10 Horror Movie Characters That Didn't Deserve The Hate
6. Shelly Finkelstein - Friday The 13th Part III
A lot of Friday the 13th fans simply cannot abide the goofy shenanigans of Shelly Finkelstein (Larry Zerner) - the schlubby, socially awkward prankster who has a fateful meeting with Jason Voorhees (Richard Brooker) in the series' third movie.
To many, Shelly is nothing more than a detestable, attention-seeking weirdo who typifies the "It's just a prank bro!" mentality so prevalent today - a guy who just doesn't know when to drop the joke.
Yet it's painfully apparent that Shelly is a shy teenager who desperately wants to connect with those around him, and attempts to do so through humour.
We've all met someone who tried to compensate for their crushingly low self-esteem by putting on a show for others, and so Shelly is ultimately a sympathetic dolt who didn't deserve the brutal end that Jason dealt to him with a machete.
Plus, considering the invaluable contribution Shelly inadvertently made to the Friday the 13th mythos - gifting Jason his iconic hockey mask - you shouldn't begrudge his presence too much.