He's back! The Leprechaun is on the loose again, this time trying his luck in Las Vegas. The terror begins when a young, college student (Scott) gives a beautiful magician's assistant a lift into town.
Once in Vegas, Scott discovers one of the Leprechaun's gold shillings in a pawn shop. Thanks to the lucky coin, Scott goes on a winning streak. Unfortunately, the Leprechaun knows his coin is missing and will gladly kill to get it back.
"For pulling this trick, I'll chop off your dick!"
- Leprechaun |
Leprechaun 3 was the first of the series to be sent straight to video. Apparently, the studio decided a witty little leprechaun who killed people in an over-the-top fantasy fashion had enough silver-screen fame after two appearances. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the Leprechaun films (to an extent) but the studio made a good call sending the third installment to video. Actually, I think they should've send the second one straight to video as well, but who am I to get in the way of their penny-pinching endeavors? Right? The truth is, these films don't have a strong enough storyline to reach out to the masses and proclaim, "I am a blockbuster!" That doesn't mean they're not fun, but from a studios perspective they are more of a cult series. And that's exactly what they are!
As you noticed above, Leprechaun 3 is set in Las Vegas. How does the Leprechaun get to Las Vegas, you ask? A homeless drunk discovers the Leprechaun (who is now encased in stone and held there through the power of a medallion around is neck) in Hollywood and, somehow, managed to get him 278 miles to Sin City. Now, last time I was in Hollywood, I noticed the drunk homeless guys had quite a lot of trouble just crawling out from behind their dumpsters. So one of these upstanding citizens getting a 90 pound stone leprechaun to the city of gambling, hookers and all around mayhem is unlikely. But this is the movies, right? So who gives a fuck?!
After the stone Leprechaun is pawned off at a local pawn shop, the owner removes the medallion to check for its value. Bad idea. The leprechaun is set free and the stage is set for mayhem and madness. One of the Leprechauns gold coins goes missing (of course) and the bloody hunt begins. The coin lands in the hands of Scott McCoy, a student on his way to college. After discovering the coin grants one wish to whoever holds it, Scott wishes to have an amazing winning streak at the nearby casino. As others start to notice the coins powers, they begin stealing it for their own selfish wishes.
So there is the basic story of the film but there are two other characters (and their actresses) I want to talk about.
First is the character Tammy Larsen, played by the gorgeous Lee Armstrong. Her character is an aspiring magician who works as an assistant in a magic show at the casino where Scott is on his winning streak. Armstrong is (by far) the best talent in the film. She portrays her character perfectly. Even being possessed by the missing gold coin didn't phase this actress! She actually pulls it off! How many actresses do you know who could act as if they were sexually possessed by a coin (LAME) and convince the audience? I'm not sure I can think of any. And this woman is smokin' hot!
 Second actress to talk about is Caroline Williams. You might remember her as "DJ Stretch" from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Part 2. I absolutely love Caroline Williams. I think she is a fantastic actress and seeing her in a Leprechaun film after doing a stellar job in TCM 2 is fantastic. Her death is the best in the film. (See video clip below.)
Overall, Leprechaun 3 is far better than Leprechaun 2. Warwick Davis (the Leprechaun) has far better and equally ridiculous rhymes throughout the film, the acting is better and the visuals of Las Vegas brings out a more enjoyable atmosphere. Leprechaun 3 gets 6/10 stars.
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- According to an article in Fangoria magazine #131 (April 1994) the movie was first considered for release in 3D. By the time the movie began production, the idea was abandoned.
- Director Brian Trenchard-Smith reported, "In a subsequent scene, there was one gag I decided to drop on the grounds of taste. (Rare for me.) As Lep disposes of the mob guys, one of them improvs a Wizard of Oz reference as his dying words: "What was Judy Garland really like?" Warwick, a dab hand at improv himself, shot back with customary malevolence: "She was a bitch!" then delivered the coup de grace with his shillelagh as the button on the line. We all fell about laughing, but in the cutting room I felt it might hurt Liza Minelli's feelings. ( I know, she probably doesn't see Leprechaun movies)."
- The tongue that Scott sticks out while in the hospital is obviously a fake as you can see his real tongue right under it.
- Filmed on a budget of $1,200,000, $300,000 less than Leprechaun 2.
- Director Brian Trenchard-Smith reported, "There was one scene Warwick was not comfortable with: his encounter with a streetwalker, who offers him an array of sexual adventures concluding with "...Golden Shower?" At the mention of his beloved mineral, LEP would salivate. "Golden shower? Oh, I'd like one of those!" The hooker, who was to be played by our wonderful casting lady Tedra Gabriel, replies "That's 150, and you buy the six pack." I learned early on to defer to an actor's taste when he is truly uncomfortable with material, so we dropped it. We had enough scatological material in the picture to satisfy the pubescent in all of us. And Warwick was right. This exchange would sour the particular tone we were setting for our target audience. Terms like taste and tone may seem out of place in a LEP movie, but in fact consistency of tone applies to all genres."
- Casting director Tedra Gabriel brought in two comedic actors - Tom Dugan and Roger Hewlett to play the mob guys who want their money from sleazy casino owner Mickey Callan. Ninety percent of their part roles were improvised.
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