Thirteen Ghosts (DVD)

...the thirteenth ghost? The Thirteen Ghosts is a remake of a cult 1960 horror film and retains most of the key plot elements of the original film. In places, it is very reminiscent of the film House on Haunted Hill, which should come as no real surprise as the same man, Robb White, wrote both films. There are certain key similarities between the two films – ghosts, haunted houses, eccentric characters and unwitting victims who become imprisoned ...
...As a horror film, Thirteen Ghosts is only partly successful. At the outset, there is quite a lot of gore and nastiness – I was initially quite surprised that the film had only attracted a 15 certificate. (There is a particularly satisfying sequence involving a lawyer and a pair of glass doors.) However, once events moved to the house there was less violence and the film concentrated more on the mystery and intrigue of the collection of ghosts. ...

LostWitness 27.07.2002 (29.07.2002) · Read full review
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Review of Thirteen Ghosts (DVD)

Imagine this horror scenario. It’s a hot summers day, and your mouth is drier than an oven made from sand. There’s an ice cream truck roughly 35 metres away from where you are standing, and you have £1.50 in your pocket – just enough for a thirst-quenching ice lolly of some description. Maybe a cider flavoured one – or a strawberry split… Anyway, rather than go directly to the ice cream truck, you throw the money into the mouth of a passing border ...
...the god of hellfire – and I bring you fire!” strip to your underclothes, dance a dainty jig, run to the ice cream truck and lick the raspberry sauce bottle in a suggestive manner and then fart out a buttercup. Only then do you retrieve your money and return to the truck, only to find that you don’t really want an ice lolly after all. The point? TAKE THE EASY ROUTE. It works, and it’s satisfying. With this in mind, gaze upon the works of director ...

peppersinclaire 20.03.2002 (03.04.2002) · Read full review
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Review of Thirteen Ghosts (DVD)

Directed by Steve Beck “Thirteen Ghosts” is obviously a loud, stupid and incomprehensible piece of work. "Thirteen Ghosts "is not based on William Castle's 1960's horror "House on Haunted Hill", but is instead an original (if you can call it that) screenplay. Steven Beck, however, did direct a remake of "House on Haunted Hill", known by the same name in 1999, prior to directing "Thirteen Ghosts"! Despite some cool visual effects, “13 ...
...get more stupid, an other flick of horror prove you wrong. It always can get worse. I guess this what the horror is for, to surprise and bore you to death at the same time, until you can’t get it enough. The movie starts from the grave of horror maestro William Castle 1960, offering the name and maybe something else. The new version however, should benefit from all the advancements in special effects and modern filmmaking technology, comparing ...

barefoot777 08.06.2004 (09.06.2004) · Read full review
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Review of Thirteen Ghosts (DVD)

Against my better judgement, and at the urging of my fat brother, I have today gone to see the film Thir13en Ghosts. Here follows my review (without giving too much away ;+) Thir13en Ghosts is a Haunted House flick with a difference - aren't they all these days? The plot is that Cyrus Kriticos, adventurer, leaves his house (and its collection of ghosts) to his nephew, Arthur, who promptly attempts to move into the house with his 2 children and live-in ...
...used to horror films having less plot than a 2x2 allotment. Cyrus is played by F Murray Abraham, hamming whilst trying not to appear like he's hamming (and almost succeeding), and in something of a cameo role. The remainder of the cast are a little unmentionable, apart from Matthew Lillard as psychic Dennis Rafkin (I'm sure we all remember Matthew from Scream), and Tony Shalhoub as the nephew Arthur (for those who know now, Tony Shalhoub was in ...

tatum69 21.03.2002 · Read full review
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Review of Thirteen Ghosts (DVD)

...in the particular case of Thirteen Ghosts, all I can say is that I’m very highly delighted that I did wait until the Passover into Cheapskate Land, because this film may have looked wonderfully exciting and scary in the confines of trailer city, but spread over an entire 90 minutes, once the shock horror tactics and the unpleasant make up have had their undoubtable early impact, you’re left with an extremely shallow, far fetched and patently absurd ...
...even more horrible characteristics. Thirteen Ghosts contains some quite neat tricks and novelties, but quickly runs out of steam and any remaining vitality. In reality, it’s just an updated, more gruesome version of the standard haunted house epic which is very badly handled. The high tech house, built on a standard design by the devil, is the real star of the show, but soon leaves you feeling quite bored. The hieroglyph bedecked glass walls and ...

dave27 09.08.2003 · Read full review
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Review of Thirteen Ghosts (DVD)

What can possibly be scarier than a giant see through glass house that has a basement full of super scary ghosts? not much in my opinion! 13 Ghosts was a film originally made in 1960, but this action-packed, thrill filled remake has basically outclassed the original by miles! Directed by Steve Beck this 2001 reamake of a horror classic proves that with a crew that has a clear image of what they need to achieve anything is possible! The Story: What ...
...tale of a wealthy ghosthunter called Cyrus Kriticos (F.Murray Abraham) , who's mission is to capture 13 of the worlds deadliest spirits to form an ancient machine known as the "Black Zodiac" which will basically unleash the gates of hell upon the Earth if it can be created. In the beginning of the film we witness Cyrus, accompanied by a team of ghostcatchers and also his assistant, Dennis Rafkin (Matthew Lillard), who is a pyschic that can see the ...

Woodzy1991 20.04.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Thirteen Ghosts (DVD)

When this film came out at the cinema, I did not want to see it as the trailer made the film look very scary. I quite like horror films but for some reason the trailer just seemed too much for me. Anyway, when it came out to rent my friends decided that we should all stay in and watch it one evening. By the time the film had finished, I was so glad that I had given in and watched it (it was about five against one). At the beginning of the film, ...
...Arthur, his daughter Kathy (must be in her late teens), his son Bobby (much younger, about 9 or 10 I'd guess) and their nanny Maggie. It is soon discovered that Arthur's wife, Jean, was killed in a fire that also completely destroyed their old house. I cannot remember if it is made clear how long before the start of the film this incident was, but I would estimate at between 6 months to a year previous. The family are now living in a cramped apartment ...

lolly1981 13.01.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Thirteen Ghosts (DVD)

...to act with! The thirteen ghosts which give the film its title were dubious as only a few seemed to properly fit the description given of the Black Zodiac during the film, and the fate of Cyrus was obvious all along, just as the twists could have been seen coming a mile off. Added to this the ending of the film seemed as if the makers of the film had suddenly noticed the length of the film, and had decided that they needed to end it and so did so ...
...thing about this film was the special effects, which did their best to drag this film out of mediocrity, unfortunately failing, as being a horror film, there is only so much special effects can do. I am disappointed to have to write such a poor review of this film, as like I have already said you felt there was so much more that could have been done to make this film better but was either missed or ignored. By the time the film finished I was left ...

bosck 06.02.2003 (10.02.2003) · Read full review
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Review of Thirteen Ghosts (DVD)

This has to be the best horror film I have seen for ages. It’s very much like House on a Haunted Hill – in fact, the original was written by the same person. Arthur , his daughter and son inherit a house from their Great Uncle Cyrus who happened to be a ghost hunter while he was alive. Unfortunately the family don’t realise that there are 12 ghosts shut in the house with them. They are trapped inside the house and the ghosts are ...
...a great part as a psychic ex-employee of Cyrus. He helped catch the ghosts and also gets trapped in the house. He acts as the “source of knowledge” of the ghosts and explains the story as it goes along very well. The special effects in the film are amazing as is the sound. Watch this dvd in the dark on your own and it will make you jump several times! It’s only in Dolby Digital (no 5.1 or DTS) but you’ll still be looking behind ...

annette_tr9 08.04.2002 · Read full review
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Review of Thirteen Ghosts (DVD)

A down on their luck family get what seems to be a lucky break (yeah right…). A decidedly dodgy relative has left them a very unusual house. They move in, not knowing that the house isn’t just a house… I’ll admit to be predisposed to be positive about this one. I’m a big fan of Jr Bourne, who plays the lawyer and also played Martouf on Stargate SG-1. I’ve met him in real life and he’s one of the most charming people you could meet. But I’ll try ...
...best visually; in fact it’s a visual feast. The opening sequence has a junkyard with plastic rippling like weed, making it appear like some fantastic undersea reef. The ghosts are imaginative, gory and at times surreal (definitely products of the Hellraiser school of ghost-making). I found them genuinely creepy. Finally there’s the house, which is a truly amazing set. Glass walls, polished metal… a mystical hall of mirrors. If you like films that ...

Moonrising 01.03.2004 · Read full review
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Review of Thirteen Ghosts (DVD)

Before I start this review, I'll make my initial statement that I loved this film. Although there is an obvious fear factor involved in thir13en ghosts, it was not so scary that I was hiding under the covers (although clearly some of you may enjoy this fear). Saying this, the film did keep me on the edge of my seat and allowed me to concentrate on the storyline rather than my own fear. The special effects and the make-up were excellent with the ...
...ridiculous and make you laugh at them rather than fear them. The story is about a guy, Cyris, who is attempting to, and succeeds in, catching 12 certain ghosts (those that make the black zodiac) in order to power a house described in an ancient book to allow him to basically see into the past, present and future and therefore hold the greatest power in the world. Cyris's widowed nephew and his two children become trapped in this house with Cyris's ...

Bikerchick28 12.06.2003 · Read full review
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Review of Thirteen Ghosts (DVD)

DVD players and VCRs across the land will be rewinding to savour again the moment when the guy gets sliced in half. Which is a shame because it will interrupt the tension of this fast-paced haunted house flick. It's clear from the outset that a great deal of thought went into the inception and development of a horror film that squeezes out what little originality is left in the Amityville/Poltergeist/House on Haunted Hill genre. Gone are the moving ...
...Changeling so scary they were almost unwatchable. What we have instead is an in-your-face monster movie that harks back to the days of A Nightmare on Elm Street, with its peculiar visual effects. Replacing the uncomfortably claustrophobic dream sequences that pervaded Freddy's one-handed massacres we have a double-edged nightmare: that which can't be seen and, worse, that which can. What's most intriguing about this film is that each of the monsters ...

aubernguy 07.09.2004 · Read full review
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Review of Thirteen Ghosts (DVD)

...completely wrong There were not thirteen ghosts trapped in the house there were twelve and even though there was money in the house it was only mentioned for about two minutes and the only person who was interested in the money died after about five minutes so really the fortune in the house bears little on the storyline. The Film starts where Mr and Mrs Kriticos and the two little Kriticos’ are having a fun family day when the house catches ...
...Then in another scene set far, far away we see the rather gruesome death of Uncle Kriticos. Months Later.... Daddy Kriticos (Arthur) and his two children -Kathy and Bobby are trying to rebuild their lives, with the help of their Amusing Maid - Maggie, when they are visited by a lawyer who tells them they have inherited a house since their uncle had died. Excitedly they all go to the house and gasp with amazement at its size and the fact that it is ...

supersally 05.09.2002 · Read full review
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Review of Thirteen Ghosts (DVD)

Thir13en Ghosts is brought to us via the people who remade 'The House On Hauted Hill' another remake of a William Castle movie. The critics made out that 'Thir13en Ghosts' was a pile of rubbish, but let me tell you, the special effects are great, the dolby surround is unnerving, ok so the acting not that good, but who cares. Is the film scarey? well yes and no, I jumped once but my friend sat watching it behind a pillow. So to some it will scare ...
...another good film. I bought the region 1 DVD and it had an extra 3 minutes in the film, I know it doesn't sound much, but 3 minutes here and there makes up that bit extra. The special features are superb from the history of the ghosts in the movie to the music video for Tricky's Excess. So what's the film about? After the the tragic death of arthur's wife, he discovers that his late uncle has left him a house, so he, his children and the nanny ...

kwildchild 14.10.2002 · Read full review
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Review of Thirteen Ghosts (DVD)

...in that movie as it is in Thirteen Ghosts. Extras on DVD: Special Features: Directors Commentary, 12 Featurettes, The Making Of Featurette, Filmographies, Trailer Technical Details: Region 2 Aspect Ratio: 1.85 Wide Screen Running Time: 87 minutes Main Language: English Sound Mix: DTS/Dolby Digital/SDDS Certification: UK 15 ...

Starshine8 08.03.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Thirteen Ghosts (DVD)