Night of the Ghouls (1959)

Phony spiritualist raises the dead.

Director:

Edward D. Wood Jr.

Writer:

Edward D. Wood Jr.

Stars:

Kenne Duncan, Duke Moore, Tor Johnson

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kenne Duncan	...	Dr. Acula
Duke Moore	...	Police Lieutenant Daniel Bradford (as 'Duke' Moore)
Tor Johnson	...	Lobo
Valda Hansen	...	The White Ghost
Johnny Carpenter	...	Police Captain Robbins (as John Carpenter)
Paul Marco	...	Patrolman Kelton
Don Nagel	...	Crandel
Bud Osborne	...	Darmoor
Jeannie Stevens	...	The Black Ghost
Harvey B. Dunn	...	Henry
Margaret Mason	...	Martha
Clay Stone	...	Young Man
Marcelle Hemphill	...	Mrs. Wingate Yates Foster
Tom Mason	...	Foster Ghost
James La Maida	...	Hall

Storyline

Follow-up to Ed Wood's "Plan 9 from Outer Space" about the walking dead, It opens in a cemetery. Criswell, the "real" medium, rises from his coffin to tell us of "monsters to be despised." Dr. Acula (Kenne Duncan) is a phony medium aided by Valda Hansen, a bogus ghost, and big Tor Johnson, wearing rags and horrible scar makeup as Lobo. The doctor swindles people by pretending to contact dead relatives, but then accidentally succeeds in reviving a bunch of corpses that bury him alive! Sat unreleased for 23 years because Wood couldn't pay the lab bill! Followed by "Sinister Urge" in 1961 (Wood's last film).

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Plot Keywords:

cemetery | coffin | ghost | cult film | paranormal investigator | 

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Genres:

Horror

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 August 1996 (Finland)

Also Known As:

Revenge of the Dead

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

69 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Tor Johnson reprises his "Lobo" role from _Bride Of The Monster (1955)_. The "Lobo" that Tor plays in The Unearthly is not the same character.

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Goofs

In the scene that features the two teenagers in the car, the film suddenly speeds up tremendously. The whole scene was shot in 1910s silent film style.

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Quotes

Sheila, the White Ghost: But there's something more! There's something else out there! Something I don't understand. It scared me nearly to death.
Karl: And if you don't stop screamin' out there you'll have us all in the soup.
Sheila, the White Ghost: I tell you I was frightened.
Karl: Of what?
Sheila, the White Ghost: That's what I'm trying to tell you. There's something ELSE out there. I noticed it several times tonight and... suddenly I - I saw it up close.
Karl: Saw what?
Sheila, the White Ghost: I - I... I think ghosts.
Karl: Sheila, you're a fool. I'm the one that creates ghosts around here. Me, me, nobody ...

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Connections

Featured in The Haunted World of Edward D. Wood Jr. (1995)

User Reviews

S10's Reviews: Night of the Ghoul (1959)

Ed Wood rounds up the usual suspects for this craptastic shocker. Lt. Moore is hot on the trail of shyster medium Dr. Acula (Uh huh, Dracula…I get it) who sets up his show in the good old Dr. Vornoff's (Bela Lugosi's lair in 'Bride of the Gorilla' (1955)) old lair to bilk little old ladies hard earned social security by channeling their love ones with floating sheets and phantom trumpet players who couldn't hold a tune even if they had pockets.. This guy couldn't talk to the dead with a two cans connected by string.

The Woodmeister really outdoes himself with 'Ghouls'. I was laughing my butt off during the good doctor's séances. Oh great swami salami please raise the dead. 'Night of the Ghouls' is badly acted with horrible dialogue and some of the cheesiest effects in all his films. I had a great time with this one. 4/5