William Castle Week

 Started a little late but better late than never.

On Wednesday evening I once again kick off another run of familiar William Castle favorites, starting with 13 Ghosts (1960), an October favorite I enjoy when the autumnal chill finally hits me in the mornings after the dog days of summer  decide they want to bark somewhere else.

Why do I enjoy this one every year? 

✓ haunted mansion with ghosts that misbehave

✓ Ouija board antics

✓ a kid whose name (BUCK!!!!) is loud even when those calling him speak in soft tones

✓ Margaret Hamilton and lots of Wizard of Oz wicked witch winks

✓ Castle in his office with another appearance of an animated skeleton

✓ a supposed friend to a struggling family secretly a threat due to greed

✓ a kitchen ransacked by a temperamental ghost chef

✓ levitating objects 

✓ a bed that nearly crushes a kid but instead smashes the cretin trying to kill him when a ghost terrifies him into the deadly trap.

✓ Hamilton, the maid, holding a seance

✓ portrait of the former owner of the house nearly falling on the family's daughter.

✓ hidden money eventually found, sought by a killer responsible for the former home owner's demise but ultimately helping the family out of financial dire straits

Current rating: ***1⁄2 / *****