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Charles Herbert, Jo Morrow, Martin Milner, Rosemary De Camp, Donald Woods ... see more see more... , Margaret Hamilton , John Van Dreelen

Gimmick-loving producer William Castle strikes again with this fun haunted-house thriller which invited audiences to find the hidden ghosts roaming about a haunted house through a special process call... read more read more...ed "Illusion-O" by which patrons could employ a special pair of red-and-blue-colored glasses to detect ghosts on the screen during the film's color-tinted sequences. The story is set in the mansion of the deceased occult scientist Dr. Zorba, whose nephew Cyrus and his family occupy the creepy estate and discover that they are not the only tenants. It seems the Doctor has been harboring 12 elusive specters on the premises, the appearance of which can only be detected through his final invention: a special pair of ghost-viewing goggles. To further complicate matters, it is learned that Zorba has stashed a small fortune somewhere in the house, and someone -- or something -- is determined to stop Cyrus and family from finding it. This film's original release featured an introduction from Castle, describing the "Illusion-O" process and demonstrating the proper use of the tinted glasses; he also appears in an epilogue stating that the glasses can be used to detect ghosts outside the theater! ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi

Flixster Users

57% liked it

268,391 ratings

Critics

31% liked it

13 critics

Unrated, 1 hr. 28 min.

Directed by: William Castle

Release Date: August 5, 1960

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DVD Release Date: September 11, 2001

Stats: 4,390 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (4,390)

  • ajv2688
    November 22, 2010
    ajv2688
    This is a fun little horror movie from Castle, it's about a family that moves to a haunted house that has 13 ghosts, and it's fun for the whole family. I really like this movie.
  • webalina
    November 6, 2010
    webalina
    Another William Castle underachiever. A family on the edge of financial ruin inherits a fully furnished home....and some ghosts. I guessed the big climax 1/2 through the film. I fell asleep a couple of times and still wasn't lost when I woke back up. That says a lot, doesn't it? ... read moreI must give credit where credit is due in that Castle went out on a cinematic limb and used actual hardwood boards as actors rather than people. And got pretty good performances out of them too. What was that? Those WERE people? Oh. Never mind then.
  • flixsterman
    October 31, 2010
    flixsterman
    Thank God for William Castle! You have to love a producer / director / promoter who knew how to have fun. 13 Ghosts isn't great cinema, in fact it's downright cheesy, but Castle knew how to get an audience involved. He speaks directly to the camera before and after the ... read morefilm, encouraging us to peer through our 'ghost-viewers' if we dare. How beautifully bogus!
  • purplemegan
    January 8, 2010
    purplemegan
    I actually enjoyed both the original and the "remake." Of course the remake doesn't hold a candle to the original but I appreciated it in it's own right as a gory horror movie. The original was more psychological and that seems to be the case with a lot of horror movie remakes. T... read morehe ghost viewer gimmick was really cool.
  • ScoopOnline
    December 9, 2009
    ScoopOnline
    Its funny I enjoyed the Original one more then the remake 13 Ghosts.
  • rubystevens
    October 21, 2009
    rubystevens
    silly but still better than the remake. an early 3-D venture.
  • dreamfaeries
    September 13, 2008
    dreamfaeries
    It was good.
  • thmtsang
    June 14, 2008
    thmtsang
    The original and re-make a both rubbish. Avoid!
  • YosemiteSamFan
    January 24, 2008
    YosemiteSamFan
    The ghosts themselves are quite scary and imaginative, although hard to make out when they appear. I love the ghost viewer gimmick. It takes about 27 minutes before we get to see the first ghost appear. The buildup and tension are nice. An effective haunted mansion setting is uti... read morelized. I was a bit awed when I saw the family playing with the Ouija board. There are several good jump scares throughout. For a 1960 movie, I was expecting harmless fun, but this movie had some bite to it. Very enjoyable viewing; much better than the crapass remake.
  • moonrivers
    July 20, 2007
    moonrivers
    i got scared simply readin' the title again...and it's been years since i've seen it!

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Critic Reviews

Emanuel Levy
June 22, 2011
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

Amateurish and crude, William Castle's film is better known for its aggressive publicity campaign. Full Review

Nell Minow
August 26, 2010
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media

Cheesy -- and gory -- classic; no young'uns. Full Review

Jeffrey M. Anderson
October 23, 2009
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid

It falters just as most of today's movies falter: too much emphasis on effects and not enough on characters. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
October 14, 2007
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

A dull and crudely made haunted house tale. Full Review

Alex Sandell
July 23, 2003
Alex Sandell, Juicy Cerebellum

Too bad the ghost goggles didn't blind you from this horrid film.

Ken Hanke
October 2, 2002
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Quaint, creaky, and probably worse than the remake

Scott Weinberg
July 26, 2002
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

Dry and dusty; the good bits are doled out slowly and sparingly.

Nell Minow
October 16, 2001
Nell Minow, Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies

The special effects were low-budget even for their time, but there are a couple of jump-out-at-you moments and plot twists that still work pretty well.

Howard Thompson
May 10, 2005
Howard Thompson, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Jonathan Foreman
October 30, 2002
Jonathan Foreman, New York Post

No review available.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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13 Ghosts Trivia

  • In what movie used a glass house, with ghosts in it and glasses?   Answer »
  • What's missing from all the blanks? _______ Moons Assault on Precinct ________ _______ Ghosts Apollo ________ _______ Curses _______ Going on 30 Lucky ________ _______ Seconds _______ Gantry Row   Answer »
  • What is the movie which Matthew Lillard play Dennis Rafkin in house full of ghosts?  Answer »
  • In the movie 13 Ghosts, what is spelled out on the bathroom floor in blood (in the shot of the female ghost in the tub)?  Answer »
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