Scooby-Doo! and the Curse of the 13th Ghost

Finally, the Daphne we deserve, and a wrap up to a series that maintains the integrity of the team, and also satisfies the narrative. Those who gave this low ratings are nuts.

Yes, I really did enjoy this movie because I love me some Scooby Doo and the gang! Was glad to see some of the "Old Characters" from the "Thirteen Ghost of SD", but Flim Flam was the only one who brought up Scrappy. Then Velma was like, "Who is a Scrappy?" First of all, if the writers would of look at all of the Scooby Doo shows, they would have known that Scrappy had first join the Scooby Gang back doing "The Scooby and Scrappy Show." It was some other stuff that didn't make sense to me in this movie, but I'm not going to discuss it. Smh I think that they should bring Scrappy back because he was Scooby's nephew for goodness sake!!!!

Being a huge Scooby Doo fan for goodness knows how long, any new show, special or film would be watched with great anticipation. While 'Scooby Doo Where Are You' is still the jewel of the crown of the franchise, one where most of the shows and films are watchable and more, a vast majority of the Scooby Doo films have a huge amount to like and are worth watching at least once.

Harkening back to, or spun off, the short-lived left incomplete mid-80s incarnation 'The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo', 'Scooby Doo and the Curse of the 13th Ghost' is not one of the best of the Scooby Doo films. Do prefer 'Zombie Island', 'Witch's Ghost', 'Big Top', 'Goblin King' (am aware that this is not going to be a popular opinion) and 'Mask of the Blue Falcon' (also really enjoyed 'Frankencreepy', 'Abracadabra Doo', 'Camp Scare' and 'Stage Fright', despite the last having an overstuffed and convoluted ending). Of the Scooby Doo films, the only one that didn't do much for me are 'Monster of Mexico', despite Scooby and Shaggy appearing in 'Arabian Nights' from 1994 not only does it not really count as a Scooby Doo film and also try to pretend that doesn't exist. 'Scooby Doo and the Curse of the 13th Ghost' is enjoyable on its own, it is a nice change of pace from the formula with the right amount of spookiness, endearingly goofy humour and attempts to be true to both the classic Scooby Doo and 'The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo'. Just to say, am aware that that show is not one of the most popular incarnations of Scooby Doo and is considered by some to be one of the worst. Personally have a soft spot for it myself and actually consider it underrated despite some take or leave elements, if mainly for the character of Vincent Van Ghoul and Vincent Price and liked that it tried to do something different.

'Scooby Doo and the Curse of the 13th Ghost' has a lot to like, much of it in common with many of the previous Scooby Doo films, and certainly do not think respectfully it is anywhere near as terrible as the negative reviewers have made out, talking about the continuity issues and how Fred is written without mentioning much of anything else. It's not what is being pointed out that is being objected to as actually a couple of the criticisms are valid, it's the rather mountain-out-a-molehill way it's being said. Enough of that, let's talk about the film. The animation is great, colourful, suitably spooky and sometimes imaginative. Everything is beautifully drawn and meticulously detailed, with rich, atmospheric colours and a lot of care and time clearly went into how the characters were drawn and move, Vincent Van Ghoul (like 'The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo', if not as much as that show as this Vincent Van Ghoul is leaner, he is uncannily based on Vincent Price who voiced the character originally and one he was made for) and Asmodeus in particular.

Music is both dynamic and groovy, with a lot of energy and a haunting undercurrent. The writing is smart and clever, as well as very funny. There are some endearingly goofy jokes (in classic Scooby Doo fashion, while also feeling current) and witty quirkiness, and loved the nods to 'The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo', including briefly mentioning the previous ghosts in the series, basing itself in the very first location of its first episode, the van and re-introducing Flim Flam who is a little (emphasis on little) less annoying here even when true to character (he does talk a little too much though and too fast) that helped make the film a change of pace.

Humour is quirky and upbeat but there are a fair share of thrills and macabre elements that stays true to 'The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo', which is what makes Scooby Doo so charming in the first place. Yes the creators were definitely having a ball with this. The story is mostly very compelling, with the right amount of upbeat goofiness and creepiness without being too cheesy or too scary. Asmodeus is suitably intimidating and absolutely loved the strong and resourceful characterisation for Daphne, at her most interesting in a while and another thing true to 'The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo'. Shaggy and Scooby are dead on as usual, but the standout is Van Ghoul, who fits in like a glove and recognisable if not as quite in command perhaps. The voice acting is nothing to complain about really, Maurice LaMarche being especially good and made me nostalgic for Vincent Price without impersonating him too much. Matthew Lillard is endearing and amusing as Shaggy, as usual, and Grey Griffin does a great job as Daphne, some of her best voice acting as her actually. Frank Welker shows no signs of being long in the tooth and Nolan North is suitably sinister with a voice that reminded me of the voices of Maldor and Zimbulu.

The film is not without its issues though. Can totally understand why people dislike how Fred is written here, though actually this is not the first film or incarnation to portray him in an out of character way. Was not very fond of him being written idiotically and being constantly negative in thinking, that 'Scooby Doo and the Curse of the 13th Ghost' remained true to the writing for Shaggy, Scooby and Daphne and their roles in 'The 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo' was admirable and appreciated but it did feel like the writers/creators did not know what to do with Fred once the role reversals were in place. Do agree to some extent that Velma's scepticism was overdone.

Likewise with the beginning crisis not being resolved enough and the second half started losing energy and became less imaginative.

Where 'Scooby Doo and the Curse of the 13th Ghost' falls down most is the ending. Found it very rushed and with a far too easy defeat, but what mainly doomed it was that after doing so well with the change of formula the ending went into conventional territory reminiscent of a denouement of an episode of 'Mystery Incorporated'. Don't know about anybody else, but everything about the outcome for me was obvious (or at least guessed it) very early on and nothing about it surprised me at all.

On the whole, very enjoyable but had room for improvement. 7/10

Belated sequel to the short-lived TV show The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo (1985), made for the franchise's fiftieth anniversary. That show, although not hugely popular at the time (it was cancelled early), later acquired a cult following as an early example of Scooby-Doo encountering the genuine supernatural. No sequel so long afterwards was going to please everybody, and when it was announced fan reactions ranged from 'OMG! I've waited so long for this!' to 'I won't hold my breath for this to be decent, let alone good'.

The 13 Ghosts TV show focused on Daphne, Shaggy, and Scooby (no Fred or Velma), assisted by Scrappy (Scooby's nephew), Flim-Flam (a young con artist), and a warlock named Vincent Van Ghoul (voiced by the legendary Vincent Price), and the first thing most people wanted to know was whether this would do the same. It doesn't. Fred, Velma, Daphne, Shaggy, and Scooby ALL feature - plus Vincent Van Ghoul and Flim-Flam, but no Scrappy. The second thing people wanted to know was whether the ghosts would again be real - I won't spoil that one.

The first half of the movie is very good. It quickly recaps the original show, reintroduces Vincent (now voiced by the excellent Maurice LaMarche) and has some very funny moments (not least Shaggy and Scooby's response when they realise they've got to go back and capture the 13th ghost that slipped through their grasp last time). There are also a whole load of visual nods to Scooby's adventures back to Scooby-Doo, Where Are You in 1969. But by the half-way point the initial quick-fire pace starts to ease off, with fewer callbacks to the original. It's not that it's bad from then on, but it feels less of a continuation and more like its own thing. The conclusion (again, I won't spoil) has fans divided, with some loving it, and some not so much.

At the end of the day it's as wacky as you'd expect. The regular voice cast (Frank Welker, Grey DeLisle, Matthew Lillard, and Kate Micucci) are on top form. The character interplay is as strong as ever, and there are some laugh-out-loud moments. It's not quite what I'd hoped it would be, but it's still enjoyable. 7/10.

Firstly, there is so many continuity problems starting with claiming 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo started it all which it was defiantly was not the first incarnation, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You, and a few more after that leading up ti The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo. Secondly, Velma acts like she has never faced a real ghost, Scooby-Doo and the Witches Ghost. I could have looked past those continuity inconsistency due to the move being so hilarious, but what me go NO, NO, NO, YOU CAN'T DO THAT! was:

Thirdly, Velma claims the ghost from The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo where hallucinations brought upon from being in the Himalayan Mountains. the show says the ghost where real the this movie comes along and slaps, no, punches to pulp. the fans that this movie should have been made for proving that Warner Bothers would rather beat to within an inch of there lives, and run away before they get caught because clearly do not care about the, the fan base.

If this movie is any indication the next movie, Scooby-Doo Return to Zombie Island, will go out of it's way to claim that the monster don't exist when the movie that it will be a sequel to, Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island, went out it's way to prove the monsters where real on the island.

Bottom Line, if you are a fan of Schooby-Doo, stay far away from this and contact Warner Brothers, if their is a way, that they need to back to the drawing board and give us a proper conclusion to the 13 Ghost's of Scooby-Doo because will not except this farce of a 2 month early April Fools joke as cannon.

I've seen this a few day's ago and I still have not gotten over the ending, no movie has ever done that to me before, so you know that this movie is all kinds of wrong.