Thir13en Ghosts (2001)

When Cyrus Kriticos, a very rich collector of unique things dies, he leaves it all to his nephew and his family. All including his house and fortune, but while they're inside, they are not alone

Director:

Steve Beck

Writers:

Robb White (story), Neal Marshall Stevens (screenplay)

Stars:

Tony Shalhoub, Shannon Elizabeth, Embeth Davidtz

1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tony Shalhoub	...	Arthur Kriticos
Embeth Davidtz	...	Kalina Oretzia
Matthew Lillard	...	Dennis Rafkin
Shannon Elizabeth	...	Kathy Kriticos
Alec Roberts	...	Robert 'Bobby' Kriticos
JR Bourne	...	Benjamin Moss
Rah Digga	...	Maggie Bess
F. Murray Abraham	...	Cyrus Kriticos
Matthew Harrison	...	Damon
Jacob Rupp	...	Cyrus' Assistant
Mike Crestejo	...	Team Member
Aubrey Lee Culp	...	Team Member
Charles Andre	...	Team Member
Mikhael Speidel	...	Billy Michaels, The First Born Son
Daniel Wesley	...	Jimmy 'The Gambler' Gambino, The Torso

Storyline

Arthur and his two children, Kathy and Bobby, inherit his Uncle Cyrus's estate: a glass house that serves as a prison to 12 ghosts. When the family, accompanied by Bobby's Nanny and an attorney, enter the house they find themselves trapped inside an evil machine "designed by the devil and powered by the dead" to open the Eye of Hell. Aided by Dennis, a ghost hunter, and his rival Kalina, a ghost rights activist out to set the ghosts free, the group must do what they can to get out of the house alive.

---

Plot Keywords:

ghost | glass house | body count | collector | characters murdered one by one | 

---

Taglines:

What's more terrifying than a ghost? Thirteen of them!

---

Genres:

Fantasy | Horror

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for horror violence/gore, nudity and some language

Did You Know?

Trivia

A year after this film, Matthew Lillard starred in Scooby-Doo (2002) and its sequel Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2004) as Norville 'Shaggy' Rogers, coincidentally there was a Scooby-Doo show involving thirteen ghosts called The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo (1985), voiced by Vincent Price as Vincent VanGhoul. Curiously, the first movie produced by Dark Castle Entertainment (and the previous to Thir13en Ghosts (2001)) is House on Haunted Hill (1999), a remake from the original House on Haunted Hill (1959) starred by Vincent Price.

---

Goofs

It is established that Arthur has no money. He has past due bills, he cannot afford a bigger house, and he is a math teacher. How does he afford a live-in nanny?

---

Quotes

Dennis Rafkin: I know this is gonna sound completely whacked, all right? But just - just stay with me. I used to hunt displaced spiritual energies with your uncle.
Arthur Kriticos: I'm sorry?
Dennis Rafkin: Uhh, P.K. agents. Revenants. Uh, uh, uh - Like wraiths. Wraiths? Do you have any idea what I'm talking about?
Arthur Kriticos: [chuckling nervously and shaking his head "No"] Uhh...
Dennis Rafkin: That's okay. That's okay, I - I'll do this the easy way. Ghosts, Arthur. I used to - I used to hunt ghosts with your uncle Cyrus.
Arthur Kriticos: [after a pause] Goats?
Dennis Rafkin: GHOSTS! Ghosts, goddammit! ...

---

Crazy Credits

The 'Black Zodiac' symbols are in the ending credits.

---

Alternate Versions

The Region 1 DVD release includes extensive background information on each of the ghosts as a bonus feature, including footage not used in the final movie, and newly recorded narration by F. Murray Abraham.

---

Connections

Referenced in Scream 4 (2011)

---

Soundtracks

Excess
Written by Tricky
Performed by Tricky
Backing Vocals by Alanis Morissette (uncredited)
Courtesy of Hollywood Records/Anti Inc. A Division of Epitaph Records

User Reviews

For fans of B-horror movies

I watched this movie last night, and I thought it was entertaining. Sure, it's a B-movie and has its flaws - it's a bit silly, it's not particularly horrifying (although I must admit no movie has scared me in 10-15 years, and I've watched quite a lot of horror flicks), it's a tad silly (Ghostbusters meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer?). But as B-horror movies go, this one is entertaining for those who like films with supernatural phenomena and people dying in "imaginative" ways. Actually, Thir13en Ghosts reminded me of one of my favourite films, The Cube. But that's just the reason I can't give a lot of points for this movie - there are better B-movies with which to entertain yourself. Cube-films sum up the better parts of the film and dispense with boring love-issues. But then again, there are heck of a lot more crappier films than this, and it was funny enough for me to even buy it for five or so euros in case I came across this in a store.

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Pictures [Germany] Warner Bros. [United States]

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 October 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

13 Ghosts

Filming Locations:

Surrey, British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$42,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$15,165,355, 28 October 2001

Gross USA:

$41,867,960

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$68,467,960

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Columbia Pictures, Dark Castle Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1