Dementia 13 remains undeniably thrilling almost 60 years after its original release. The independently made black and white horror-thriller film was written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola and produced by Roger Corman before being released in 1963. This new director’s cut includes Coppola’s introduction and audio commentary and an amusing prologue called the Dementia 13 Test. It looks better, of course, too. Following a woman shocked by the death of her spouse, she devises a plan to make sure she gets an inheritance. What she’s unaware of, however, is that an axe-wielding murderer is roaming the very estate she’s trying to snag. It’s a gothic horror film that significantly benefits from its B-movie makings, going hard with the blood and gore, which only seems possible because of its lack of color. And while it’s by no means perfect, it does hint at Coppola’s capabilities, which would later captivate many. 69 min.
In wide release on VOD