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Thirteen Ghosts is a remake of the 1950s/1960s spook film 13 Ghosts. Like the original, it revolves around Arthur Kriticos (Tony Shalhoub) inheriting a mansion and a potential fortune - but the trouble turns out that when they realize that there are spirits trapped inside the mansion - hence the title Thirteen Ghosts. The plot is generally a little lame, but if you suspend belief, Thirteen Ghosts is full of thrils and spooks - and the visuals (which are so key to a Horror movie) are quite good and rather compelling. Thirteen Ghosts makes for an enjoyable and ideal date movie or a late night spooker! Thirteen Ghosts cast: Alec Roberts, Embeth Davidtz, F. Murray Abraham, J.R. Bourne, Kathryn Anderson, Matthew Lillard, Rah Digga, Shannon Elizabeth, Tony Shalhoub From the original Thirteen Ghosts (13 Ghosts): This high-spirited spook show from producer-director William Castle features a haunted house populated by the record number of ghosts in the film's title. The plot has the destitute Zorba family initially delighted at the news they've inherited the estate of their recently deceased uncle. The trouble is, the uncle was a ghost collector, and now that he's dead the ghosts are running around the house without supervision. The Zorba family's absentminded professor father (Donald Woods) finds a pair of weird glasses that enables him to see the ghosts. Young son Buck (Charles Herbert) thinks the ghosts are pretty cool, especially the headless lion tamer and his ghost lion. Attractive daughter Medea (Jo Morrow) is marked for death by a flying Ouija board and is later menaced by a shambling corpse. The mother (Rosemary DeCamp) is harassed by poltergeists who throw knives and pots around the kitchen when she’s trying to cook dinner. There’s also Margaret Hamilton as the witch housekeeper, Martin Milner as the smooth lawyer, and a secret treasure. Robb White wrote the scream-laden screenplay. All in all it's more fun than a barrel of ghost monkeys and perfect Halloween fare for the whole family.Read full review
When you watch THIRTEEN GHOSTS for the first time, you are likely to find it confusing. My advice: watch the Special Features portion of the DVD, which will identify the thirteen ghosts and what each represents. In the movie itself, some of the ghosts play large parts, but others simply flash onto the screen briefly. It's too bad the writer couldn't have found a way to incorporate the ghosts' backstories into the film; it might have been scarier if we knew WHY the ghosts should be feared (other than the fact that they look incredibly gross!) Tony Shalhoub & Matthew Lillard deliver great performances. The house Shalhoub's character inherits is visually stunning; almost every wall is glass, and etched with cryptic runes which will become significant as the plot unfolds. Since the ghosts are only visible through special glasses, but present and able to hurt humans whether the humans can see the ghosts or not, there are some interesting, tricky scenes, as when an invisible ghost tries to drag away Shalhoub's teenage daughter. My advice is to watch the film, watch the special features, then watch the film again to see what you missed the first time. Even better if you watch it on Halloween!Read full review
I purchased this DVD after I watched the movie on television and was intrigued by it. I know that when it was released (in 2001), it got terrible reviews, but something about it made me want to watch it again. First let me say that I am not a big horror movie fan. I get scared very easily and don't like a lot of blood and gore. Yes, there is some blood in this movie, but not an excessive amount, and I did not consider this movie to have a lot of gore. The acting is so-so. I like Tony Shaloub, but this movie is not the acting highlight of his career. I'd also have to say that F. Murray Abraham fell a long way from Amadaeus. Although Matthew Lillard (Rafkin)overacts terribly, I actually liked him and his character. I also thought that J.R. Bourne's portrayal of Ben Moss(the greedy, slimy lawyer)was very entertaining. I don't know that the rest of the cast had anything to lose by appearing in this movie. The set is very interesting, and according to the Special Features, it was very difficult to film in the glass house. This movie was a remake of the 1960 movie 13 Ghosts, which was directed by William Castle (who always had a "gimmick" to lure people in to his movies), and I think that this version was probably meant to be tongue and cheek to a certain extent. If that was the intent, I think that they succeeded. This is why I give this movie a "Good" rating. I actually found it entertaining. I liked the ghosts, even though several of the ghosts could not have done much to any of the people if they had caught them (what harm can a headless, limbless torso do?) and they were really reaching to think up twelve ghosts (for instance, the giant baby and dire mother?..please). However, I was fascinated by the makeup and manner in which they were presented. To me, the little glimpses of the ghosts made me want to see them in more detail. I was pleased to see that Special Features of the DVD included a look inside the makeup and set design. And even though it was corny, I also enjoyed the segment with the backstories of the ghosts that was included on the DVD. The story synopsis is this...a power crazy man (Cyrus Kriticos) builds a machine that will open the eye of hell, which will give him ultimate power and wealth. It needs 12 ghosts (not just any old ghosts... 12 specific ghosts, to match the signs of the Black Zodiac) to power it up. The 13th ghost, who will cause the eye to open, has to be a person who sacrifices themself in an act of pure love. Dennis Rafkin has helped Cyrus capture the ghosts needed for this machine, but he has not known what Cyrus wanted the ghosts for. Arthur Kriticos, who is Cyrus' nephew, has been told that he has inherited this house because of the death of Cyrus. Arthur and his family are living in less than perfect conditions because of a fire that killed his wife six months before and destroyed their house and belongings. So here we have Arthur, his two children (Bobby and Kathy), the nanny (Maggie), and Rafkin trapped inside this house with 12 ghosts,who just pop up here and there, and are intent on killing them all. Their goal is to escape alive. Add Kalina, who says that she is there to release the ghosts that Cyrus has captured, but who we find is not exactly who she says she is. There is a twist in the last 20 minutes or so of the film that I didn't see coming, and an ending that was unexpected as well. If you like tongue in cheek horror movies, I would recommend this movie. Enjoy!Read full review
Well the plot of the movie is simple, a genius with too much money looking to control, trap, and house the most notorious criminal ghosts, in one of the weirdest houses ever seen on the silver screen. Of course you can kind imagine where this is going, that they are being used for some evil master plan. Once trapped the severely angry ghosts who have paid for their horrendous crimes soon escape into the house and its up to a wacky medium and a loving family to control and destroy the place housing the ghosts before the evil Billionaire controls and destroys all of humanity. The driving force of the movie in my opinion is the manner on which these souls are housed with ritualistic writings on their cells and an ever evolving glass house that acts like a puzzle slowly unlocking and unleashing the billionaires master plan. The movie is not a barn burner or anything, but interesting none the less with great special effects and some comedy.Read full review
When I was a kid I really hated it when remakes came along, and a big part of me still really hates it. I mean, many remakes have tarnished the name of a classic for future generations whom do not even know that there was a version previous, or even...shudder...a book that started it all. But I have to admit that I take a great comfort knowing that, in a world of snide movie goers, where horror hardly survives or thrives, I can always count on Dark Castle Entertainment to spit out a horror brain candy movie. Thirteen ghosts isn't fantastic, it's a little woody despite great actors and acting, but it's really the visual effects that steal the show. You forget that the story is stupid and full of holes because your eyes can't stop looking at torn up, big boobed baby dolls, and dead dudes with spikes all throughout their body, and yes, the beautiful house and they idea that there is a tool to let you see the other side. I like thirteen ghosts because it's perfect for fall, when you're in the mood for horror that's clean and doesn't require much thought. For that I thank Dark Castle, keep throwing them out there man.Read full review
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