By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3 cats
Director: Jay Burleson
Starring: Allison Shrum | Darius Willis | K.J. Baker | Kansas Bowling | Poppy Cunningham | Taylor Smith
Country: united_states
Year: 2022
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11166382/reference/
“Slasher films are a dime a dozen, so when an authentic standout rears its intimidating, masked head lurking from the shadows, it would be … criminal not to give such a film(s) its proper due.
“THE THIRD SATURDAY IN OCTOBER is a baffling premise on paper at first without having experienced the gimmick firsthand. Despite what appears to be an editing typo, the proper viewing order of this film ‘series’ is, in fact, to see ‘Part V’ first and then move on to ‘Part I.’ And we need to stress those quotation marks, people because the THIRD SATURDAY relishes in being a meta-horror.
“Self-awareness from the films themselves and a constant give and take with the audience who is required to be in on the act are the keys to amplify the success of the two films. The labeling of one of the two films as ‘Part V’ and the other as ‘Part I’ is simply a vehicle to pay tribute to the slasher genre and the resulting fandoms that evolved from the long line of horror series that were cranked out during the slasher golden age.
“The order-of-viewing is a clever throwback to the slasher film collections of the late 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s when the sub-genre was hip and the talk of school, the workplace, and various community social gatherings. One might share a lunch break on a Friday and converse about good VHS movie rentals for the weekend, in which case the horror/thriller genre was sure to be a popular target of discussion for many. Heck, some of these conversations would happen in the rental stores themselves, a social hotspot where you or someone you knew was definitely on a first name basis with the desk clerk, the encyclopedia of the community when it came to movies of that era. Part of the homage being tinkered with in the titles of the two films of THE THIRD SATURDAY ‘series’ is how such discussions of a NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2, or a FRIDAY THE 13TH Part VI, or even a HOWLING III might all get lost in the shuffle accuracy-wise and chronology-wise as these franchises would crank out gory, scary, shocking hits year after year that appealed to a lot of base-level emotions. “Now which one was that?” would be commonplace for enthusiasts to ask while sharing their latest viewing stories. Thus, THE THIRD SATURDAY’s sequence of viewing is very much a play upon the blurry sequence of 80s and 90s slasher series, as many of them perceivably just seem to run together after a while.
“This sounds like it could be the proper setup for a parody opportunity. However, THE THIRD SATURDAY is much kinder than that to its influences from the past, all the while developing its own kind of charm around its authentic characters and setting. While the irony and allusions in the movies are playful and tongue-in-cheek humorous throughout, the tone is very much a love letter or bow of respect to those classics. What’s more is that THE THIRD SATURDAY even finds its way to being an actual slasher horror film along the way. Again, the tone and approach is totally in the vein of the films of the 1970s, 1980s and early 90s, so in the same way some of those “thrilling” sequences may not have aged well in terms of verisimilitude, THE THIRD SATURDAY intentionally drinks from the same insipid well in its tribute.
“One of the common threads in both films that makes them stand out as not just another slasher flick is the use of local color. Set in an Alabama town in two different time periods, the films really shine in how local customs, characters, and locales come to life. Again, the tone is intentionally exaggerated for humor’s sake, but the sentiment and affection for the world-building is real.
“Is it going to come across as low budget? Yes, and as a necessary component to what’s inside. However, go back and watch the teen horror camp counselor movies of the past. Take a journey back to dreamland with eyeroll-worthy high school students from those 80s-90s flicks. Follow the babysiiter around from those films and yore and question the character’s every decision. Even though there is potential for criticism of the sappy acting and outlandish concepts to be had in hindsight, there is something to be said for the nostalgia in the naïveté of those films that make them eternal. The irony and self-awareness in THE THIRD SATURDAY is just the right calibration of a cornball balancing act to hit the mark, right in line with those zany approaches from the classics.
“I’m just elated that we can still get risk-taking film-makers willing to reheat familiar tropes and entertainment in the microwave that used to work (cheese and all) and sauté that with some modern cultural canon nods while they’re at it. THE THIRD SATURDAY is limited frills, just kooky local color fun and blood. The only major complaint is that I didn’t wait until the third Saturday in October to watch this. (I’m an atmosphere guy, sue me.)
“3 cats out of 5 overall for both films, but 5-star smiles from this reviewer that won’t be erased any time soon. A textbook example of the kinds of movies that have noticeable shortcomings, but still cement cult-like followings and appreciation with certain crowds. “
THE THIRD SATURDAY IN OCTOBER (PART V)
The prelude to the film establishes a legacy of ‘lost tapes’ from an imaginary film franchise about a serial killer running rampant every third Saturday in October. So, the intent here is to drop the viewer in the middle of an already established series of films and let the mythos and local lore materialize as the film plays out. As a result, the audience gets to create their own sense of what the missing tapes from this horror series must have been like.
“The third Saturday in October is significant for the community in that the fictional University of Alabama-Mobile has a gigantic, can’t-miss rivalry football game every year on that date. On the other hand, in Part V, it’s been seven years since the once-annual third Saturday tradition of a vicious murdering spree at the hands of psycho Jack Harding has taken place. It’s as if the joy in the unity and hope of celebrating a collegiate football game has helped erase this town’s tragic past.
“Clearly an homage to the HALLOWEEN franchise (among other slasher film franchises like THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE), this one is set during the early 1990s. The local color and period-appropriate overtones are the driving forces for the success of the film. The tropes are plentiful, and the stereotypes are right in alignment with the short-sightedness of the original classics to which this film is nodding. Noteworthy still is the soundtrack that is a bottom shelf reach that could not be found on any radio station these days if your life depended on it. But it’s perfect for the mood of what’s going on here and also in alignment with many of the music tracks of choice in many of those early slasher flicks.
“It’s silly and intentionally ham-fisted throughout. But, dust off a VHS from 1991 and screen it. Instead of focusing on the askew storytelling and stretching of the suspension of disbelief, it’s just as easy to admire the love letter to so many bonkers movies of the past that’s being written here and acknowledge that they nailed it. “
THE THIRD SATURDAY IN OCTOBER (PART I)
“The ‘origin story’ of psycho Jack Harding is the premise behind this installment. The man that had once mercilessly gone on a killing spree is finally about to meet his maker on death row. But it can’t be that easy; the madman makes it out of the electric chair and into the homes of victims for the first day/night in what would eventually become a string of annual third Saturday in October killing sprees.
“The plot is driven by a super entertaining duo that each had their own respective loved ones perish at the hands of the killer and who are tracking Jack Harding from his death row escape. A host of other local characters, oblivious to what’s about to take place, fill in the various subplots and build to the horror about to unfold and charm the dickens out of the audience in the meantime with their tongue-in-cheek humorous antics and traits.
“Like ‘Part V,’ this installment relishes in the local color and the 1979-appropriate overtones here deliver the majority of the entertainment. What’s even a deeper part of the fun to go along with that is the audience’s assembly of the jigsaw puzzle that was started in Part V and starts to take shape by watching Part I as the second film instead of the other way around. (How very James Fenimore Cooper of them!)
“This is a perfect companion piece and complement to Part V. For slasher flick fans of the 70s and 80s, there is plenty of nostalgic blood and ‘forced’ dramatic cringe, which is what keeps those aged cult classics so endearing. There is such a balancing act on display to try to make a movie that’s both reverent to its sources and intentionally bungling at the same time, while still capturing the art of the thrill in select moments. And once again in this one, there are some very niche soundtrack selections that prove to be a homerun for the tone and vibe of the film.
“Together with its companion piece, the world-building that takes place is a great hunger fill for those of us who miss the style and tones of those classic slashers that have been left behind and replaced with many lesser-inspired or too overly evolved predecessors.”