Hardcore horror fans may enjoy some of the effects in "Thir13een Ghosts", but in order to wring any tension out of the movie, you need to see it on DVD - and with a suitably kick-ass sound system.
TECHNICAL FEATURES
Picture There's little chance of you missing out on a single gory detail with a transfer as pristine as this. The numerous glass walls and intricate lighting detail look sensational.
Sound While this - like many modern horror films - may be a noisy affair, there's an unusually good 5.1 sound design to the movie. It's the one element that offers any possibility that you're going to jump during the film, with precision bass pulses rippling through the subwoofer to unsettle the viewer. These combine with an array of hellish effects, which possess the speakers with menacing zeal.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Audio Commentary Production designer Sean Hargreaves, special make-up artist Howard Berger, and director Steve Beck come together for a commentary that's a useful reference for the effects work, but otherwise triumphantly dull. There's no doubt that on a technical level this film works well, especially filming around a glass set that's a nightmare of reflections. Additionally, there are some good CGI moments that you may not realise are computer-generated. Otherwise, there's a lack of zeal and passion in a team that can competently discuss how to achieve an effect, but clearly have little idea of how to excite an audience - whether listening to the commentary, or watching the film.
Making Of Featurette Producer Joel Silver pops up in a shirt that's unusually restrained, but has perhaps been chosen to compensate for his nauseating movie. He talks about Dark Castle Pictures, set up with the aim of creating one-set movies with good effects and brilliant marketing and PR to promote them - William Castle style. One hopes that Silver will ultimately succeed in that aim, but to while away the 18 minutes of this featurette, there's an array of behind-the-scenes footage topped with cheesy quips from the cast and crew.
Thir13en Ghosts Revealed This featurette guides us through the decomposing lovelies who terrorise the equally rotten cast.
Trailer Gallery This section is exciting. Not for the "Thir13en Ghosts" or "Hollow Man" trailers, but for the "Spider-Man" trailer in 5.1. Now there's a DVD to get excited about!
Additional Extra Features Also on the DVD is a William Castle biography, and a cast and crew list.
Region: 2
Chapters: 28
Ratio: 1.85:1 (anamorphic)
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Technical Features: Scene selection, multiple languages and subtitles, and English captions for the hearing impaired.
This DVD was reviewed on a JVC XV-S57 DVD player.
