The Third Saturday in October Part V is technically the second entry in a slasher series– there are no Parts II, III, or IV- and the recommended starting point in your viewing. Described as a “kids movie for adults,” Part V captures the video store era, in which your rental selections were limited by availability and frequently led to watching horror franchises out of order. This unique slasher homage experiment playfully riffs on the subgenre with period and regional specificity.
Opening with a recap montage to catch viewers up to speed from the non-existent previous entries (outside of the first), Part V settles into a familiar slasher setup in a small Alabama town in the ’90s. It’s the doomed third Saturday in October. For the town, it’s a night to gather around and watch football. For young PJ (Poppy Cunningham), it’s a chance to talk her babysitter Maggie (Kansas Bowling) into taking her to Catfish Cabin before the night is through. Masked killer Harding (Antonio Woodruff) has returned from the grave to begin slaying again, right on cue. If only anyone would realize this before it’s too late.
Writer/Director Jay Burleson captures the era’s vibe well and bides his time in establishing the slasher archetypes. Burleson borrows heavily from Halloween, but it’s hardly the only overt influence tossed into this nostalgia blender. Lester (Bart Hyatt) spoofs Texas Chain Saw’s Franklin, and stuttering George (Daniel Cutt) seems to take his cues and personality from It’s Bill Denbrough. The killer, Harding, is an amalgam of icons, though primarily a giggly variation of Michael Myers.
Harding takes a while to really cut loose, pun intended. The masked maniac infiltrates a football gathering but mostly sneaks around for a lengthy build-up as Burleson lets his cast of slasher fodder establish personality and set up punchlines. Lampooning localized commercials on TV, subversions of slasher nudity, out of place party goers, and an entire town transfixed by football are among the silliness that endears this wacky experiment to viewers long before the actual slashing finally kicks into high gear.
Burleson offers a good time there, too. While Part V offers a variety of kills and employs practical effects, it’s more interested in the tongue-in-cheek humor than serious bloodletting. That means that the kills never get too mean or gory and, in the spirit of a fourth sequel, never that deep in plot. It’s just a party, attendees, and a sneaky killer out to have a great time on a Saturday night in October. It’s out to ensure you have a good time, too.
Part V doesn’t take itself seriously, but Burleson does approach the craft with care and authenticity. The filmmaker recreates that straight-to-video aesthetic through camera work, production design, and dialogue, even if not wholly accurate in the details. It’s a loving recreation of a hyper niche era in horror fandom, and Burleson and team give it their all to let you in on the joke.
The Third Saturday in October Part V is a clever slasher parody that aims to recreate that feeling of renting Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan on a weekend because someone beat you to the video store and snatched up all the other entries first. Using slasher shorthand means you don’t need to know anything about Harding or the town going in to enjoy. Part V never bothers filling in any blanks either; it’s not necessary to the fun. It’s an infectious and intentionally cheesy slasher made for and by horror fans. While its seams can and do show, it only adds to the charm.
The Third Saturday in October Part V made its world premiere at the Chattanooga Film Festival.
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