13 Ghosts 1960

Dr. Plato Zorba, a mysterious figure in the realm of the occult, leaves a complex legacy for his impoverished nephew, Cyrus: a vast and eerie mansion brimming with secrets and supernatural beings. Joined by his wife, Hilda, teenage daughter, Medea, and young son, Buck, Cyrus learns from attorney Ben Rush that the estate comes with a bizarre condition— the family must live there continuously, risking forfeiture of the property to the state upon any attempt to sell or vacate it. As the family begins to adapt to their new environment, they are left astounded to encounter a haunting presence of 12 restless spirits, each embodying its own unique story of tragedy and demise.

The Zorbas’ new residence additionally hosts an enigmatic housekeeper, Elaine, whose distinct fascination for séances seemingly intensifies the unsettling ambiance. A hidden treasure, stashed away within the estate, further compels the family to remain. Among the ghostly inhabitants are a sorrowful siren wringing her hands in despair, a pair of phantom hands that cling insistently, a relentless fiery skeleton wreaking havoc, an Italian chef trapped in a perpetual loop of violence against his wife and her lover in the kitchen, a woman suspended in mid-air, a grim executioner brandishing a severed head, a proud lion next to its deceased tamer, a lonely floating head adrift, and Dr. Zorba himself, all longing for the arrival of their 13th unfortunate mate to liberate them.

As these apparitions prove to be alarmingly real, Cyrus and his family must face the unsettling reality of living with these ghostly residents. A mysterious Ouija board ominously foreshadows impending tragedy within the mansion’s confines. Unbeknownst to the Zorbas, Ben Rush is aware of Dr. Zorba’s hidden wealth, having fruitlessly searched for it previously. The plot thickens when Buck accidentally discovers two $100 bills tucked away as he tumbles down the stairs, prompting Rush to cunningly manipulate the innocent boy into a quest for the hidden riches, leading him to the cash concealed beneath the staircase.

However, when Buck awakens to find the money and Rush plotting to murder him—an attempt to replicate the fate of Dr. Zorba—he becomes entangled in a sinister scheme. As Rush faces his downfall under an imposing four-poster bed, Zorba’s ghostly presence exacts its revenge, entangling the attorney in a fate of becoming the 13th restless spirit. The following morning, as Cyrus and his family count their newfound fortune, they resolve to stay in the mansion, undeterred by its ominous reputation. Elaine darkly hints that the spirits will return, much to Buck’s excitement, as an unseen force disrupts the special goggles he previously utilized to glimpse the phantoms.

Amid these unexplained occurrences, Elaine casually sweeps the floor, allowing a fleeting, cryptic smile to dance upon her lips, suggesting her deeper understanding of the hidden forces lurking within the mansion’s twisted corridors.