Thirteen Ghosts is a remake of a very different movie. They both deal with a family moving into a house containing twelve ghosts and having to survive the violent spirits who are looking to get free. The 2001 remake is about as peak 2001 horror as you can get. It’s got flashy effects, enough gore to keep things interesting and most importantly a really really cool house.
- Directed By: Steve Beck
- Written By: Robb White. Neal Marshall Stevens. Richard D’Ovidio
- Starring: Tony Shalhoub. Shannon Elizabeth. Embeth Davidtz
There are also plenty of nods to the original 13 Ghosts. Made in 1960, 13 Ghosts used a unique filming method allowed the ghosts to only be seen by theater patrons looking through a red film of the special glasses they were given. Looking through the blue film would prevent them from seeing the on-screen specters. The glasses also featured heavily in the plot of the movie. They also are seen in the remake.
The overall set up is fairly similar too. A dead uncle leaves a mansion to a struggling family. However, in Thirteen Ghosts. The plot is much more nefarious and well, interesting.
The House:
The Thirteen Ghosts house is, without a doubt, the standout feature here. It’s an integral part of the plot and the design work that went into these sets is amazing. It is, in fact, one of the most believable parts of the movie. They pull this off mostly due to the filming style. The disorientating cuts combined with glass walls give the house an endless feel. It’s a labyrinth and a mousetrap all at once.
Despite the bizarre Latin scrawled on the walls, it’s easy to see why the family members would want to stay. At least until the first body drops.
I seriously could watch this house shift and change more. It’s helped by fantastic sound design. The thumping and sliding of the glass doors has real weight.
The Characters
Ok, Bobby, the youngest, is a little hard to deal with. For a kid who is obsessed with true crime, he has like no survival instinct. He also dips out of the action early on, so that’s not too big of a deal. Everyone else, I genuinely like in this. I may be biased because Mathew Lillard is one of the core characters, and he’s awesome in everything. But, his fragile-but-snarky psychic is a highlight here.
Arthur, the dad, is also a bright spot. He’s smart, maybe a little too trusting, but clever when he needs to be. His main motivation is his love for his kids, and as a driving force it’s a solid one. It allows him to be reckless when he needs to be and have it make sense. After all, wouldn’t any of us jump into uncertain danger for our loved ones?
Special shout out to the nanny, Maggie, who just wants to break things. Sometimes that is the answer.
One of the elements that makes the characters so great is the dialogue. It’s darkly funny and self-aware. Most of the horror movies of this era tried to pull this tone off, but few balance fright and humor.
The Thirteen Ghosts:
Remember the glasses in the original? Thanks to some smart use of camera tricks we get some cool transitions between the world of the spirits seen though those lenses and what the normal people are seeing. There is one scene in the bathroom that makes the most of these transitions. It’s one of my favorites, and also one of few times I really felt like a family member was in danger.
Each of the ghosts has a unique design that alludes to their backstory. We don’t get much of their stories in the theatrical or streaming versions, but the Blu-ray and DVD extras do go into detail on their design work. It’s worth looking up since the effects work on these spirits is fantastic and deserves more of a spotlight. I don’t disagree with how the film shows them; less can be more for horror. I do wish that this type of flashy jump cut fell out of fashion a bit quicker.
The Remake of a Remake
I rewatched Thirteen Ghosts after reading an article about a reboot that would turn the IP into a TV show. As much as I enjoy the movie a limited series could give the space to explore the ghosts and their backgrounds the way that they deserve. OR it could be full of unnecessary padding. The movie Thirteen Ghosts takes place over the course of just one night. Stretching this out long enough to fill 8-12 episodes may require some rewrites. And of course they need a suitable Mathew Lillard replacement.
Final Thoughts:
Thirteen Ghosts is a time capsule of sorts, capturing the best of early 2000s horror. It’s not nearly as gory as I remember; the jump cuts do a lot of heavy lifting to make it seem more extreme than it is. It is a fun movie with some twists and turns in the plot. It’s not elevated horror by any stretch, but it’s also not a mindless death-fest either. In fact it’s got a relatively low body count. The kills are memorable and make it worth watching. If you’re into some casual fun horror, it’s might be worth a watch.
Thirteen Ghosts is available on streaming
Read other horror reviews here:
Leave a Reply