13Ghosts

13 Ghosts (1960)

First of all let me state that this is a review for the “classic” movie from William Castle, not the crappy remake with Monk. A down on their luck family inherits a supposedly haunted house from their creepy Uncle Zorba that they had little contact with. In spite of the advice of their uncle’s lawyer they move into the house with spooky results. Things really start to ramp up when they put on the special pair of goggles that allow them to see the ghosts that are around them. But are the ghosts the source for all the odd things happening around them, or is there a more mundane explanation?

The story on the movie is pretty thin and the big twist is easy to figure out. But then unlike Castle directed movies like the Tingler and House on Haunted Hill, 13 Ghosts is less about the story and more about the gimmicks. Between the strange looking ghosts to the bed that kills this movie is filled with all the fun stuff that makes a William Castle movie worth watching. This is where the movie is at it’s best and I found them still entertaining even after almost 50 years. Child actor Charles Herbert, who at the time was a pretty well known television actor, headlines the cast. But for the most part this is the weakest cast from any of the Castle movies that I’ve seen (which is all of them). Really this is my only complaint with the movie is that it lacks the star power of a Vincent Price (The Tingler, House on Haunted Hill) or even that of a Tom Poston (The Old Dark House remake… Why William why?). The lack of an actor that could hold the screen hurts this movie, which again relies on it’s gimmicks more than plot. One other thing I wanted to mention. Check out who plays the housekeeper that everyone thinks is a witch. Did William Castle invent stunt casting as well?

So lets get to the gimmicks shall we? This movie runs the gamut of old school effects with everything from candles that mysteriously float across the screen (okay so you can see the wires) to flowers that wilt in the presence of the ghosts (neat trick). Hell they even have a fly that buzzes around on a string and the opening credits kick much ass. Oh and watch out of the meat cleaver with a mind of it’s own. Beyond the silly fun stuff Castle was a great director and it shows here. There are a couple of genuinely effective jump scares and the movie makes great use of lighting to make the sets even creepier than they would have been. And again I have to mention how great the ghosts look as they float in and out of screen. And this is without the benefit of Illusion-O, which allowed you to see the ghosts in color thru the use of special glasses ala 3D.

I’ll admit one of my fondest wishes is to see this movie in the theater with the special glasses so that I can get the full effect of the ghosts. Sure it probably isn’t anything special, but I’m still a sucker for a huckster like William Castle. I highly recommend checking this one out, it is a blast.

This review is for the DVD that comes in the William Castle Film Collection. In addition to the original theatrical trailer we get a short 7 minute feature on the making of the movie called The Magic of Illusion-O. This of course refers to the killer gimmick that was created for the release of this movie into theaters. While very short I found The Magic of Illusion-O to be worth checking out, especially if you are a Castle fan, like I am.

3 out of 4

reviewed by John Shatzer