Thirteen Ghosts – And the Black Zodiac

Taking a Look at Steve Beck’s Remake of the 1960’s Classic

Oct 9, 2009

The remake of the 1960's Thirteen Ghosts not only surprises with an updated plot, but also in terms of the newer and updated ghosts.

Thirteen Ghosts, released in 2001, is a remake of the 1960 movie with the same title. This remake is a self-proclaimed state-of-the-art remake of William Castle’s version according to the film’s website. This film differs from the original as the ghosts are more modern and horrific due to the newer technological abilities and special effects.

A House with an Agenda

The main plot surrounds Arthur Kriticos, played by Tony Shalhoub, who is a mathematician. Arthur is a grieving widow and a father of two. He lost his wife in a house fire and her death still haunts him in the first scenes of the film. During one of the family’s hectic mornings, a lawyer stops by the house. Fearing that it is the creditors asking for more money, the family appears on edge and the house is tense.

However, it is a lawyer who has come to explain that Arthur’s brother, Cyrus who is played by F. Murray Abraham, has passed away and has left a house in his will. Excited that the house might solve their problems of debt and sadness, Arthur and his two children see the opportunity as a new beginning.

The house is explored by the family that same night of receiving the key. The house, which is mainly made of glass and furniture, is a dream come true to the Kriticos family. However, it is obvious that the house has an agenda of its own, when the walls begin to shift and one of Cyrus’ former acquaintances show up, knowing more about the house than the family has bargained for.

This former acquaintance reveals that Cyrus and he used to capture ghosts and that there are 12 ghosts locked up in the basement of the house. The house itself is a large machine, known as the “Ocularis Infernum” or the eye of hell. In the film, it is defined as a machine, created by the devil and powered by the dead. Once completed with all 13th ghosts, the demonic device would allow its users to see into the future.

Arthur discovers, while learning about the house and its powers, that his deceased wife is one of the ghosts trapped in the house and plays a crucial role in making the machine function. What they do not know is that the whole plan of inheriting the house is a set-up and that someone in the house needs to be sacrificed to become the 13th ghost, completing the “Black Zodiac”.

The 13 Ghosts

The ghosts trapped in the basement of the house are not just ghosts captured by coincidence. They all represent a sign in the “Black Zodiac”. It is questionable whether or not the “Black Zodiac” is fictional or non-fictional, but no evidence has been reported suggesting that it is real. Despite its credibility, it functions very well as the basis of a horror film, because it gives a sense of the unknown – both because the uncertainty concerning the existence of the “Black Zodiac” and because this uncertainty gives the characters a reason to question the information given by Cyrus’ advisors. Either way, the “Black Zodiac” is quite informative and at the least, entertaining. Each of the ghosts represents a sign similar to the original Zodiac system, where one will find Aquarius, Sagittarius and Virgo, for example.

Each of these ghosts has their own personal and unique stories, which are not discussed in depth in the film. The character of Cyrus does briefly introduce each of the ghosts in the film when they are given their role in the house. To learn more about the ghosts’ stories, please read the articles Thirteen Ghosts: Ghosts 1-6 and Thirteen Ghosts: Ghosts 7-13.

The copyright of the article Thirteen Ghosts – And the Black Zodiac in Horror Films is owned by Malene Jorgensen. Permission to republish Thirteen Ghosts – And the Black Zodiac in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.