MovieChat Forums > Apollo 13 (1995) Discussion > Any significance to the number 13?

Any significance to the number 13?

posted 8 years ago by brokedickdog7
17 replies | jump to latest

Some superstitious people believe 13 is a bad luck number. I'm not superstitious but a lot of people believe this is true. Especially Friday the thirteenth.

Advertising manuals urge businesses to avoid using this number. Some hotels and buildings don't have a thirteenth floor. There is a 12th and a 14th floor but no 13.

Other references to the number in the film. Launched on the thirteenth etc.

It was pretty unlucky they had that malfunction when it did and spoiled the mission.

SPOILER

It is also lucky (with heroic and skillful teamwork) the men made it back and were OK.

An outstanding film.

What if they named it Apollo 14 and didn't launch on the thirteenth?

[–] klibby716 8 years ago

As Jim Lovell said about 13, it comes after 12. The causes of the accident happened months before the launch and so would have occurred even if it had been named Apollo 14. Also, they did not launch on the 13th. They launched on the 11th which was dictated by the sun's position at the landing site when they landed.

[–] brokedickdog7 8 years ago

As Jim Lovell said about 13, it comes after 12. The causes of the accident happened months before the launch and so would have occurred even if it had been named Apollo 14. Also, they did not launch on the 13th. They launched on the 11th which was dictated by the sun's position at the landing site when they landed.

OK. As stated I am not superstitious.

So they launched on the 11th. There was another reference to 13. It was a time or something.

I agree with you. Some persons did not like it being Apollo 13 as it is thought by many to be an unlucky number. Also if they changed it it would have made NASA seem superstitious.

As I stated some hotels and buildings do not have a thirteenth floor. This is purely for PR and pleasing the public.

Publicity specialists advise businesses to not use the number 13 (and the number 3) in advertising. Those numbers should be avoided.

An interesting coincidence that it was Apollo 13.

[–] G-angel 8 years ago

The accident happened on April 13th (a Monday)

"God must love stupid people because he made so many of them"

[–] ATG6 (3000) 3 years ago

Yeah, sure, but why jinx yourself?

[–] AmeriGirl26 (14799) 6 years ago

13 isn't the only number to be seen with fear. The Chinese are terrified of the number 4. In their language, the word for the number 4 is very similar to their word for "death," and they view it as extremely bad luck in many situations. You won't find a 4th floor on most buildings, many house numbers don't have a 4, and you rarely hear of it in everyday talk. I have no doubt the Taikonauts of today don't have any of their rockets or missions given the number 4 either.

[–] strntz (12738) 6 years ago

Wow, wasn't aware of that. Funny how superstitions start and how they live for so long.

[–] TexasJack (12516) 6 years ago

Many Vegas hotels skip the numbers 40-49 when numbering their floors for this very reason.

[–] AmeriGirl26 (14799) 6 years ago

Really? But Vegas is in America. We don't have any issues with the number 4. Now if those hotels are owned by Chinese-owned companies, that's understandable. But otherwise.....

[–] strntz (12738) 6 years ago

Perhaps they get many Chinese guests?

[–] TexasJack (12516) 6 years ago

Bingo.

[–] TexasJack (12516) 6 years ago

It's done for the comfort of Chinese guests to draw/keep their business. It's a significant demographic. Doesn't bother other guests, so it makes a lot of sense.

[–] AmeriGirl26 (14799) 6 years ago

Oh! I see.

[–] charliekelly (1018) 6 years ago

I wasn't aware of that either. 4 has always been my favorite number. Even the mere sight of it gives me almost a sense of calm. I know that's weird, but ...

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

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[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

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[–] liscarkat (19031) 5 years ago

Hundreds of millions of people throughout the world have feared the number 13 for millennia. Nevertheless, it has no supernatural significance, and no meaning other than "three more than ten". It's just another number.

[–] Solastine (1104) 3 years ago

I remember in the book Jim talked about the thirteen mania where people were finding 13s all over the place.