, she picked up to stabbing at Jason’s hand at the door after Jason’s not-so good attempt of “Here’s Johnny!”. After swiping all over where Jason walks backward (Jeez Jason, don’t be a coward) before took a knife to the knee (Sounds like Jason used to be an adventurer like us, eh?). After escaping a cabin, she backstabs Jason by smacking on his back with a log and she gets in a van in attempt to escape, but didn’t last long that not only she’s stuck on a wooden bridge, but ran out of gas from the bikers (Again, should’ve realize something, not just Jason, but the bikers un-fueling the van out of the tank) while Jason limping chasing after her from van to the barn. Once Jason easily break in the barn with a hand pop out of door to taking out a shovel locking at the door (only locking it up again with a plank, smart move there, Jason) while Chris is hanging in the air from wooden platform before she bumps at her with her 3D drop with her butt at him (Hehe, Jason goes “OOF!” from her), not before she backstabs him again with another shovel and attempt to kill him by tying him up with a rope as a noose for him getting hanged to death, but Jason defies the laws of death by briefly taking off his mask to removing a noose from his neck, causing Chris recognizing Jason as the same creep who goes after him (again, im not so sure about it in the flashback, but il let you guys make your conclusion), but then Ali, somehow, got up in attempt to beat him, but didn’t last long with his hand got “Unhanded” and got smash stab to death with his good’ol machete, but before Jason is gotta think fast, Chris got the ax and “Axes” him a question to the skull, as well as showing an ax mark on his mask that we all know as well. After Jason failed attempt to get her and collapsed to the ground with an ax on his head, she takes a canoe to leaving “Haven Swamp” (Again, it doesn’t look like a lake, but a swamp). As she wakes up, she sees unmasked Jason is creepily pissed off that he’s done, by breaking through the door to run after her, but not before it didn’t happened, but then out of laziest nowhere, an undead Mrs. Voorhees coming out of swampy water and picks her to downing her, but instead, its all of nightmare (Yeah, they straight up copying the similar ending from Part 1). Though she’s eventually rescued by the police from Haven, but the camera zooms at laid out Jason, reminding us he’s dead. Or so we thought, since again, with the box-success, they’re gonna make another one.

The third and final act is easily the best part of the movie, even if its kinda slapsticky and lazily stupid to recycling the same ending element from Part 1.

And now for my final opinion of this film.

Overall, Friday the 13th Part 3 is nice to give a birth of hockey mask of horror, but everything else just felt flat.

Again, while I may like some like Rick, Chris or even the bikers, even though they’re passable, Jason looks awesome to have his iconic look that started all, some kills are good, the third act is good and the disco theme song is fun as heck.

But everything else felt flat pretty weak with unoriginal story from its lazy writing, some characters are either forgettable and cliché, some kills could be weak or cheap and some of the production’s presentation is mixed that some are done well, but others aged poorly, especially with the 3D gimmick.

Again, while I love the birth of Jason’s signature hockey mask and the disco theme song, this is probably the weakest one of the series that its the same thing as the previous films only lacking and poorly aged with 3D marketing. I don’t recommended it that much, but if you like this movie, good for you, but I’d say just skip it, or maybe watch once and make your conclusion. Its not one of the best, but its just disappointingly average at best in conclusion.

Im probably gonna give this one a 4.5/10.

So this ends of this ends of my Movie Review. But next time (for next year’s Friday the 13th), we’re going the 4th part with the not-so “Conclusion” of the series. And at the same month, we’re going back to see Michael Myers one more time in Green’s Halloween trilogy.

As always, if you guys have your opinion or any suggestions, let me know at comment bellow and support me on KO-FI.com/blackevil.

Thanks for reading, and im Anthony, signing out.