13th Child
Encyclopedia
13th Child is a 2002 direct-to-video
horror film
, based on the Jersey Devil
. The screenplay was written by Michael Maryk and Cliff Robertson
, who also stars in the film. The story is based on the book "The Jersey Devil" by James F. McCloy and Ray Miller Jr. The film was shot in New Jersey at Wharton State Forest
, Batsto Village, and Hammonton
in the Pine Barrens
of New Jersey
.
, and everything changed. One day the two Michaels had a chat by their local post office and they agreed to produce 13th Child. In 2000 a budget was set with an estimated $5,000,000. In 2001 casting began, and Maryk's daughter Michelle was chosen to be "Kathryn Tatum". Filming began in 2001 at Batsto State Park in New Jersey.
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
, based on the Jersey Devil
Jersey Devil
The Jersey Devil is a legendary creature or cryptid said to inhabit the Pine Barrens of Southern New Jersey, United States. The creature is often described as a flying biped with hooves, but there are many variations...
. The screenplay was written by Michael Maryk and Cliff Robertson
Cliff Robertson
Clifford Parker "Cliff" Robertson III was an American actor with a film and television career that spanned half of a century. Robertson portrayed a young John F. Kennedy in the 1963 film PT 109, and won the 1968 Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the movie Charly...
, who also stars in the film. The story is based on the book "The Jersey Devil" by James F. McCloy and Ray Miller Jr. The film was shot in New Jersey at Wharton State Forest
Wharton State Forest
Wharton State Forest is a state park in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The largest single tract of land in the state park system of New Jersey, it encompasses approximately of the Pinelands northwest of Hammonton, in Burlington, Camden, and Atlantic counties. The entire park is located within ...
, Batsto Village, and Hammonton
Hammonton, New Jersey
Hammonton is a town in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 14,791. It is located directly between Philadelphia and the resort town of Atlantic City, along a former route of the Pennsylvania Railroad currently used by New Jersey...
in the Pine Barrens
Pine Barrens (New Jersey)
The Pine Barrens, also known as the Pinelands, is a heavily forested area of coastal plain stretching across southern New Jersey. The name "pine barrens" refers to the area's sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil, to which the crops originally imported by European settlers didn't take well...
of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
Cast
- Cliff RobertsonCliff RobertsonClifford Parker "Cliff" Robertson III was an American actor with a film and television career that spanned half of a century. Robertson portrayed a young John F. Kennedy in the 1963 film PT 109, and won the 1968 Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the movie Charly...
as Mr. Shroud - Lesley-Anne DownLesley-Anne DownLesley-Anne Down is a British film and television actress, former model and singer.Down achieved fame as Georgina Worsley in the ITV drama series Upstairs, Downstairs...
as District-Attorney Murphy - Christopher AtkinsChristopher AtkinsChristopher Atkins is an American actor, who became famous with his costarring debut role in the 1980 film The Blue Lagoon.-Early life:...
as Ron - Gano GrillsGano GrillsGano Grills is an African American actor from Staten Island, New York. He has been known for being the creator of the logo for the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan which in fact is not true, the creator of the Wu-Tang Clan logo is Allah Mathematics who is Wu-Tang Clan's DJ as well as an in-house producer...
as Mitch - Robert GuillaumeRobert GuillaumeRobert "Bob" Guillaume is an American stage and television actor, best known for his role as Benson Du Bois on the TV-series Soap and the spin-off Benson, voicing the mandrill Rafiki in The Lion King and as Isaac Jaffe on Sports Night...
as Riley - Michelle Maryk as Kathryn
- John Otis as Piney Hunter
- John WesleyJohn Wesley (actor)John Wesley is an American actor who worked in many television series, among which Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad, where he played the role of Principal Pratchert.-External links:*...
as Jones - Peter JasonPeter JasonPeter Jason is an American actor who performs in many plays, movies, and TV commercials, including Desperate Housewives and Deadwood. In his free time he makes his own furniture out of wood. He has appeared in 12 Walter Hill films, 7 John Carpenter films, has acted in over 100 commercials and...
as Coroner - D.L. Shroder as Cole
- Jonathan C. Daly as Anthony
- Robyn Parsons as Bobbie
- Linda Kenyon as Nurse
- Michael Maryk as The Major
- Robert Zappalorti as Snakeman Jess
- Martin Tuchman as Insurance Commissioner
- Nick Malespina as The Jersey DevilJersey DevilThe Jersey Devil is a legendary creature or cryptid said to inhabit the Pine Barrens of Southern New Jersey, United States. The creature is often described as a flying biped with hooves, but there are many variations...
Production
In 1998-1999 Michael Maryk took his New Jersey background and remembered the legend of the Jersey Devil. He started to write a short story about it on nights and weekends. He tried to get his friend Michael Murphy who was a producer to be part of it but Murphy showed no interest. Then along came the successful film The Blair Witch ProjectThe Blair Witch Project
The Blair Witch Project is a 1999 American horror film pieced together from amateur footage. The film was produced by the Haxan Films production company. The film relates the story of three student filmmakers The Blair Witch Project is a 1999 American horror film pieced together from amateur...
, and everything changed. One day the two Michaels had a chat by their local post office and they agreed to produce 13th Child. In 2000 a budget was set with an estimated $5,000,000. In 2001 casting began, and Maryk's daughter Michelle was chosen to be "Kathryn Tatum". Filming began in 2001 at Batsto State Park in New Jersey.
See also
- List of American films of 2002
- The Jersey DevilJersey DevilThe Jersey Devil is a legendary creature or cryptid said to inhabit the Pine Barrens of Southern New Jersey, United States. The creature is often described as a flying biped with hooves, but there are many variations...
- Pine Barrens, New JerseyPine Barrens (New Jersey)The Pine Barrens, also known as the Pinelands, is a heavily forested area of coastal plain stretching across southern New Jersey. The name "pine barrens" refers to the area's sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil, to which the crops originally imported by European settlers didn't take well...
External links
- 13th Child at Rotten TomatoesRotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
- 13th Child at Turner Classic MoviesTurner Classic MoviesTurner Classic Movies is a movie-oriented cable television channel, owned by the Turner Broadcasting System subsidiary of Time Warner, featuring commercial-free classic movies, mostly from the Turner Entertainment and MGM, United Artists, RKO and Warner Bros. film libraries...