Friday the 13th Part 3 3-D(Blu-ray)
Studio: Paramount Home Video
Rated: R
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
HD Encoding: 1080p
HD Video Codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Audio: English Dolby TrueHD 5.1; English, Spanish, French Mono Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese; English SDH+
Time: 95 minutes
Disc Format: 1 SS/DL BD
Case Style: Keep case
Theatrical Release Date: 1982
Blu-ray Release Date: June 16, 2009
By the time director Steve Miner and Paramount decided to make a third Friday the 13th picture, the franchise had enjoyed enough success that there was the idea to break away from the similar plots of the first two pictures and try something different. The original plot, having to do with Jason and a mental asylum was quickly jettisoned to make way for what became the third movie, another rehash of the original story. Realizing the power of the third dimension, and perhaps feeling the need to use a gimmick to re-interest viewers, Friday the 13th Part 3 was filmed and shown in 3-D.
This one isn’t too different than the other two: revenge oriented maniac Jason Vorhees (this time played by Richard Brooker) is now chasing some vacationing kids and adults around a farm and the surrounding woods and barn. There’s really not too much exposition needed for the already anemic plot, so it basically degenerates into 95 minutes of a cat and mouse game between Jason and his victims. The main female, Chris (Dana Kimmel) survived a past attack from Jason and she is still haunted by it, yet she seems surprised when Jason actually shows up murderous as ever (maybe the clever disguise of a hockey mask threw her). The characters are just as dumb and shallow as ever, a point that is only driven home harder by the horrid performances by the actors. It’s almost as if the plot and the actors are trying to make fun of themselves. Comic relief comes in the form of Shelly (Larry Zerner), a nerdy horror make-up artist wannabe and a couple of hippie pot heads, the latter of which delivers some of the most fun in the movie (the popcorn scene is gold). The picture ends with a call back to the ending of the original film and one wonders what kind of impact this trilogy would have had if it was left alone after the third film
On that same visceral level I noted in the review for Friday the 13th Part 2, Friday the 13th Part 3 does give Jason some more screen time allowing him now to really put it to his victims showing us all the gory details in 3-D. Sure the 3-D is really nothing more than a gimmick, but in a movie like this it simply can’t hurt it. All kinds of tools, animals and other items come right out of the screen at you enhancing the you are feel of the picture and amping up the intensity of Jason’s assault. It’s camp at its finest, so don’t think too much about it and enjoy it while it lasts.
Note: both the 3-D and the 2-D version is on the disc.
Movie: **.5/*****
Video:
Note: I am watching this title using a Marantz VP 11-S1 DLP projector, which has a native resolution of 1080p. I am using a Sony Playstation 3 Blu-Ray player while a Denon 3808CI does the switching and pass through of the video signal. I am utilizing the HDMI capabilities of each piece of equipment.
The Blu-Ray disc is encoded in the MPEG-4 AVC codec at 1080p with an aspect ratio of 2.35:1. I watched the movie in 3-D and then went back and looked at portions of the 2-D version for evaluation of the image. Black levels are very good staying nice and deep with some detail. Grain is evident in these numerous scenes, reminding you that this is film and while I usually don’t mind it, it was a contributing factor to a degraded image. Dirt and other print damage is evident and there is a very mild amount of edge enhancement. Color fidelity is very good; flesh tones are accurate as well. Sharpness is way off here with many edges looking fuzzy and indistinct. I could also see some color flaring around background items making it look like my old CRT when the convergence would drift. Detail was fair also, but between the grain and weak edges it makes for a less than adequate looking image. I am wondering if these problems may be a result of how the thing was filmed for 3-D. Perhaps HTF’s members can shed some light on this for me.
The 3-D is pretty good here, showing excellent dimensionality at times, and other times it comes off flat and not terribly engaging. Some of the barn scenes when Jason is chasing the biker gang looks great and you’ll be ducking a couple times to avoid Jason’s thrusting pitchfork. The interiors tend to look better maybe due to the more controlled filming environments. Color fidelity is difficult to judge as the reds and blues used to create the 3-D effect overpower the rest of the image. Based on the problems I had with the 2-D version, this is the preferred viewing choice. And it’s much more fun in 3-D!
Video: **/*****
Audio:
The 5.1 Dolby TrueHD soundtrack was attained by the HDMI connection of the PS3 to the Denon 3808CI.
The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track has a good soundstage even though the surrounds are not used too much. When they are used, the surrounds convey some very nice discreet effects but also serve to place us more firmly in the center of the action. The soundtrack remains firmly planted in the highs and mids and the LFE’s engaging slightly when the music comes up prior to a kill scene. The overall fidelity of the soundtrack is good and crisp. Panning effects are heard and used to good effect. ADR is noticed at times, but it is not obtrusive. The soundtrack is free of any debris or other distortions.
Audio: ***.5/*****
Bonus Material: all items are in HD unless otherwise noted.
Fresh Cuts: 3D Terror (12:52): Peter Bracke joins us again to discuss how the film came about and why 3D was implemented. He mentions an original idea for the story, but it seems the gimmick won out over what could have been an interesting plot. We also get to see some of the tech that went into shooting the 3D and the stunts and make-up and some information on the different endings.
Legacy of the Mask (9:33): Bracke discusses the evolution of Jason’s look, both his face and his various masks. There is an interesting discussion about the hockey mask too.
Slasher Films: Going for the Jugular (7:09): Various contributors discuss the appeal of slasher films.
Lost Tales from Camp Blood - Part III (4:49): a continuation of the segment on the first Friday the 13th discs.
Original Theatrical Trailer.
Bonus Material: **.5/*****
Conclusions:
The 3-D in this picture holds your attention far more than the slim plot and weak, annoying characters. Jason is a little more aggressive here and in the end that’s all that really matters in these pictures. The disc gives us a satisfactory viewing experience with some minor but interesting extras.
