13 SECONDS
PLOT-A famous rock band goes to record their new album in a creepy old boarding school house.
VIOLENCE-A guy gets folded in half, another is gutted and strangled with his own intestines.
SEX/NUDITY-None.
WHY I WATCHED IT-There's been quite a lot of positive words going around about this flick, which has garnered rave reviews from the likes of FANGORIA and Joe Bob Briggs. I trust those guys.
THE DOPE-This is one of those movies that starts off simply enough, then just escalates and escalates until the very moment it ends, twisting every which way and meanwhile scaring the hell out of you, keeping you guessing the whole time. The premise may sound trite, but believe me this movie isn't one of those where people start dying one by one, and the killer is confronted at the end. No way. Instead, we're treated to one of the best, seriously scary shot-on-video features since THE DIVIDING HOUR, showcasing huge talent that has just begun to assault our nerves. Writer/Director Jeff Thomas scores with not only a competently paced film and a well-constructed story, but also by assembling a very capable cast, an unusually good fx team, some of the best photography and lighting I've ever seen on an indie production, and a fleet-fingered editor that keeps the tension high by never letting our eyes rest for more than, well, 13 seconds, it would seem. If you like the atmosphere and themes of the original EVIL DEAD, you'll be delighted to see a lot of influence here, though not in obvious ways. Additionally, a lot of surrealistic and nightmarish qualities are present, taking cues from such varied sources as DORIAN GRAY, JACOB'S LADDER and even the first ELM STREET film. This is much more than a haunted house movie: it's cerebral and terrifying all at once. Definitely a praise-worthy achievement in low-budget filmmaking.
MEMORABLE SCENES-A body lying on the floor, covered in a bloody white sheet, suddenly sits up. I'm not the greatest writer in the world, suffice to say that that was fucking scary as hell.
NOTES-Check the RAINSTORM PICTURES website for details on how to purchase.
(September 2003) (updated November 2004)