260. 31 Days of Halloween '25: THE THIRD SATURDAY IN OCTOBER PART V (2023) dir. Jay Burleson

If you're gonna get me to talk about the same movie on the podcast twice, it simply must be a banger, right?In a way, this duology (surprise!) is the reason I even conceived of the 31 Days of Halloween series for The Movies: I wanted to highlight movies that were seasonal classics to me but maybe not yet for everyone else.Jay Burleson's THE THIRD SATURDAY IN OCTOBER films exist as beautiful snapshots, not only of the eras in which they take influence but also the eras in which they were discovered by Gen Xers/Millennials.If THE THIRD SATURDAY IN OCTOBER is billed as this undervalued, previously discarded horror franchise about a death-row-inmate-turned-boogeyman stalking & hunting denizens of a sleepy Alabama town, then PART V reflects a campier, cheaper entry. Think HALLOWEEN 5: THE REVENGE OF MICHAEL MYERS or FRIDAY THE 13TH: A NEW BEGINNING.It's at this point in the "franchise" you're supposed to enter, because when you grew up in the '80s/'90s, your film education depended on the local video store's stock. Sure, they'd have copies of the NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET movies, but it was nearly inevitable that somebody had rented the first film. Another guy probably has DREAM WARRIORS sitting on his shelf with the Blockbuster packaging on the VHS rented so long ago, the late fees surpass the value of a brand new copy.So, as a burgeoning preteen, you take what you can get (or what you can sneak past the clerk and your parents).Burleson nails the atmosphere. I can almost feel the crispness of the fall air, the crunch of amber-paletted leaves under my feet. Football season is in full swing and the excitement of trick-or-treaters and scary movies are just around the corner. It's a magical time of year for us weirdos. What better place and time to set a slasher film?Hit up Tubi and check this movie out immediately. Speaking of immediately, the other half of this duology review is out as I type. Once you finish PART V, come back to the 1st: THE THIRD SATURDAY IN OCTOBER.---Follow The Movies on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠Letterboxd⁠⁠⁠Throw a couple dollars in the ⁠⁠⁠tip jar!