Clayton George Wickham - final thesis

xxxi
The success of the first two Friday the 13 th films and the return of director
Steve Miner resulted in little aesthetic difference in Part III 3-D, the biggest change
is the utilisation of 3-D, which led to adjustments in framing and the previously
mentioned shift to victim perspective. The process of shooting in 3-D resulted in
increased expenses, and the film’s music also demonstrates an attempt at wider
appeal to young audiences 6 , which is exemplary of the mainstreaming of horror
occurring at the same time. These elements show the filmmakers were aiming for a
larger investment, in hopes for a larger audience. This can be seen as a greater
tendency within other mainstream productions of the same year, such as John
Carpenter’s The Thing (1982), which starred Kurt Russell, a growing celebrity at the
time, and Tobe Hooper’s Poltergeist (1982), a horror film rated PG in the US and
produced by Steven Spielberg. Box office reception aside, the fact that major
studios, Universal and MGM respectively, decided it potentially lucrative to produce
and release these films shows how horror had become a large part of the filmgoing
consciousness, and it is Jason’s acquisition of his hockey mask in Part III 3-D that
helped the film series reach iconographic status in popular culture. There were other
films released at the time that assumed elements of the aesthetic established by films
from 1980-1981, such as The Slumber Party Massacre (1982; dir. Jones) and Pieces
(1982; dir. Simón), with success linked to home video releases, but the notable trend
of this year is the movement of horror further into the mainstream, as indicated by
6 The opening titles are accompanied by music that utilises synthesized keyboards and drums arranged
in a way that resembles much pop music of the era, particularly Michael Jackson’s performance of
“Thriller” (Temperton). This music stands out in contrast to the Manfredini score which accompanies
the opening titles of the first two films. The Manfredini score, although using some synthesized
sound, is primarily performed by an orchestral string section.