I’ll be honest, when it comes to Giallo films, I know next to nothing. I’ve seen Dario Argento’s Suspiria, but that’s about it. While my personal experience, or lack thereof, isn’t exactly up to par; writer, director, horror virtuoso Joe Magna made himself a Giallo inspired short film, 13 Doors. The film stars Juliet Jones and Cimcie Nichols
13 Doors tells the vague story about a young lady receiving a package which contains a pulp comic book. Once she opens the book, it’s horrifying contents come leaping off the page and into real life. This four minute film is packed with style, color, and beautiful women, three things which I am sure Giallo films are known for. The story is told not through dialogue, but through the characters themselves, along with sudden camera movements and the films stellar soundtrack.
Speaking of the soundtrack, Magna has released the film with two separate soundtracks. The original release features an original score by Kid Timeless. Just a month after the films February 2016 release, he released an alternate version of the film which uses Cindergarden’s version of the Talking Heads’ Psycho Killer. Being a Talking Heads fan, I couldn’t help but love that version. Each soundtrack delivers a slightly different take on the films story, with the original adding tension to each action, and the Cindergarden‘s giving the film a slight foreshadowing.
Joe Magna has been a part of We Are Indie Horror since January 2016, when he directed a few segments for the upcoming second season of our YouTube series It Came From Candi’s Lab! He also has written a few articles, including the 9 Must-See Indie Horror Films From The Last 10 Years. Joe’s passion and expertise in horror makes him a unique and interesting filmmaker. It is quite clear through 13 Doors just how much Joe loves his horror, everything from the hard colored lighting to the film scratches ensures not a single details went amiss during the making of the film.
Below are both versions of the film, the first with the original soundtrack, the second with the Cindergarden Psycho Killer version. Watch them both and let us know which you liked more.