Francis Ford Coppola’s Dementia 13 (1963) Is Now a Blu-ray/DVD Combo
A bickering couple row out to the middle of a lake in the dead of night, where husband John (Peter Read) has a heart attack and dies. His wife, Louise (Luana Anders), conceals his death in order to claim his future inheritance, maybe a bit prematurely. So begins Dementia 13 a Roger Corman-produced, Francis Ford Coppola-directed black and white classic.
The action takes place in an Irish castle where no one has an Irish accent. Living in the castle with Louise’s mother-in-law (Ethne Dunne), are her two weird brothers-in-law—Richard (William Campbell) and Billy (Bart Patton). Also visiting is Richard’s American girlfriend, Kane (Mary Mitchel). The family is preparing for the annual memorial service for a sister who died years ago (at which Mother will experience her annual faint).
It’s not just the Coppola-scripted story that makes Dementia 13 a classic, but Coppola’s use of lighting and camera angles creating a memorable atmosphere—early samples of art rather than craft. Beautiful Louise, despite her cunning, is no match for Castle Halloran’s sinister shadows and shocking secrets.
With an axe-murderer on the loose and a fortune to be had, terror stalks the beautiful Irish landscape as castle guests and neighbors begin to disappear. There is a field of suspects to choose from, including a creepy, manipulative doctor, and each has a motive. Despite its age, Dementia 13 holds up.
Released on DVD/Blu-ray April 26, Dementia 13 has been restored and can now be seen in HD. Distributed by Virgil Films and Entertainment, it has been released by Film Chest on the HD Cinema Classics and CULTRA labels.
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