The Third Saturday in October Part V

Charmed by the sincere tribute to Grindhouse cinema with the Horror comedy The Third Saturday in October (2022-also reviewed), I was happy to find that the other film in the series was being shown at the Soho Horror Film Festival, this led to me counting down to the third Saturday.

View on the film:

Recorded as the fifth in a series where parts 2-4 don't actually exist, returning editor/writer/director Jay Burleson & cinematographer Chris Hilleke slam the franchise into the pre- Scream (1996) early mid-90's, which they wonderfully capture in flat, plainly lit for video, wide-shots, limited sides of Slasher set-pieces, and extended takes for attempts at Comedy sequences, which stumble on the dead-end that the Slasher had hit by this point.

Along with emulating the visual state of Slasher flicks from this period, the screenplay by Burleson sadly strays a little too close to the writing style of this era, with the playful riffs on Grindhouse from the earlier movie, being replaced here with plodding, witless dialogue tangled up in a Slasher series which had overstayed its welcome by the third Saturday in October.

Contrast the reviews for this film against the "first" film, and you'll raise your eyebrows. Just saying.

The poster for the film is great. That is the only positive contribution I have to make. There's no homage here. There's no tribute to slasher flicks...its one nonsensical kill after another.

The mask is not interesting in the least. All of the mystery about the killer is nullified in the first 20 minutes. None of the characters are likeable.

I have no idea how the filmmakers got any funding for this enormous waste of time. If you're on the fence about watching The Third Saturday in October, hopefully this review helped you make a decision.

The dude who directs these flicks has a lot of potential. He sets up the scenes real well and the edits work to keep the suspense.

Unfortunately, this sequel is plagued by the same problem as the first. The dude who plays the killer can't act. He's horrible.

In this film he walks around with a skull like plastic mask mugging inside it like an imbecile. It really brings the movie down bug time.

Too bad because this actually could have been a classic with better actors (especially the killer) and a wee bit more story.

Instead we get a thinly drawn storyline of some maniac killing people with a 2 inch pocket knife! WHAT?

Sad.

As suggested, we watched Part V first and then watched the prequel. This was exactly what I expected and enjoyed every bit of it. The acting and storyline is true-to-form with the horror films of that era. The props and attention to detail to create that realistic feel of a movie made in the late 70's - 80s is fantastic. I enjoyed the familiar additions to recreate the boogie-man, babysitter, and unsuspecting group of friends. The diverse group of spectators for the "big game" make for amusing interactions and some instances of humor. There are several points in the film that we couldn't resist laughing at because it's just too ridiculous and that was by design; which makes it even more enjoyable.

If you were expecting your steak to be seared at 1,700 degrees fahrenheit, you came to the wrong place. This flashback to a great decade in horror was ideal for those who enjoy a well-stocked buffet, however. Before you review this future cult classic, be sure to study up on the genre first. Understand the masterful way in which the producers not only filmed Harding's angst, but also the thematic touches from the early 80s. It was meant to be watched on VHS; not Blu-Ray.

The manner in which they intertwined "the big game" was outstanding, although I'm not sure any true football fans would leave for catfish or any upstairs hijinks. Hackleburg is a dangerous place for teenagers; IMDb is similar for those not privy to past slasher films and how well they captured the essence of the era in a mere 89 blood-soaked minutes.

Appreciate the steak and all the sides for what they are. I left the smorgasbord feeling quite satisfied and plan to return.