Thir13en Ghosts (DVD: June 2003)

It may surprise you to learn that the best (b-movie) horror films (are there any other kind?) of the last decade have been made by some of HW's biggest names. Joel Silver (producer of every big actioner of note since 1990 - that Jerry Bruckheimer didn't get his glossy mits on anyway - including The Matrix) & Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future trilogy) have, seperately & collectively, green-lighted the recent HW horror renaissance. From the tongue in cheek, salutory blood-splattering of Tales from the Crypt (& resultant TV series) to the pre-Frodo Peter Jackson helmed The Frighteners, Zemeckis & Silver have practically revived the box-office appeal of the genre. I suppose by the same logic we can hold them responsible for Jeepers Creepers & Freddy vs Jason...

While none of the workman-like stock of product that includes Demon Knight & Thir13en Ghosts has broken (or is likely to) any box office records or been bestowed with grandiose critical praise, each movie has been notable for its competence in delivering up just what the fans ordered. Each has set itself above the competition by being an obvious labour of love. The producers appear to have done their homework, picked the right people for the job, handed over the money and left the creative team to their own devices - as it should be. In return, the producers have received an above average product to delight the audience the film was aimed at.

Thir13en Ghosts is a perfect example of this. A remake of William Castle's 1960 3-D original, fusing the haunted house and Cube concepts to great effect. You won't find any ground-breaking originality, state of the art (bullet-time) SFX, a witty self-effacing script or any cutting edge performances. In fact, its got practically nothing we haven't seen before: b-movie regulars, teen xtras, rappers, bare breasts, men in rubber suits, bad guys with steel canes & beards, a predictable script, victims gruesomely carved up, a gateway to hell, etc.

So what makes Thir13en Ghosts such a noteworthy success?

Well, because it's a well made film, made by people who know what they are doing. It doesn't want to be a great horror movie (like Hannibal or Red Dragon so desperately wanted), it's happy to be a good horror movie. It never overreaches itself, never tries to prove how smart it is, never thinks it's better than its audience, never labours under false pretentions and ultimately, never disappoints.

They should make more movies like this.

RATING:

(c)Limer 2003