Book 42: “Friday the 13th Part 3” by Simon Hawke
Friday the 13th Part 3
Simon Hawke
Released: May 3rd, 1988
My 12th book for 2024 was Simon Hawke's “Friday the 13th Part 3” novelization.
I was given the opportunity to read this by a fellow fan Aaron. Special shout-out to him for helping me obtain the text to read the novel.
This is a special adaptation as it is the only story of the Friday the 13th movies to be adapted twice. The first one, "Friday the 13th Part 3: 3D" was adapted in 1982 by Michael Avallone. This 2nd version was adapted in 1988 and released in subsequent order with Hawke's 2 prior novels based on Parts 1 & 2.
Part 3 was the last of the original Friday the 13th movies I saw when I first started watching them in 2003/2004. It has long since been one of my favorites. It has a very unique style that makes it stand out from the other films. And that's before taking into account the film was shot in 3D to capitalize on the craze going on in the early 1980's.
Something about this story is intriguing to me. I've often gone back and forth about which story I enjoy more, Part 2, or Part 3. I'd say Part 2 is the stronger story because of its connections to the original, the "camp" theme, introducing Jason Voorhees as a ruthless killer, and feeling more original. Part 3 has a very enjoyable feel to it. I feel more modern fans can relate to it more because it is the first to feature Jason in his now iconic hockey mask. When I've watched the movies, it has always been my go-to to watch. Something about the Higgins Haven location and the film stand out in such a way. This book keeps the mystique just as genuine.
I feel like the characters are very relatable. With the first 2 stories, all of the people are camp counselors. It keeps more consistent with the Voorhees/Friday the 13th lore. They're there to prepare for a job they are about to do that summer, and it's more about them getting knocked off as they do their jobs.
Part 3 is the first to really be simply about a group of teenagers heading to the lake for the weekend. Sex, drinking, and smoking weed are all expected. Jason really has no motive against these people other than they happen to be in an area that is in close proximity to Camp Crystal Lake. I could easily see these characters be people you knew in high school or worked with at part time jobs. Andy (and even Jeff from Part 2) reminds me of Michael from the movie E.T. I could easily see any one of these characters playing for the high school football team. I can see Debbie being a very social person. Everybody in the world knows a Shelly. Chuck and Chili are more holdovers from the 1960's. Everything is groovy and needs some smoking and munchies to satisfy the stresses of life.
I love how the novel gives more detail about Chris' father. He seems to have had a dream of what he wanted to do with Higgins Haven but wasn't quite sure how to go about it. The horse saddles and bales of hay, but no horse. The stylish paintings that were created by the dozen in Korea.
Perhaps the only things I find mildly disturbing is the age factor. This film was shot in 1982, and this novel was adapted in 1988. I was born in 1989. It's interesting trying to relate to these characters from an age perspective, until you realize that you're essentially watching your parents at a younger age being killed off in these films (even more so with this one as my parents were high school seniors in 1981-1982).
Higgins Haven provides a really unique environment as well. The other entries feature cabins and the lake front, but this one features a barn, some bridges, and other unique novelties. As Chris mentions, the area is very calm and relaxing. It feels like the type of place anyone would want to escape to. The visuals of the film have supported that over the years. Though I feel in a sense that the California scenery is easier to work with than the New Jersey scenery of the first two films.
The descriptions of the wind and almost storm-like conditions add to the eerie feeling. You can really resonate with Chuck as the book describes in detail his fear of the dark and being alone in the desolate places.
Reading this book matches the story of the film almost spot on, with a few additional things for interest or perspective. Nothing else really differs much aside from the rare change in wording (the one that stands out is Ali's cursing at Shelly after hitting the motorcycles). Being a long-time fan of the film, this book was a real treat. I'm now more curious than ever to get my hands on a copy of the original 1982 adaptation and see how that one compared to both this novelization and the film itself.
Here is what I learned:
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- Edna Hockett feels stuck in life.
- Harold Hockett was captain of the high school football team.
- He became the shop owner of a tiny roadside market.
- Harold was drafted into the U.S. Army.
- Edna is 38 years old.
- Edna watches a news report that details the murders that happened in Part 2.
- Pamela Voorhees used to shop at their store.
- Edna married the top jock, her sister married a nerdy guy. She lives a lower quality life while her sister lives in Malibu
- Goldfish flakes are made with Mayfly eggs.
- Harold and Edna has a rabbit.
- Harold eats prepackaged food in his store and puts it back on the shelf.
- Harold’s doctor has told him he needs to lose weight.
- Edna knits for fun.
- Harold keeps a bottle of whiskey hidden behind the toilet. He has several other stashed away around the house and out of Edna’s sight.
- Harold used to be called “Hockett the Rocket”.
- Harold doesn’t wipe after using the bathroom.
- Vera Sanchez lives in a white house.
- Chris Higgins is 19 years old. Sherry drives a van.
- Andy Beltrami and Debbie Klein are both 19 as well and dating.
- Chris was talked into setting up Shelly and Vera on a blind date by Andy.
- Andy and Shelly Finklestein have been roommates since starting college.
- Shelly is a stress eater.
- Shelly has an obsession with movies.
- He would typically go to 2 or 3 in a row on weekends.
- Shelly has gone by “Shelly Greenblatt” in school when doing his theatrical pranks.
- Debbie flunked Spanish.
- Vera is 20 years old.
- Chuck’s real name is Charles Garth. He is 19 years old.
- Chili Jachson is 18 years old.
- Chuck and Chili are stoners.
- Chuck and Chili smoke out of plastic bongs.
- Chili has a twin sister named Pepper.
- Debbie is pregnant to Andy. She has known so for a month but has not started to show yet.
- Vera and Andy also enjoy marijuana.
- The teens pass by Harold and Edna’s store en route to Higgins Haven.
- Amos carries an eyeball he found and acts in a similar manner to Crazy Ralph.
- Higgins Haven was a lakefront house built in a grove of oak trees.
- Chris’ family bought it as a vacation home, but have not returned since her attack.
- It has a very old red barn next to it.
- It also features an outhouse.
- Chris’ parents were against her coming back to Crystal Lake.
- They feel responsible for her attack in the woods a few years ago.
- Chris feels the only way to deal with her issue is to return to Crystal Lake. Shades of Alice Hardy in a way.
- Chris’ father had hay delivered to Higgins Haven. He had forgotten to cancel the delivery, so Rick was putting it inside the barn to stay fresh.
- Prior to coming back, Chris never told Rick what had happened.
- Rick is 23 years old.
- Higgins Haven is filled with inexpensive landscape paintings. Chris’ father bought them at a “starving artists” warehouse sale.
- The paintings were actually made in bulk in Korea.
- Chris’ family kept her attack out of the papers.
- Shelly is bullied for his weight.
- Debbie and Andy sleep in Chris’ old room.
- The bed in Chris’ old room is a hammock.
- Andy plays the guitar.
- Despite all the hay, Chris’ family never had any horses.
- Her father keeps wanting to buy a horse, but constantly backs out last minute.
- Rick gave up a weekend with Mary Jo Conrad to be with Chris.
- Rick considers himself to be a country boy.
- Shelly longs to die after his jokes backfire.
- Rick drives a white VW bug. The same car as Ginny from Part 2, only a different color.
- Debbie and Chris have been best friends since childhood.
- Debbie confided in Chris when she found out she was pregnant.
- Chris has been so traumatized by her attack, that her mind subconsciously blocks it out.
- A psychiatrist tried to hypnotize her, but it did not work.
- The crossroads convenience store does not accept food stamps.
- Shelly keeps a condom in his wallet.
- Pregnancy has made Debbie very horny.
- Ali is the black bald-headed leader of the biker gang.
- Loco is a white punk biker who spaces out a lot.
- Fox is a black female member of the biker gang. She likes manners. She and Ali are seeing one another.
- Loco rides a British motorcycle.
- Despite acting tough, Fox is soft on the inside.
- Ali and Loco feed negative energy off one another.
- Loco has been known to murder people who have crossed him.
- Loco smokes cigarettes.
- The water in the lake is freezing cold.
- The Sheriff of Crystal Lake launched the largest dragnet in the history of the state after Jason committed the murders in Part 2.
- Jason has no memory of how he came to on the far side of the lake after his “drowning”.
- Jason walked through a stream to keep his scent away from the dogs and searchers.
- Ashton Chris recalls her attack, she mentions spending the night with Rick, and when she returned home, her mother slapped her. The first time her parent had ever hit her.
- Jason had attacked her with a knife but she disarmed him. Then he assaulted her until she blacked out.
- Both Andy and Shelly can juggle.
- Vera has feeling for Shelly and sees him as a decent guy, but is annoyed by his antics.
- Vera refers to white people as Anglos.
- Graffiti on the inside of the outhouse says: “HELP! I’M BEING HELD PRISONER IN THE OUTHOUSE! THROW DOWN A FAN OF AIR FRESHENER AND A ROPE!”
- Similar to Harold, Chuck doesn’t wipe after using the outhouse.
- Jason steals his now iconic hockey mask from Shelly.
- When Jason murders Debbie, it kills their unborn child as well. In a very grim silver lining, the young family of 3 depart this world together leaving no survivors.
- Chuck has a fear of the dark.
- Chili doesn’t believe Shelly is actually dying due to all his pranks he pulled prior.
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