13 Ghosts (1960) - Archive

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The Zorbas inherit a home from a relative who "collected ghosts." Cy Zorba is a museum director(for dinosaurs)strapped financially who receives news,just after his furniture has been repossessed, that he will be given a house housing spirits collected by his dead relative who was into the occult and communicated actively with the spirit world. The relative(Dr.Plato)traveled all over the world collecting ghosts for his home study. He leaves Cy Zorba with an unusual pair of shades which can see the ghosts. We find that Elaine Zacharides, who desires desperately to work for the Zorbas, assisted with Plato in his studies. She is a guise for the viewer into Plato's methods and madness, as well as a person who gives insight into the ghosts which live within the house. She also lets us know that Plato drained his savings and wealth from the bank oddly(treasure as Buck sees the loot). Plato's lawyer, and most trusted associate, Ben Rush is the one who helps the Zorbas(along with dating daughter Medea)get moved in and lets them know about the house,etc. But, behind the smiles hides something quite sinister. Buck, the son, is the prototypical Beaver Cleaver type:all smiles and enthusiasm. The entire family would make for the prototypical Cleaver family. I think the novelty of William Castle's "13 Ghosts" was quite fresh, innovative, and appealing in 1960. But, unfortunately watching the film myself now leaves mostly a cheesy exercise I can admire in a "carnival freak show" sort of way. It's clear Castle just wants to entertain as a Hollywood type of PT Barnum using tricks(Illusion-O, in this film)to pull in the enthusiasm of youth who were frequenting the movies and shelling out the bucks for thrills. A person now would perhaps chuckle in amusement rather than the desired effect of jaw dropping awe that yesteryear's audience gave off. The idea seems interesting enough(albeit a bit wacky)with this family being fearful residing in a home housing spirits which relive acts from their tormented pasts. The "Illusion-O" process does seem to strain my nerves a bit, for the required glasses needed to see those ghosts as Castle intended are not in existence for my own personal use. There's simply an outline of ghostly apparitions and a blue- tinted screen to go by leaving me less thrilled than perhaps the droves of youths who participated in 1960. Still, there's a goofy charm that remains leaving us a reminder of what profiteers with imagination like Castle could do in an industry which would progress in the use of technology to scare and delight visually.

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--March 26th, 2006