Thirteen Ghosts DVD

Advantages: The ghosts are good....
Disadvantages: ....but the humans stink

...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. ... Read review

Advantages: Waste of time
Disadvantages: Waste of time

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 ... Read review

Advantages: chill-will special effects
Disadvantages: same old story

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 ... Read review

Advantages: excellent effects and makeup
Disadvantages: Acting and somewhat thin plot

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 ... Read review

Advantages: Good make up
Disadvantages: Crap everything else

...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 ... Read review

Advantages: Scary in some parts, great special FX
Disadvantages: Not everyone's taste

...than they first thought and each member of the salvage crew is killed in a brutal, horrific way. Well that's about it really there's not much more I can say about it, as this would give away the twist and end to the film. Ghost Ship is brought to us by the same team as 'House on Haunted Hill' and 'Thirteen Ghosts' and I can quite honestly say, having all these DVD's that 'House on Haunted Hill' is still the best of the three (so far). The acting in Ghost Ship is nothing special either with Julianna Margulies (ER) been quite wooden at times and Gabriel Byrne (Stigmata) looking like he was forced into taking the roll. But all said and done the star of the film must be the Ship, how can the ship be the star? I hear you say. Well the sets are superbly designed with the ship decaying after been afloat for 40 years, the corridors and rooms... Read review

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