13 Ghosts
| 13 Ghosts | |
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Original theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | William Castle |
| Produced by | William Castle |
| Written by | Robb White |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Von Dexter |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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84 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $1.5 million (US/Canada) |
13 Ghosts is a 1960 American horror film written by Robb White and directed by William Castle. The film stars 11-year-old child actor Charles Herbert, Jo Morrow, Rosemary DeCamp, Martin Milner, Donald Woods, and co-features experienced character actress Margaret Hamilton. The film was released on a double bill in 1960 with either The Electronic Monster or Battle in Outer Space in most areas.
Throughout the film, Buck (Herbert) refers to Elaine (Hamilton) as a witch. Though this is never confirmed, the film hints at the possibility. These inside references were an acknowledgement of Hamilton's best known role as the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz (1939).
When occultist uncle Dr. Plato Zorba wills a huge ramshackle house to his nephew Cyrus and his impoverished family, they are shocked to find the house is haunted. Their new furnished residence comes complete with Dr. Plato Zorba's housekeeper, Elaine Zacharides, plus a fortune in buried treasure and 12 horrifying ghosts.
His family soon discovers that these spirits include a wailing lady, clutching hands, a floating head, a fiery skeleton, an Italian chef murdering his wife and her lover in the kitchen, a hanging lady, an executioner and severed head, a fully grown lion with its headless tamer, as well as Dr. Zorba himself, all held captive in the eerie house looking for an unlucky thirteenth ghost to free them. Dr. Zorba leaves a set of special goggles, the only way of seeing the ghosts.
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Wikipedia