Chh-chh-chh! Dance-dance-dance?
My personal favorite of all the Friday the 13th films was 1982’s Friday the 13th: Part III. Originally released in 3D — which afforded viewers in the theater the opportunity to have the film’s thrills (and the occasional yo-yo) thrown right in their faces — the movie is also notable because it is the first time Jason Voorhees dons his iconic hockey mask, a sort of trophy taken from one of his unfortunate victims.
This time, some unlucky campers along with the members of an incredibly goofy biker gang run afoul of Camp Crystal Lake’s resident killer. But for my money, the greatest thing about this film is its anachronistic theme song written by composer Harry Manfredini. A weird mix of disco and funk that would sound more at home in Flashdance than as the opening rocker to a slasher film, the theme is incredibly catchy and should be an absolute mainstay on any respectable Halloween playlists. (And that’s not even getting into how it incorporates the franchise’s trademark “chh chhs” and “ahh ahhs”). So while you enjoy your Halloween festivities, throw this number on and dance your fears away. Just do it outside of any abandoned campsites, okay?
This article originally appeared on MovieFanFare in 2019. It is being reprinted today as we celebrate Halloween.