Friday the 13th, part 3
release year: 1982
genre: horror
viewing setting: home Bluray 12/18/22 and several more times from the 1990s and 1980s
synopsis: A group of friends decides to have a getaway, but unfortunately they're a bit too close to the site of a recent mass murder.
impressions: This one didn't involve a camp or counselors - it was just a group of friends on vacation, plus a few other random victims. Jason was still human and able to be damaged (and perhaps killed) - he got knocked around, stunned, and actually slowed down after being sliced, stabbed, bashed, etc. One time he lost his temper while searching for his victim, and started smashing furniture and tossing things around. The heroine was pretty smart too - she fought back and even ambushed him a couple of times. Some other notable aspects: inclusion of footage from the end of the last movie, to set the stage...lack of nudity...the first blatant dork of the series...bikers who aren't as tough as they want to be...a stoner couple...farm implements put to lethal use...Jason throwing a knife like a pro...Jason deftly didging an oncoming vehicle...then later freeing himself from a rolled-up window via a headbutt...one victim turning out not to be dead after all. Also, this was the debut of the hockey mask - Jason took it from one victim after killing him, and wore it for the rest of the movie (except during one scene showing his deformed head and face.) And last but not least, this was the (thankfully) only entry in the series to be filmed in 3D, a feature which they used at every possible opportunity: pitchforks, speargun, knife, poker, ejected eyeball...it was honestly frequent enough to form the basis for a drinking game.
body count: 12 confirmed.
notable kills: The most-remembered will always be the machete to the guy walking on his hands (ouch) but there are others involving a harpoon to the eye and a hot power through the torso.
acting: Dana Kimmell is the main girl, who (aside from having had a minor encounter with Jason in the past) is fairly competent - at one point she's fleeing in a van and sees Jason standing in the road ahead...and immediately steps on the gas. Paul Kratka is her seemingly-tough boyfriend. Tracie Savage bring some witty personality to her character. Larry Zerner is the prank-playing dork, whose choice of mask for one prank becomes a major part of Jason's wardrobe going forward.
final word: Weaker entry in the series due to over-reliance on 3D.
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