If the situation in the world has not been giving you enough nightmares lately,
then Steve Beck's THIR13EEN GHOSTS, a remake of William Castle's 13 GHOSTS from
1960, may be just the movie for you. Filled with truly unsettling images, the
movie is about as much fun as being trapped in a hall of mirrors with a
convocation of serial killers. The ghoulish figures look like those horrible
costumes that you refuse to let your kids wear for Halloween. Among the tamer
ones is a 6-year-old boy with an arrow through his head that drips blood.
"It is my professional opinion that we should get the hell out of here now,"
Rafkin (Matthew Lillard) advises his diabolical boss, Cyrus (F. Murray Abraham),
in the opening scene. I strongly suggest that you take these words of wisdom to
heart and leave immediately if you find yourself watching this upsetting movie.
Don't walk; run. Yes, the special effects aren't bad, and the house is
imaginative, but do you need this?
The house, which Arthur (Tony Shalhoub) inherits when his Uncle Cyrus dies, is
made all of glass, right down to the floors and ceilings, even in the bathrooms.
It is an evil place powered by twelve unhappy spirits. "The house is not a
house," explains Kalina (Embeth Davidtz). "It is a machine powered by the
dead." If this sounds somewhat intriguing, it isn't. I guess that if you find
horribly mutilated bodies fascinating and are willing to see any film that
features them, then you are probably part of the target audience. Personally, I
found the movie disgusting and disturbing, which, I suppose, may be the reaction
that the filmmakers hoped for. After seeing it, I'm not looking forward to
bedtime.
THIR13EEN GHOSTS runs a long 1:30. It is rated R for "horror violence/gore,
nudity and some language" and would be acceptable for older teenagers with
strong stomachs.
Copyright © 2001 Steve Rhodes
out of 4
