Dementia 13, Blu-ray (1963/2016)

by | Jul 11, 2016 | DVD & Blu-ray Video Reviews

Restoration of the first film written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

Dementia 13, Blu-ray (1963/2016)

Director & Writer: Francis Ford Coppola
Cast: William Campbell, Luana Anders, Bart Patton
Studio: Roger Corman/ The Film Detective FD0 561 [7/26/16]
Video: 1.78:1 for 16:9 screens, B&W
Audio: English mono PCM
Subtitles: None
Length: 75 min.
Ratings: Audio *** Video *****

Was written and directed by Francis Ford Coppolla and produced by Roger Corman. A scheming wife covers up her husband’s death (from a heart attack) and tries to get herself written into her mother-in-law’s will. Her main concern is that she only inherents part of the family fortune if her husband is still alive. The entire family lives in an old Irish castle, where there seems to be a resident ghost, not to mention a crazed axe-murderer. It was originally shot in 3D but probably not distributed that way.

The strange Halorans family still holds an annual ritualistic ceremony observing the freak drowning accident of her young daughter Kathleen. Louise devises a plan to convince the mother that her daughter is trying to communicate from beyond the grave. She begins to place the child’s toys under the water but is then axed to death by an unknown assailant. The family doctor becomes determined to solve the mystery, and he finally does.

A pretty good horror film, and shows the talents of Coppola in making a good film. A beautiful restoration job by The Film Detective.

—John Sunier

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