Director – Jay Burleson (The Nobodies, The Third Saturday in October)
Starring – Kansas Bowling (Murdercise, Psycho Ape), Poppy Cunningham (Cherry, The Death of Dick Long), and Taylor Smith (Angels on Earth: The Light of Faith)
Release Date – 2022
Rating – 3.5/5
When I started my October horror binge I was excited to check out the two new films from Jay Burleson. I’m a fan of his film The Nobodies and when I heard that he had made two films back to back titled The Third Saturday in October and The Third Saturday in October Part V I knew I had to see them. I wasn’t able to check them out when they were released but I knew I would be able to work them into my month long movie binge.
I just finished watching the first one and while I loved the late 70s look and eye for detail, I found the overall film to be a slow burner with the last 20 minutes or so being the film’s saving grace. I decided to go ahead and watch Part V so to say that I gave them both a fair chance and I fucking loved it. I don’t see myself revisiting the first film but IV was so fucking good.
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows the convicted serial killer that survived his own execution who returns to the town he left bloody seven years earlier to wreak havoc on them once again. This time he just happens to arrive while a group of twenty-somethings are preparing for the big Third Saturday in October game. **Spoiler ALert**
The Third Saturday in October Part V is the film I thought we were getting. The first film spent too much time building the back story for the two people who lost someone to the killer and the connection they share. It’s a touching part of the story but not something that needed that much time to establish. This left the bloodshed and slasher hijinks in the backseat so to speak. However, Part V gets straight to it. It’s follows the traditional slasher formula and doesn’t disappoint.
The acting in this one is solid. In fact, I prefer the characters in this one to the first film. They have way more personality and fall into some of the horror clichés that I like while bringing some intentional and unintentional laughs. The story for this one is similar to the first film without the bit that followed the two that lost someone to the killer trying to stop him. This angle took up too much time and this follow up film works not having it. We have a standard slasher with some enjoyable characters and much better pacing.
Finally, the film once again delivers some bloody and enjoyable death. We get some fun effects as well that really fits the film. I would have liked a bit more gore but I still thoroughly enjoyed the film as it is. Overall, The Third Saturday in October Part V is the film I hoped for. It’s a fantastic slasher that looks like it was made during the 80s. So many films of the last twenty years has tried to capture this look and failed. While I don’t like the first film I highly recommend this one. Check it out.
