The ’90s TV Horror Film ‘Nightmare on the 13th Floor’ Entertains, Even if it’s Not Overly Scary

Walter Grauman’s â€œNightmare on the 13th Floor” TV movie is a mixed bag. It’s full of homages to horror cinema, is tame gore-wise compared to ‘90s horror, and gives away its hand too early. But it has something to offer. Taking place in Los Angeles, it’s a composite of religious hysteria and folklore, stuffed into a 16-floor hotel. It’s clear that Grauman and writers J.D. Feigelson and Dan DiStefano are pulling from “The Shining” and “Candyman” here most heavily. Yet its lead (a good Michele Greene) and its mystery-type unraveling keep you engaged. It’s a TV movie and feels like it. Yet its production value surpassed my expectations, and watching it was not a chore. A solid recommendation from the Facebook horror group I participate in. 

Of course, the film’s biggest detriment is that it’s not really scary. The whole thing is lit brightly (this is LA after all), and feels, mostly, like a trip to Rodeo gone awry. Greene’s Elaine Kalisher is a reporter come to the Wessex Hotel to do a review. Yet it quickly becomes a survival story as she realizes that something foul is afoot after her elevator stops between the 12th and 14th floor and she witnesses a brutal murder. The Wessex is modern. Its opening scenes reminded me of “Beverly Hills 90210” or Tom Hank’s underrated “That Thing You Do!” Yet the 13th floor is clearly Victorian Era. Gas lamps light the way, and the reddish hues and spindling hallways are straight from “The Shining.” An axe murderer is afoot, and of course when Elaine reports this no one believes her. Hotels commonly skip the 13th floor due to superstition. She bumped her head and is mistaken. 

A ’90s TV Horror/Thriller

I mentioned “Candyman,” and Greene is a dead ringer for Virgina Madsen from that film, down to the curls. She’s inquisitive, stubborn, and ventures where she doesn’t belong. Yet the film is wise to paint her investigation as a foolhardy endeavor while letting the audience know that underneath her naiveté lies a greater mystery. The hotel is reluctant to take her report seriously (especially an eerie Louise Fletcher, who is good here), and the police detective she entreats for help (John Karlen, the film’s most rewarding) is slow to act. Elaine seeks out a bum she swears wore boots that matched what she saw in the elevator and some danger meets her. Elaine doesn’t know when to stop and the script often asks us to suspend our disbelief. But this is a thriller after all. 

Yet the film is skin deep and isn’t really interested in exploring heavy themes here. Unlike “Candyman” or “The Shining,” which analyzed racism and domestic abuse respectfully, “Nightmare on the 13th Floor” simply means to entertain. There’s talk of devilry and occultism—and the film’s titular floor certainly seems hellish—but nothing in the realm of societal uncovering or an examination of good and evil. Again, this is a TV movie from 1990. But still, its production value is better than expected. It never lags, is never boring, and isn’t even overlong. The script gives Greene a lot to repeat, but she somehow makes it seem authentic. Her camaraderie with Karlen’s Sgt. Madden shows a lot of chemistry, and Karlen is one of the most authentic detectives I’ve seen on-screen. He’s also the film’s comic relief but never lays it on too thick. Defying thriller rules, he doesn’t write Elaine off. God knows he should have. 

Atmosphere Present but Lack of Gore

The rest of the film’s players are apt, and I’m intrigued in how a ‘90s TV film snagged James Brolin, who plays the hotel doctor who first attends to Elaine after her episode in the elevator. He’s charming and channeling his inner Clark Gable here. And unlike a worse film I reviewed, “The Toolbox Murders,” his romantic interest in Elaine doesn’t feel creepy. Louise Fletcher is good too, letting us know that something is awry with her character without laying it on too thick. Demented in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and endearing in “Aurora Borealis,” Fletcher is a phenom. She perpetually smokes a cigarette and reminds me of a spider waiting for its prey. The other Wessex staff are apt, but the most screen-time is given to Brolin, Fletcher, and Alan Fudge, who plays the hotel’s cagey receptionist. 

The demerits of “Nightmare on the 13^th Floor” are its lack of gore (this is a TV movie and there’s no blood, literally) and lack of scares. The film had an opportunity to have victims wander up to the 13th floor and find their fate or be stalked by the film’s axe murderer in a stealthier fashion. In this way, the film reminded me of the faults of “Hellraiser.” Once you realize what is happening—the hotel is basically an ant trap for unsuspecting tourists—the execution becomes rote and predictable. The ending’s also hokey and relies too heavily on a suspension of disbelief. I also found the occultism raced over and unconvincing. Johnny Depp’s â€œThe Ninth Gate” explored this idea infinitely better and Frank Langella knocked it out of the park. “Nightmare’s” reveal is fairly obvious, but so are most “Scream” sequels so it’s no bother. 

Scarce but Entertaining

Yet despite these faults, “Nightmare on the 13th Floor” is a solid effort. Its score—particularly its vintage gramophone sounds—is effective and its atmosphere is adequate. Michele Greene is a good actress, and the film likely wouldn’t have worked without her. I wish the film had felt a little more evil and a little less procedural, but it’s forgivable. Worse films have come out of the box office and it’s fun to harken back to a time where a film like this—with very little reason—could be rated PG-13. Will it keep you up at night? Probably not. But you could do much worse and it’s fun watching its mystery unravel. The film’s a bit inaccessible (I had to watch it on YouTube with Portuguese subtitles), but if you can find it you may discover an entertaining way to spend a cold night this Halloween.