13 Gantry Row (1998)

A couple looking for their dream home discover they've moved into a nightmare instead in this psychological thriller. Peter (John Adam) and Julie (Rebecca Gibney) are a husband and wife who've done well in business and are looking to buy a new home. They find a cozy place in an excellent neighborhood which is going for a very reasonable price because the house needs to major renovation on the inside. Peter and Julie are briefly taken aback when the learn about the history of the house -- the elderly woman who last lived there died in the house and her husband vanished under mysterious circumstances -- but they decide to take the place anyway. However, while stripping the walls for new paint and paper, they discover a strange and troubling stain on one wall, in the shape of a man trying to crawl up to the ceiling for safety. Even more alarming, Peter's personality begins to shift, and Rebecca wonders if the spirits of the previous tenants have claimed control of the body of her husband. 13 Gantry Row was originally produced for Australian television; Mark Wareham's excellent camera work received an award from the Australian Cinematographers Society in 1999. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi