Dementia 13, released on November 18, 1966, is a film directed renowned director Francis Ford Coppola, of The Godfather films, and produced by horror veteran Roger Corman. The movie, made on a low budget, was Coppola's first major mainstream project and starred B movie actor William Campbell and Luana Anders and Patrick Magee.
Plot Synopsis
Dementia 13, set in a castle in Ireland, tells the story of the Haloran family. Lady Haloran, whose daughter Kathleen died in a drowning accident seven years ago, makes regular visits to her grave as part of a tradition. In her will, she has stated that everything must go to charity in Kathleen's honor, to the resentment of her son John and his wife Louise. If John dies, he receives no money. Unfortunately, he dies of a heart attack while he and Louise are out boating. Louise, unwilling to lose the inheritance, hides the body and visits her mother-in-law. Once she gets to the castle, things take a turn for the scarier when a mysterious axe murderer shows up.
Cast
William Campbell as Richard Haloran
Luana Anders as Louise Haloran
Bart Patton as Billy Halloran
Mary Mitchel as Kane
Patrick Magee as Justin Caleb
Eithne Dunne as Lady Haloran
Peter Read as John Haloran
Karl Schanzer as Simon
Ron Perry as Arthur
Derry O'Donavan as Lillian
Barbara Dowling as Kathleen
Reviews
"Despite some inventive photography and decent gore for its day, its uneven pace renders it a curio for Coppola fans." — Ian Freer, Empirehttp://www.empireonline.com/reviews/review.asp?DVDID=117210
"For a film done on such an obviously low budget, it holds up surprisingly well. " — Scott Weinberg, Apollo Guidehttp://www.apolloguide.com/mov_fullrev.asp?CID=3076
"It is surprisingly mundane despite its pedigree and production history – if the film was made by Francis Ford Jones, no one would care to remember it." — Phil Hall, Film Threathttp://www.filmthreat.com/index.php?section=features&Id=2341
"Better than you'd think -- Coppola reveals his talent early." — Jeffrey M. Anderson, San Francisco Examinerhttp://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/dementia_13/articles/795495/better_than_youd_think_coppola_reveals_his_talent_early
