The 13th Floor

"The 13th Floor" was made in 1988 and was directed by Chris Roache, and starred Kylie Clare and other non-stars. From what I gather, it is horror type movie about the ghost of a murdered kid. This is not the movie that some of you are reviewing on this page.

"The Thirteenth Floor" was made in 1999 and directed by Josef Rusnak, starred Craig Bierko and Gretchin Mol. It was about a team of business men who create a living, breathing virtual reality of the 1930's. Its a murder mystery. THIS is the movie that some of you are reviewing on this page. And Roland Emmerich was a producer on this movie.

Hope that clears up some of the trouble.

This one is a modest little horror film made on the smell of oily rag. Just out of film school, writer/director Chris Roache shot this film in 24 days and copped a lot of grief doing it. But that's another story. It was always destined for the the video market at the time and did exceptionally well in the UK rental market chalking up a silver sales award.

On the 13th floor of an office building, a terrible innocent occurred, involving that of child who was murdered. His uneasy soul now inhabits the electricity system of the 13th floor. The abandoned floor is now home for some runaway young adults. One of them just happened to see the murder of the boy when she was a little girl, because she's the daughter of the murderer. She plans to give out the information of her corrupt father, but he plans to get that information back. At any cost.

Gee, there's some malice towards this uneven, but slightly interesting little supernatural thriller from Australia. There's not doubt it can get quite laboured pace wise and a little lost in the story's direction. It seemed to concentrate more on the chase side of the plot with the supernatural element of the cursed floor being pushed aside and feeling quite half-baked to the overall picture. The ill-constructed story might be put together rather weakly, but there were some nice touches by director Chris Roache. He demonstrates moody set pieces in the office building with atmospheric lighting and the suspense is squeezed tight in a few small pockets. A eerily booming electronic score adds another spin to the bleak air and Roache makes efficient use of Sydney's surroundings. The performances are completely sound and Lisa Hensley really impresses as the lead. Miranda Otto is fine in an early performance. Some well-known Australian faces; Michael Caton and Georgie Parker also pop up in guest spots. Just wait around for the glowing dead boy who brings death. The make-up for the death scenes are decently pulled off, although the special effects that was tact on, can look rather pitiful and miss-placed. Now it's all talk, little action. Yeah the script is a muddle and it takes a while to make a real mark, but some fruity (and not-so) characters that you care for and its airy embodiment kept me more than compelled.

An okay little item, that's terribly slow, but manages a couple effective scenes.

The 13th floor is a movie that will make you feel smart even if youre broccoli, cause even broccoli sees the plot twists up ahead. Don't get me wrong this wasn't a bad movie, it was well beyond that. This movie is supposed to be based on a novel that for some reason got critical acclaim or they wouldn't have made a movie out of it so I'm sure it's much different to the screenplay. In my opinion thats the only way to explain this flat, uninteresting, predictable, unemotional, laughable screenplay. The climax for most viewers will come at the half way mark in a very boring uninspired scene were the plot tries to sneak up on you like a tank rolling down a football field. The rest of the movie is just you laughing at the movie makers for giving you more and more pieces of the "BIG PICTURE" which you already know. By the time the movie is over, if you haven't walk out, you are left thinking how stupid does Roland Emerich think I really am. You know all those ____ for dumbies, well this is a who done it for dumbies only they should call it a he done it.

Watching this small Aussie horror in 1989 on TV, I had stayed clear that was dealing in a lowest budge with a exiting premise indeed, The 13th Floor set on Sidney didn't gets fire, although is far away to be bad as some reviewers implied, aside the mismatches a fresh concept in some points overcome the weak ones, let the audience stay up during the offer, the main plot in a quick overview is about a young girl witnessed his political power father Robert Thompson (Tony Blackett) electrocute wittingly a young boy in front of his father about to be murder aftermaths over a missing money at 13th floor of a building under construction.

Twelve years later the already grow up girl Heather Thompson (Lisa Hensley) becomes a nightmare for his father, drugs, bad companies and so on, to worsen stolen documents that proves his father carried out many deaths including the little boy electrocuted on the jinxed 13th floor on the building, so Thompson hires an old detective of unorthodox way aiming for recover the documents by all means, meanwhile Heather hole up with a girl in the empty 13th floor where strangely appear an electrified entity coming from electrical cabinet.

Among the characters some stand out as the moronic caretaker Bert (Jeff Truman) also the odd John Burke (Tim McKenzie) on romantic interest on Heather, rouse up a jealous of Rebecca (Miranda Otto) hinting a previous les.bian relationship between them, without forget the janitor Nick (Paul Hunt) and the fancy-pants and dainty Alistair (Adam Cook), it can't be overlooked at all.

Thanks for reading

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First watch: 1989 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-Youtube / Rating: 5.5.