Susannah13 Tzameti
August 20th 2006 00:33
Plans are afoot in Hollywood for a remake of a recent French thriller called 13 (Tzameti). Still screening in festivals, this taut noir thriller, written and directed by Gela Babluani, and starring his brother George, is set to be remade under his direction again for American audiences. No information exists at this point on who is set to star.
But enough about the remake because there is no way that Hollywood can possible better this stunning and provocative thriller. Shot entirely in dramatic black and white cinematography, the film begins by focussing on the character of Sebastien (George Babluani), a roofer who is repairing the house of a drug addict who, we learn, will soon be sent a mysterious letter that will invite him to do a job where he can make a large profit. The letter soon falls into Sebastien’s hands who, unaware of the cost that will come with making money from the job, follows the letters instructions, only to find himself involved in a deadly variation on Russian Roulette.
To say more about the story would be to spoil the effect of this film. Suffice to say that after the film’s ominous beginning the tension ratchets up to ten when we discover exactly what Sebastien has to undergo to earn his money. This section of the film is completely without a musical score as the sole focus on the soundtrack is the sound of gun barrels being spun, and pistols being cocked: a sound that will haunt you for days after viewing this movie. You will never look at a light bulb the same way again, either. The audience that I watched this with were repeatedly gasping with horror and disbelief at every turn of events. An excellent film that holds you riveted for the duration of its 86 minutes.
But enough about the remake because there is no way that Hollywood can possible better this stunning and provocative thriller. Shot entirely in dramatic black and white cinematography, the film begins by focussing on the character of Sebastien (George Babluani), a roofer who is repairing the house of a drug addict who, we learn, will soon be sent a mysterious letter that will invite him to do a job where he can make a large profit. The letter soon falls into Sebastien’s hands who, unaware of the cost that will come with making money from the job, follows the letters instructions, only to find himself involved in a deadly variation on Russian Roulette.
To say more about the story would be to spoil the effect of this film. Suffice to say that after the film’s ominous beginning the tension ratchets up to ten when we discover exactly what Sebastien has to undergo to earn his money. This section of the film is completely without a musical score as the sole focus on the soundtrack is the sound of gun barrels being spun, and pistols being cocked: a sound that will haunt you for days after viewing this movie. You will never look at a light bulb the same way again, either. The audience that I watched this with were repeatedly gasping with horror and disbelief at every turn of events. An excellent film that holds you riveted for the duration of its 86 minutes.
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I saw this one a few weeks ago. A clever thriller that entertains and has an underlying social context.
The B&W works to up the fidget factor and the script is well thought out. Well worth a look.