13 Cameras (2015)
Contents
About
13 Cameras (originally titled Slumlord) is a 2016 American horror thriller written and directed by Victor Zarcoff in his feature directorial debut.
Newlyweds Claire and Ryan have just moved into a new suburban house, both hoping that Claire's pregnancy will be the cement needed to hold their already fraying relationship together. What they do not realise is that their marital problems are the least of their worries. Their scruffy, sleazy and lascivious landlord, Gerald, has hidden a network of miniature cameras throughout the property and has been watching them, and streaming their private lives, from the day they moved in.
As the surveillance continues, Ryan begins an affair with his assistant, Hannah, putting further strain on the marriage. Meanwhile Gerald, who keeps a locked "owner's closet" in the hallway, quietly fits out the soundproofed basement behind it with chains and restraints. When Hannah lets herself into the house while the couple are away, Gerald seizes his chance and imprisons her in the basement, feeding her in secret whenever Ryan and Claire are out.
Ending explained
The film builds to a brutal climax in which Gerald, unwilling to surrender his hold over the household, turns to violence with a hammer. The ending is deliberately grim and leaves Claire's fate dark and ambiguous, setting up the 2018 sequel 14 Cameras (2018).
Directed by Victor Zarcoff. With Neville Archambault, Sean Carrigan, PJ McCabe and Brianne Moncrief.
Details
Director: Victor Zarcoff
Writer/Screenplay: Victor Zarcoff
Producer: Jim Cummings, Kevin McManus, Matthew McManus, Ethan Rosenberg, Benjamin Wiessner, Tony Yacenda
Tagline: Change Your Locks.
Running time: 87 min
Certificate: 18
Budget:
Box office:
Genre: Horror
Released: 15 April 2016 (USA)
Music Composer: Rafay Rashid, Nick Politelli, Steven Delmonico
Cast
- PJ McCabe as Ryan
- Sean Carrigan as Joe Shimmel
- Sarah Baldwin as Hannah
- Neville Archambault as Gerald
- Jim Cummings as Paul
- Heidi Niedermeyer as Audry
- Brianne Moncrief as Claire
- Andy Gould as Zulu
- Michaela McManus as Tenant
- Ethan Rosenberg as Pet Store Clerk
- DeForrest Taylor as Officer
- Thomas Modifica Jr. as Officer
- Gabriel Daniels as Junior
Soundtrack
Amphetamine
Written by Rafay Rashid. Performed by Ravi Shavi. Produced by Rafay Rashid. Courtesy of Almost Ready Records
Device
Written by Rafay Rashid and Nick Politelli. Performed by Ravi Shavi. Produced by Rafay Rashid. Courtesy of Almost Ready Records
Rather Be Sick
Written by Steven Delmonico. Performed by The Quahogs. Produced by Steven Delmonico
Franchise
Related
- Await Further Instructions (2018)
- Cam (2018)
- He's Out There (2018)
- The Invitation (2015)
- Emelie (2015)
- Would You Rather (2012)
Trivia
- The film was originally titled Slumlord before being renamed 13 Cameras for its release.
- It marked the feature directorial debut of writer-director Victor Zarcoff.
- It was produced by 30 Bones Cinema and 79th & Broadway Entertainment.
- The landlord rarely, if ever, blinks.
- If a cell phone gets wet, it is recommended to put in a bag of silicon gel rather than a bag of rice.
- A sequel, 14 Cameras (2018), followed in 2018.
Critical Reception
On release, 13 Cameras drew a broadly mixed-to-positive response from critics, holding an approval rating of 82% on Rotten Tomatoes. Reviewers repeatedly singled out the unsettling, near-silent performance of Neville Archambault as the landlord Gerald as the film's strongest asset. Writing for Variety, Dennis Harvey called it "an effective variation on stalker/home-invasion thriller themes". Justin Lowe of The Hollywood Reporter likewise found it "somewhat suspenseful" but felt the characters were drawn too shallowly to fully land. Audience reaction has been cooler, reflected in its lower user scores on IMDb and Letterboxd.
Reviews
- IMDb: 5.2/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 82% (11 reviews)
- Letterboxd: 2.2/5
