Dementia 13

Failed by its special effects, the remake falls short when it comes to giving the ghost and the axe guy a main stake in the story. The problem of wealthy families is a trove for stories - but visually this one didn't make the cut.

Members of a family coalesce at their secluded stone manor in upstate New York to commemorate the passing of one member sixteen years prior, but the grim gathering is hindered by a masked madman with an axe, a couple of lowlife thugs and... a haunting!

"Dementia 13" (2017) is a remake of the 1963 original by Francis Ford Coppola, which was basically a low-rent knock-off of "Psycho" (1960) produced by Roger Corman. That said, it wasn't an exact imitation and had enough to distinguish it; the original upped the ante in the slasher genre, which was in its infancy at the time, and obviously influenced movies in the soon-to-come slasher boom of the late 70s-80s.

Thankfully, this version of "Dementia 13" is all-around better and in living COLOR. There are enough changes in the plot/characters to keep things fresh and interesting. It also eliminates confusing elements of the original, like the two bodies of water that weren't properly delineated. And, although 8 minutes longer, the film's still streamlined and doesn't overstay its welcome.

Yet the first half is superior to the second half, which is highlighted by the eerie introduction to the castle-like manor, the establishment of the characters and their story, as well as the stunning Ana Isabelle as Louise. Unfortunately, her part is rather small, but Channing Pickett (Rose) and Marianne Noscheze (Billie) are okay on the female front. Meanwhile Julia Campanelli is effective as the mentally dubious matriarch.

The situation speeds-up in the second half and the twists & turns are sometimes awkward, similar to the somewhat contrived & clumsy second half of "Psycho II" (1983). Still, the movie improves on Coppola's original and there's enough good here if you're in the mode for a flick that combines two horror genres: slasher and haunted house.

The film runs 1 hour, 23 minutes and was shot in upstate New York.

GRADE: B/B-

This remake is a nice update of the original. It is a bit of an improvement, while retaining the framework of the first. Both are enjoyable, but this edition benefits from color and technology.....ghostly CGI to be exact. The overall haunting presence of the deceased Kathleen is enhanced at times by depicting supernatural elements that were not present in the original. So, the specter of Kathleen (the drowned sister) is much more active in this movie. She exerts quite a force over the events. Actually, the murderer almost plays second-fiddle to her, at least as far as menacing presences go.

As the characters gather for a family reunion/memorial at their ancestral castle, the plot takes shape. Romantic backstabbing, a robbery scheme, familial financial squabbling, and mental illness all move the story along until the killer takes over. And, even the castle itself makes for a nice lesser background character, with its secret passages, crumbling outbuildings, disturbing statues, and antique furnishings. Unfortunately much of the critical action and talk takes place in one main room, while the rest of the fantastic building was barely used. Other minor tangents are introduced, with some only fraying the chaos beyond relevance. And yet, I would have liked a couple themes to have been expanded on: the construction of the castle using exploited immigrant labor, the family's wealth linked to slavery, and the ability/failure of the male characters to protect or provide. This remake could have earned an extra star by exploring or honing some of its tangents for 10-15 extra minutes. Still, kudos for making the effort.....

The movie overall is good for the first hour. Almost an amped-up Twilight Zone, with moments of brutal gore (but not overdone or fixated on). Well-paced, with decent character development. Unfortunately no one emerges as someone you'd want to see dispatched by the masked killer. And nobody deserves rooting for, either...No huge cinematic drawback either way. Kathleen does sort of lurk throughout the movie, and special fx magic materializes her ghostly presence quite well. The dialogue is acceptable until the final 20 minutes, after which it becomes almost absurd because WHY WOULD PEOPLE FEARING FOR THEIR LIVES SUDDENLY LOSE ALL TRACES OF ADRENALINE WHEN THE KILLER IS UNMASKED?!??!!! Ridiculous, and this downshift really soured the film in my eyes. I was rooting for it and enjoying it as a picture that punched above its weight class. But it sorta pulled back on its final punch, with the killer explaining motivations in a "doctor's office casual" demeanor- not rabid, insane, or menacing enough.

This remake, on its own, is worth seeing. A short run-time helps it be a decent time filler when there is a slow evening. Probably NOT worth seeing if you expect a masterwork or landmark film. Well worth viewing if you have seen and enjoyed the original Dementia 13. Not every new element is successful, but the spirit of the original lingers with this modern remake.

I cannot comment on the original 1963 because i have not seen it.

But this one was very good having supernatural elements, an axe killer running lose, and a good twist at the end.

In a world where most remake are awful this one delivered the goods.

I went in expecting another attempt at a horror movie made garbage. Well nothing scary what so ever about this, but what I did like is how they put a slasher and supernatural togeather. This movie could have been a master peice if they actually took the time to do both genres good. Instead it was to faced paced which in its self isn't bad, but in the end I wanted more and they didn't deliver.