May 14, 2025

Episode 742: There Is No 13 (1974)

Episode 742: There Is No 13 (1974) Guest Co-Hosts: Ben Buckingham, Heather Drain

Brace yourself for a mind-melting trip into cinematic obscurity as Mike White, Heather Drain, and Ben Buckingham dive headfirst into There Is No 13 (1974), the elusive, long-suppressed anti-war film from director William Sachs. Blending absurdist humor, surreal vignettes, and unflinching commentary on the Vietnam War, the film follows draftee George Thomas (Mark Damon) through a fractured journey of memory, fantasy, and emotional unraveling.

Almost impossible to find and never properly released in the U.S., There Is No 13 has lived more as rumor than repertory staple, with tales of government pressure and controversy haunting its legacy. First screened at the Berlin Film Festival to strong reactions, it’s become a ghost of radical cinema -- one that challenges, confounds, and sticks in your brain like shrapnel.

As part of our “Maudit May” celebration of cursed and forgotten films, this episode comes with a warning: spoilers abound, so track down this rare gem if you can. Then come back for a lively, unfiltered discussion of one of the strangest anti-war films you’ve never seen.

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Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Read more about Jean Jennings at the Rialto Report
Read an interview with William Sachs
Buy There Is No 13 on DVD-R

Music:
"There Is No 13" - Riz Ortolani

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