DVD Review: Friday the 13th Part 3 (Deluxe 3-D Edition)

Release Date: February 3rd, 2009
Running Time: 95 minutes

The Film

There was a period during the 80s when 3-D was all the rage. The funky red and blue glasses created a workable gimmick that intrigued audiences, at least for a while. Seeing the perfect opportunity to hop on the bandwagon, the Friday the 13th franchise brought the third film to theatres in glorious, eye-popping (literally) 3-D. Friday the 13th Part 3: Deluxe Edition isn’t a standout DVD, but for the first time it brings all the eye-straining depth of the old school 3-D effects to home video.

The film picks up immediately after Jason’s slaughter in the second film. Jason (Richard Brooker) is still alive and is on the move. He murders a local couple at a convenience store and sets his eyes on a house at the lake called Higgins Haven. The house belongs to the family of a girl named Chris (Dana Kimmell). She was attacked by someone in the woods near Crystal Lake two years ago and has not been back since. Finally brave enough to return, Chris brings a group of friends with her, including: Debbie (Tracie Savage), Andy (Jeffrey Rogers), Chuck (David Katims), Chili (Rachel Howard), the awkward goofball Shelly (Larry Zerner), and Chris’ boyfriend, Rick (Paul Kratka). Unfortunately for the group Jason has made the barn on the property his home base.

On an errand some of the group gets into a minor scuffle with a biker gang. The gang follows them to Higgins Haven, looking to torch the barn in revenge. Jason isn’t having it, and dispatches them quickly. Soon Jason claims his hockey mask from a victim and begins to kill everyone off one by one. With the realization that it was Jason who attacked her years ago, Chris will have to confront her ultimate fear if she wants to stay alive.

Friday the 13th Part 3 may not be one of the more heralded entries in the franchise, but it marks the first time Jason dons his hockey mask. Seeing him appear with that on is more than enough reason to watch the film. He is more ruthless than ever.

The 3-D is the older style, but surprisingly effect. There are some legitimately good out-of-screen moments, include the head squish eyeball pop. Not all of the effects work well, and many of the things that “pop out” end up being blurry or doubled. The style also mutes the colors and can screw with your eyes after a while, but it works way better than I expected. Many scenes have excellent depth. While it is nowhere near the awesomeness of modern 3-D as seen in My Bloody Valentine, the novelty of being able to see the film in its original form is pretty special.

The DVD

The video is presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. The quality is very similar to Part 2 in that it is cleaned up, but still far from perfect. Again the image has been lightened to show off far more detail in the lower lit scenes. Colors appear more vibrant, and flesh tones are accurate as well. However, the image is still hurt by inconsistent technical problems such as muddying or smearing, and a heavy amount of grain. Remember though, this is a twenty-plus year old low budget horror film—having it be absolutely pristine would take away some of the grimy, gritty nature of the material.

The audio is offered in a new English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound mix, as well as English/French/Spanish Mono with English/French/Spanish/Portuguese subtitles. The mix is better than in Part 2 and features noticeable panning during the iconic “ke ke ke ke ah ah ah ah” of the score. Some good directional effects are placed across the front channels as well, but the rears remain very basic in their usage. The score is balanced and crisp, featuring clean high ends, and an occasional hit from the bass. There are no issues with dialogue either, making this the most sonically pleasing mix that has ever been offered for the film.

The Extras

While offering the film in 3-D and providing two glasses is awesome, unfortunately the commentary from the box set edition has been removed. The only real special feature offered is the trailer.

<>Final Thoughts

Friday the 13th Part 3 (Deluxe Edition) is a must-own for fans simply because it is the first time the film has been offered in 3-D on home video. The technical aspects of the DVD have been slightly improved but the special features are lacking so you may not want to get rid of that box set quite yet.