Shocked by the death of her spouse, a scheming widow hatches a bold plan to get her hands on the inheritance, unaware that she is targeted by an axe-wielding murderer who lurks in the family’s estate. What mystery shrouds the noble house?
Dementia 13 (UK title: The Haunted and the Hunted) is a 1963 Horror film-Thriller released by American International Pictures, starring William Campbell, Patrick Magee, and Luana Anders. The film was written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola and produced by Roger Corman. Although Coppola had been involved in at least two nudie films previously, Dementia 13 served as his first mainstream, “legitimate,” directorial effort. The plot follows a scheming young woman who, after having inadvertently caused the Myocardial infarction death of her husband, attempts to have herself written into her rich mother-in-law’s will. She pays a surprise visit to her late husband’s family castle in Ireland, but her plans become permanently interrupted by an axe-wielding lunatic who begins to stalk and murderously hack away at members of the family. Corman offered Coppola the chance to direct a Low-budget film horror film in Ireland with funds left over from Corman’s recently completed The Young Racers, on which Coppola had worked as a sound technician. The producer wanted a cheap Psycho (1960 film) copy, complete with Gothic fiction atmosphere and brutal killings, and Coppola quickly wrote a screenplay in accordance with Corman’s requirements. Although he was given total directorial freedom during production, Coppola found himself fighting with Corman after the film was completed. The producer declared the movie unreleasable and demanded several changes be made. Corman eventually brought in another director, Jack Hill, to film additional sequences.
Runtime: 75 min
Release Date: 30th May 1963
Genres: Thriller – Horror
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Actors: William Campbell – Luana Anders – Bart Patton
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