Released during the peak of the 3-D phase in the mid-1980s, this entry remains a fan favorite, although it's harder than hell to find a copy of the 3-D version. The movie's tagline was "A New Dimension In Terror."
It opens right after the events of Part 2, with the lone survivor of that movie being hauled off to a hospital. Her character then disappears. Jason, of course, is still on the run. He focuses his attention now on a group of teens looking to party in a family cabin on the lake. With 12 killings to his credit in this movie, the body count grew from Part 2, which only featured nine deaths. It is arguably much better than that film, but would be one-upped when yet another sequel would follow two years later.
Unfortunately, the make-up effects aren't as good. The fact that the film was originally shot in 3-D, and is in 2-D on video, makes the picture quality blurry. Things are slow up until the end, but the climax offers a huge pay off, with the new damsel in distress (Dana Kimmell) pitted alone against Jason in a nice, long third act. The follow up would be "Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter."
Check out the commentary on the Crystal Lake to Manhattan DVD. The cast has a great time with each other, Shelly apologizes for his running style, and the guy who plays Jason gushes over the breakfast burritos served by the catering crew. A great time all around for fans of this movie.
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