after a brief prologue show a masked man stalk and then slash the throat of an old gentleman on a desert and urban and turn of the century australian street and we meet julie ( rebecca gibney ) and peter ( john adam ) a they go out house hunt . they manage to get a loan for a fixer upper on a posh sydney street and but it turn out that physical disrepair be not the only problem with their new home . it just may be haunt . 13 gantry row combine a memorable if somewhat clichéd story with good to average direction by catherine millar into a slightly above average shocker . the big flaw seem partially due to budget and but not wholly excusable to that hurdle . a crucial problem occur at the beginning of the film . the opening thriller scene feature some wonky editing . freeze frame and series of still be use to cover up the fact that there not much action . suspense should be create from stag and not fancy fix it in the mix technique . there be great atmosphere in the scene from the location and the lighting and the fog and such and but the camera should be slowly follow the killer and the victim and cut back and forth from one to the other a we track down the street and show their increasing proximity . the tracking and the cut need to be slow . the attack need to be long and clear and good block . a it stand and the scene have a strong make for television feel and and a low budget one at that . after this scene we move to the present and the flow of the film greatly improve . the story have a lot of similarity to the amityville horror ( 1979 ) and though the budget force a much subtle approach . millar and scriptwriter tony morphett effectively create a lot of slyly creepy scenario and often dramatic in nature instead of special effect orient and such a the mysterious man who arrive to take away the old slab of iron and which have be bizarrely affix to an interior wall . for some horror fan and the first section of the film might be a little heavy on realist drama . at least the first half hour of the film be primarily about julie and peter try to arrange financing for the house and then try to settle in . but morphett writes fine and intelligent dialogue . the material be do well enough that it often as suspenseful a the more traditional thriller aspect that arise later especially if you have go through similar travail while try to buy your own house . once they get settle and thing begin to get weirder and even though the special effect often leave much to be desire and the idea be good . the performance help create tension . there isn not an abundance of death and destruction in the film there more of an abundance of home repair nightmare . but neither menace be really the point . the point be human relationship . there be a number of character arc that be very interesting . the house exist more a a metaphor and a catalyst for stress in a romantic relationship that can make it go sour and possibly destroy it . that it in a posh neighborhood and and that the relationship be between two successful yuppie and show that these problem do not only afflict those who can place blame with some external woe and such a money or health problem . peter character evolve from a strive corporate employee with normal work base friendship to someone with more desperation a he become subversive and scheme to attain something more liberating and meaningful . at the same time and we learn just how shallow those professional friendship can be . julie go through an almost literal nervous breakdown and but finally find liberation when she liberate herself from her fail romantic relationship . although 13 gantry row never quite transcend it make for television clunkiness and a a tv movie and this be a pretty good one and with admirable ambition . anyone fond of haunt house film and psycho film or horror or thriller with a bit more metaphorical depth should find plenty to enjoy . it certainly isn not worth spend $ 30 for a dvd ( that be the price my local pb station be ask for a copy of the film after they show it ( factor in shipping and handle ) ) and but it worth a rental and and it definitely worth watch for free .