★ 7 / 10
**By: Louisa Moore / www.ScreenZealots.com** _ This film
Louisa Moore - Screen Zealots
**By: Louisa Moore / www.ScreenZealots.com** _ This film was screened at Fantastic Fest_ Writer / director Jay Burleson‘s “The Third Saturday in October Part…
**By: Louisa Moore / www.ScreenZealots.com**
_
This film was screened at Fantastic Fest_
Writer / director Jay Burleson‘s “The Third Saturday in October Part V” is the first of a duo of films in his low-budget horror series. He’s made a subsequent Part 1, but Part V came first (there are no parts 2 through 4, which is part of the overall joke). Confused? That’s okay. All you really need to know is that if you grew up with slasher flicks in the 80s and 90s, this semi-parody film offers a big dose of bloody nostalgia.
It’s the biggest weekend of the year in Alabama, as local residents prepare to watch an annual college football game between two longstanding rivals. For some unknown reason, there’s a terrifying killer on the loose, wearing a creepy Day of the Dead style mask, driving around in a hearse, and finding unsuspecting folks to butcher. The man is known around these parts as Jack Harding, and he’s on a mission to stalk and kill these small town locals at random. The gory frenzy really begins when Jack stumbles upon a watch party and an unsuspecting group of friends (Kansas Bowling, Parker Love Bowling, Devan Katherine, Autumnn Jaide, Bart Hyatt, Daniel Cutts, and Taylor Smith).
Burleson creates his own movie mythology set within the confines of rural Alabama in 1994. It’s evident that he is a fan and student of retro horror, as he nails every single homage to B-movie rip-offs that were prolific after the success of “Halloween” in the late 70s. This is a guy who clearly has an affinity for the genre and wanted to make his own, and he succeeds.
There are throwbacks to these older films, right down to the lighting, staging, and characters. The overly simplistic plot (killer has a knife and eliminates those with whom he crosses paths, in increasingly creative ways) may be similar to the most basic (but still famous) horror movies, yet this one remains highly watchable. You know what’s coming because the situations presented are all too familiar. Even without much back story, the characters are likable, interesting, and fun, making it super easy to root for them.
While the film is billed as a comedy (the dialogue is funny and many of the jokes come at the expense of dumb rednecks), it’s more of an amusing, bloody slasher flick. It’s a delightfully low budget affair, with corny SFX, second-rate performances from the cast, and local Alabama filming locations (yes, Catfish Cabin is a real restaurant, although sadly, their menu does not list “nanner pudding” as a dessert). All of these things add to the irresistibly cheesy vibe of the movie, which is a testament to Burleson’s writing and directing. In the hands of a less skilled filmmaker, this project would’ve gone horribly awry. Because of the care and craftsmanship put into this movie, “The Third Saturday in October V” is an easy-to-watch guilty pleasure.
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★ 5 / 10
Curse you, statewide pepperoni shortage!
Otkon
It's definitely better than the original and that's saying much. Wait, is "saying much" a thing? Well, if it is, that is what I am saying. For a sequel it…
It's definitely better than the original and that's saying much. Wait, is "saying much" a thing? Well, if it is, that is what I am saying.
For a sequel it plays up the humor and less of the homage of the first one. And speaking of that, those films are listed in reverse order here with The Third Saturday in October Part V (2022) being the original and The Third Saturday in October (2022) being the sequel.
But I think for continuity and thematic purposes, The Third Saturday in October (2022) is the first movie. And The Third Saturday in the October Part V (2022) is the only extant sequel. The Third Saturday in October Part II, The Third Saturday in October Part III and The Third Saturday in October Part IV are all explained as being lost. So perhaps, when those recreations are found and released they can be ranked in comparison to the two films in the series that are viewable in regard to their intentionally questionable qualities.
I did find the bed foot guy the best part of this movie. That was fun.
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★ 5 / 10
its not THAT bad...
ops-52535
If youre the one controlling the playspeed at the theater. Somewhere between 1.25-1.5 ffwd youll get a real crimson southern redneck horror comedy to chew…
If youre the one controlling the playspeed at the theater. Somewhere between 1.25-1.5 ffwd youll get a real crimson southern redneck horror comedy to chew on...
its a low budget film about a reoccuring beast that returns every 3rd saturday of october, turning heaven into hell for all them screamers out there. The story and plot is unlike the others the very same, youre doomed to blood and gore anyway and how...
its time era is the early 1990's, the art and dressing department along with the makeup and stage units have done a decent job and reflects very well life 30 years ago.
They even hit the bells of the comedy central too, had a good laugh herenthere. But its not a state of the art a-level horror, rather b or c level when pickinbg the individual parts out of it. But alltogether at high speed it works therefore a small recommend from the grumpy old man.
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4.8/10
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