Friday the 13th: Part III (1982)
Directed by Steve Miner
I’m not sure how I’ve covered, every single Friday the 13th movie in this blog, including the game and even the novelization of this movie, but never reviewed this movie? What is even crazier is, that I always say this is my favorite of the series. I’m an idiot, idk, here’s the review…
Friday the 13th Part III is about a group of friends that travel to a family cabin to party and relax during the summer. Then boom, Jason shows up and kills them. Sure we’ve seen it before, but this movie is notorious for a few reasons. This is the first in the series where Jason wears the hockey mask, AND it has one of the most memorable characters in the franchise, Shelly. This installment was shot in 3D, while it may be gimmicky at times, it just adds to the charm for me.
Higgins Haven via the video game
The cast of this movie, is one of my favorites. Dana Kimmell is the main girl Chris, and she’s just so damn cute and sweet that you have to love her. Tracie Savage plays Debbie, the friend whom is knocked up, and man another beauty. We have Chuck and Chili played by David Katims and Rachel Howard, they’re a male and female Cheech and Chong haha. Andy, the jock is played by Jeffrey Rogers is also a likable guy, he’s the father to Debbie’s child. We also meet Rick, the pushy and macho boyfriend (?) of Chris. Idk he makes some weird comments about her gaining weight, and trying to bang her constantly. Along with all of those we get Larry Zerner, playing the most memorable character of the movie, not named Jason, Shelly. Shelly is a prankster, and a chubby dude with poofy hair, just trying to make people like him. Lastly we have Vera, played by Catherine Parks, I have to say I think she is the most beautiful woman in the entire series. Her character is tough, but kind hearted and just cool as hell. Vera, to me is one of the most underrated characters in Friday the 13th. Swoon.
Yes, Vera deserved this very large photo, what a doll!
The kills are pretty solid in this, I mean its a Friday the 13th movie right? Rick gets his head crushed and his eye pops out, which shoots towards the screen, you know 3D? Shelly gets his throat slit, and Jason takes his hockey mask, thanks Shelly. Andy gets a machete to the crotch, when he’s walking on his hands and it is brutal, one of the most creative shots as well. Chuck gets thrown into a fuse box and electrocuted. Debbie gets stabbed through the back, and dies. Also she was pregnant so does that count as two kills? Morbid, I know but think about that. Chili gets a hot fire poker stabbed in her. Then my girl Vera gets a harpoon through the eye. I’m still broken up over it. Along the way we meet a biker gang as well, they all die. Fox the woman, another hottie is stabbed with a pitchfork, Loco also with the pitchfork, and Ali gets his hand lopped off and hacked to death.
Jason in this one, is my favorite look. The mask looks great, the clothes fit well with the character, and his face is disgfigured and creepy. He runs and he’s brutal, my favorite Jason of the series. I love that they build characters in this movie, you genuinely care when they die, and the cast of women is top notch. I mean there has never been a more gorgeous collection of women in a Friday the 13th movie. Even Chili, whom is played as kind of a joke is still attractive, and Vera…oh Vera. I give this an A+. It is my favorite for a reason.
