Continuity Errors in Scooby Doo and the Curse of the 13th Ghost
Ghostly curse
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
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Worst Scooby Doo Movie EVER!! Confessions of a Fred Jones Fan
Warning: Spoilers
Scooby Doo has been around long enough for there to be fans of the various genres of the franchise. The review and opinion I am about to share is from what I grew up with. Let the record show, I hate Scrappy Doo. I know there are plenty of Scrappy fans out there and that's okay, I respect that. I don't expect many if any fans to agree with my review, but here it goes. Since this is primarily a negative review, I will start off with the good. I loved Scooby Doo and Shaggy, you can always count on them to stay the way they are with their comedy, love of food and fear of ghosts, It was great to actually see Fred and Velma in the same movie as Vincent Van Ghoul and that Flim Flam character (UGH!) as opposed to their absence in the 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo series. And of course, the animation quality of today. But that's as far as the positive reviews go. Now for the cold hard truth .
I am a purist fan of the original Scooby Doo cartoons, from Scooby Doo Where Are You? series from 1969 to the New Scooby Doo Movies from 1972, to the Scooby Doo Show (Scooby Doo/Dynomutt Hour & Laff a Lympics) from 1976-1978 and maybe Scooby and Scrappy Doo from 1979. This might be considered unpopular opinion, but of all the characters on Scooby Doo, Fred Jones (or Freddie sometimes) has always been my favorite character. I have always identified with the teenage guy who would be the handsome heroic leader of a group and that's what Fred was during the years I dated. Back in those days, Fred was not only the intelligent leader of the gang but also THE driver of the Mystery Machine And even when Fred guest appeared in select episodes of the New Scooby Doo Mysteries in 1984, Fred and Daphne both took leadership roles and Fred drove the Mystery Machine then. I have NEVER liked the 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo because Fred and Velma were phased out of existence and replaced by not only Scrappy Doo, but this stupid kid named Flim Flam who I hated even worse, Anyway, on to the present. I was originally planning on buying the 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo on DVD to have along with this movie. I watched the two episodes added as extras before the movie and I got the gravest disappointment ever. WHY??? Because the writer(s) of this movie apparently hated Fred to the point of completing ruining his character. He is NOT the Fred Jones classic fans like me have all known and loved. Fred has been reduced to an incompetent dufus who is literally muscled out of the leadership role by Daphne who also takes over as the driver of the new Mystery Machine because Fred can't drive a stick shift. And it is later revealed that Fred's absence from the 13 Ghosts series is because he was at CHEERLEADING CAMP?!! Seriously?!!!! And of course, after Daphne becomes the new leader, Fred becomes whiny and needy, questioning what his role is in the gang. I kept waiting for Fred to redeem himself in this movie, and all I got was more and more nauseas!! All the other characters were fine. But Fred was forever ruined. I believe it all started when Freddie was dumbed down in A Pup Named Scooby Doo, which was fine for that show, But starting with Zombie Island and everything that's followed, Fred has been slightly dumbed down, but was still a leader. And in Mystery Incorporated, Fred's niche was specializing in traps, I would have bought that reason for his absence, but becoming a cheerleader and cheering Daphne on as a new leader was the killing blow., I couldn't have cared less if Scrappy was not included. And Fred and Velma had little interaction with Vincent Van Ghoul. The ending was a huge disappointment to fans of the 13 Ghosts series since the final ghost is merely a man in a mask.
Finally, if you love the 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo series or Flim Flam or Vincent Van Ghoul, of if you're a fan of Scooby Doo himself or Shaggy, Velma or the modernized Daphne, yes, it's a good movie, but if you're a fan of Fred Jones, this movie is absolute garbage!! Give me the classic Scooby Doo Where Are You over the 13 Ghosts series and this craptastic movie any day of the week!!!! Thankfully, I'm not the only one who feels this way. Read the RIP FRED JONES 1969-2019 review to see a similar but shorter review.
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Not The Conclusion We Waited 24 Years For
Warning: Spoilers
Yeah, when I saw the trailer for this, I was excited. As a kid, I saw 13 Ghosts Of Scooby-Doo sometimes, and it was good, since it dared to do something different with the famous mystery-solving Great Dane and had him and his friends face off against real ghosts. Sadly, it was cancelled after only 13 episodes, and with all but the 13th and final ghost being sent back to the Chest of Demons. Now, 27 years later, Warner Bros. releases this original DTV movie, and sadly, they do not do a good job tying up loose ends.
The first problem with the film is Daphne becoming the leader like in the original series. However, this DTV special also has Fred and Velma, who were not present in the original, involved. This causes the two to go into an out of character moment, where Fred tries to find what he is good at, and Velma trying to disprove the 13 Ghosts are real ghosts (which is strange, considering she saw real monsters in Zombie Island and The Witch's Ghost).
Another problem with it is how the story is done. In the original, Scooby, Shaggy, and Daphne were joined by Scrappy and a con-artist named Flim-Flam, however, in this film, while Flim-Flam returns (as a teenager), Scrappy is nowhere to be seen. The intro never displays him, and when Flim-Flam mentions him, Velma asks him "What's a Scrappy?", which is a clear sign that this movie basically erased Scrappy-Doo from the continuity, which is sad. I know Scrappy gets a lot of hate, but he should've returned, especially since Flim-Flam, who also got his fair share of negative criticism, was allowed to return. Also, Weerd and Bogul, the two ghosts who serve as henchmen for the ghosts and were the reason why Scooby and Shaggy opened the chest, are also absent, which makes no sense.
But the worst part of this whole movie is the fact that it takes the plot of 13 Ghosts and destroys it. Basically, in the end, the 13th ghost is revealed to be just another guy in a mask, in this case, Vincent's old ally, Mortifer, who discovered the chest with him. Also, it drops the bombshell that the 13th ghost, Asmodeus, is an ancestor of Vincent, and in the end, Velma dismisses the events of the movie and the 13 Ghosts series as a hallucination.
In conclusion, this movie does not give the ending to 13 Ghosts that some Scooby fans wanted. In fact, watching the film, it seems that the people who made this film either never watched 13 Ghosts before making this or were forced to change the ending to make it as it is seen. The only good parts are the flashbacks that add backstory as to how Vincent came across the Chest of Demons, and the fact that Maurice LaMarche does a good job voicing Vincent Van Ghoul. sadly, the movie is littered with numerous continuity errors that would make diehard Scooby fans go on the internet and rage. While the younger Scooby fans may be interested in this, as they probably won't know this is based on a cartoon from the 1980's unless they have it on DVD or saw said series on Boomerang or somewhere on the internet, and probably won't care, longtime Scooby fans should stay away.
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There is so much wrong here.
Warning: Spoilers
I have loved Scooby-Doo, ever since I can remember, and even after 20 years I still laugh watching a Scooby-Doo episode or movie or comic, never have I been more disappointed in this franchise than after watching this movie.
It started on a interesting point of gang being in the wrong, and planning on retiring (that was the only interesting part), but from there on out it is a mess of a movie, I think it was supposed to continue form where the Scooby-Doo and the 13 ghosts left as it was never finished and we only got to see 11 ghosts captured so even if they had just introduced those 2 ghosts and the old side character ghosts (the fat one and tall one do not remember their names) it would have been a better movie.
The Characters are butchered so amazingly that it is painful to watch, lets take it from top.
1. Vincent Van Ghoul - He was supposed to be the greatest warlock in the world in Scooby-Doo universe and here he is reduced to making bad puns.
2. Flim Flam - He was a smart and quick thinking kid and here he is doing merchandising and being no help whatsoever they could have just introduced him along with Vincent.
3. Fred Jones - Just because you want a strong female character that does not means that the leading male character becomes a bumbling buffoon with no character whatsoever why could they not have collaborated while Daphne shows him the ropes about the supernatural he uses his experience, and why the hell did he go to Cheer leading Camp.
Daphne and Velma character where handled with mediocrity.
It is hard to misuse Shaggy and Scooby so no comment on that.
They want to promote feminism, fine ,but don't do so if you cannot write a good story around it, and stop misrepresenting feminism.
And lastly (sorry it took so long) why are they shying away from Scrappy-Doo at least try and revive him, well I won't fault the movie to not include him but he was in the original series so they could have tried.
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3.0 out of 5 starsNot bad but mildly disappointing (Vincent Van Ghoul was great though)
Warning: Spoilers
I just saw the new direct-to-video film Scooby Doo and the Curse of the 13th Ghost. It's essentially the long over due grand finale of the 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo (with Weird and Boggle quietly forgotten and Scrappy just name dropped and semi-forgotten).
Scooby Doo and the Curse of the 13th Ghost was okay but slightly annoying. Maurice LaMarche did a fantastic job imitating Vincent Price for the character of Vincent Van Ghoul and I even appreciated the appearance of the giant rubber duck but Velma's skepticism got annoying and fast. I thought it would be more like the 1990s Scooby Doo movies where the ghosts were real. But this one tried to have its cake and eat it too, attempting to appeal to fans of the version of Scooby where the ghosts are fake and the ones who liked the occult side of things by trying to imply it all MIGHT have been illusion. I didn't like that and it pretty much ruined the story for me.
Again, Vincent Van Ghoul was great. Even older Flim Flam was good but whoever decided to try to make the supernatural "maybe fake" spoilt it for me. I do love that Mortifer is modeled after Peter Lorre though.
Now that I've had time to think about it, it feels like the Scooby Doo and the Curse of the 13th ghost went under drastic rewriting to try to keep the supernatural ambiguous. I got the impression there was originally a brilliant and almost Faustian redemption story about Vincent Van Ghoul and the ghost of his ancestor apparently being the villain and turning out to just be seeking redemption and that was mostly erased for the annoying Velma the skeptic nonsense being drawn out and more obnoxious than ...I dare say it... Scrappy Doo.
Part of the charm of the 13 Ghosts of Scooby doo was it was one of the first on-going Scooby series were the supernatural was real. I liked that era of Scooby Doo, particularly the 90s direct to video movies, because once they accepted the supernatural was real there was still mystery but it wasn't as repetitive as the old masked suspect trope (something that actually got annoying to me as a kid). But it's like whoever is in charge of Scooby Doo right now can't let that phase of Scooby go and is fixated on downplaying the supernatural in places where it shouldn't be. Let Vincent Van ghoul and his world be truly magical. That was one of that show's best aspects and it should not be undone. This isn't the crossover episode with Supernatural.. If this is meant for fans of the 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo series we should have our magick!
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Scooby-Doo is getting back on track...
With the overwhelming amount of animated Scooby-Doo movies being essentially copy-paste products, then it is progressive getting more and more difficult to find the will to invest time and money into sitting down to watching them.
But alas, my son wanted to watch this 2019 addition to the Scooby-Doo franchise, so of course I indulged him and went along with him to watch it. And I must say that it was actually one of the better and more interesting of animated Scooby-Doo movies I have seen in a while.
Sure, it still follows the traditional run-of-the-mill blueprint of how to make a proper Scooby-Doo movie, which it should also do, by all means. After all, it is part of the charm and what we love about the Scooby-Doo franchise, isn't it? But at the same time, the people at Hanna-Barberra managed to keep it fresh and adding just that addition twist and spice to it, to make it outstanding and interesting.
For me it was the wonderful nod towards Vincent Price in the character named Vincent van Ghoul. Not only did it look like the late Vincent Price, but also sounded much like him, and the dialogue of this particular character was just loaded with nods and references to the old horror movies that Vincent Price was in.
The animation style and the art style was loveable and wonderful, as it always is in these animated Scooby-Doo movies, and that is also one of the things that I love about the franchise. No matter how many years have passed, it remains the same. Sure they have opted for some questionable movies and such, but I always find comfort in returning to the cartoons and animated movies that look and feel like they did when I was a child watching Scooby-Doo every Saturday and Sunday morning.
For an animated movie, then a proper cast for the voice acting is a must. And as always, then they nailed it right on the head with "Scooby-Doo! and the Curse of the 13th Ghost". They always do. You, of course, have the wonderful talents of returning voice actors Frank Welker, Grey Griffin, Matthew Lillard and Kate Micucci, which pretty much sums up the entire thing that is the Mystery Gang. But then you throw a voice like Maurice LaMarche into the soup and he nails it spot on with his impression of Vincent Price.
"Scooby-Doo! and the Curse of the 13th Ghost" is a much needed and much welcomed addition to the Scooby-Doo franchise, and hopefully it will set a new standard of what to expect from forthcoming movies in the franchise. This is definitely well worth a watch for old-time fans of Scooby-Doo as well as newcoming fans.
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The Return of Vincent Van Ghoul and Flim Flam.
This movie is awesome. It's great to get Vincent Van Ghoul and Flim Flam back, even for just this movie.
In the 1985 series, Fred and Velma were absent from Mystery Inc, so when this adventure starts, Daphne takes charge and Fred feels lost. This is an interesting character arch for the movie. Several of the characters have their own journeys to go through in this movie. There is also the fun of the mystery and adventure.
This movie has the feel and tone of the recent string of Scooby Doo animated films., and as such, Weerd & Bogel, the comedic relief ghosts of the 13 Ghosts series, as well as Scrappy Doo, don't really fit, and were not added. But they did work in the Rubber Duckie.
Beyond existing, this movie isn't as audacious as Tom & Jerry: Spy Quest, Scooby-Doo! and Kiss: Rock and Roll Mystery or Scooby-Doo! & Batman: The Brave and the Bold. They played it a bit safe, coloring within the lines. But if you have enjoyed Moon Monster Madness, Shaggy's Showdown, Gourmet Ghost and other recent Scooby Doo animated movies, you will easily love this one.
My only disappointment is that the way Universal DVD/Blu Ray releases for theatrical films generally come with animated shorts, like Minions or whatever, I wish this DVD came with a Weerd and Bogel short, so we could see what they are up to, without changing the tone of the feature. Also it would have been nice to get a trailer, teaser or even a title card with a vague release date for at least one rumored upcoming Scooby Doo release. Seeing the Spy Quest trailer on Rabbit's Run was awesome!
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Excellent end to the series
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.
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Not what I expected
Warning: Spoilers
I'm sorry but I have to say it out right... I didn't like this movie very much.
I was a big fan of the original 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo and this just isn't it. Fred is a wus, Van Ghoul is a comic relief, Flim Flam is boring and overall it hints at the idea that the series never happened, that there were never any real ghosts and that everything was just a conjuring of mass hysteria. This just isn't how it should have ended... a shame.
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The first of two insulting 50th anniversary Scooby sequels
Way back in 1985, a pair of bumbling ghosts named Bogel and Weerd tricked Scooby and Shaggy into opening a chest of demons, and it was up to the beloved goofballs to return all 13 escaped specters into the mysterious box. To aid them in their mission, Scooby, Shaggy, Scrappy, and Daphne were joined by a young con artist named Flim-Flam, and a warlock named Vincent Van Ghoul (voiced by and modeled after horror icon Vincent Price). Unfortunately, the show was canceled with only 11 demons back in the chest.
"The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo" was a departure from the established formula. Although it wasn't considered a hit at the time, it immediately began to develop a cult following, which has grown in the ensuing decades thanks to occasional reruns and a DVD release. It was wildly irreverent and self-referential years before that became a standard, plus the ghosts were real. Vincent Van Ghoul went on to become a recurring character in "Mystery Incorporated," although in that incarnation, he became an outright caricature of the late Mr. Price.
So for the 50th anniversary of "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!," WB decided to greenlight two sequels, one that finally gave closure to the "13 Ghosts" and a follow-up to "Zombie Island," which is universally regarded as the best Scooby-Doo movie ever made. Both films give little nods and winks to their predecessors, but they each managed to disregard the established stories in really insulting ways.
This film begins with a promising prologue with Mr. Van Ghoul, which is followed by a brief recap of the show. But instead of picking up where they left off with Scrappy and Film-Flam in tow, it's the usual goings-on at Mystery Inc., with Fred and Velma being utterly oblivious to events that transpired while they were away at summer camp. It quickly becomes clear that the writer goofed by not cluing them in. Velma becomes obnoxious in her skepticism of the supernatural (which she's witnessed in many instances in many different timelines), and Fred is reduced to an endless barrage of unfunny gags as Daphne assumes the role of the group leader.
It takes way too long for the gang to be reunited with Vincent and Flim-Flam, who are both a shell of their former selves. Mr. Van Ghoul was charming as a washed-up horror actor in "Mystery Incorporated," so they made the colossal mistake of transplanting THAT version of the character into this story. Instead of being a powerful mystic, he's a powerless eccentric who continuously delivers insipid pun-filled one-liners. Flim-Flam fares slightly better. Now, the huckster does have a few shining moments where he feels like the original character, but they gave him absolutely nothing to do. If you snipped his few scenes out of the movie, it wouldn't change the story at all.
Furthermore, there's no Bogel and Weerd, or even Scrappy-Doo. Bringing Scrappy back for one final outing would have been the right thing to do, and since he was at his least annoying in the original show, maybe they could have even made him likable. The absence of the charmingly goofy Bogel and Weerd is downright unforgivable since, at the very least, they could've offset Velma's relentless ghostly skepticism.
What made the show stand out from the pack is that it dared to be different, with its regular throwaway gags and zany sense of humor. A few other Scooby iterations have come close to recapturing that feeling ("Frankencreepy" immediately springs to mind), but they didn't even attempt it here. And that might've been okay if they'd gone the darker route of the original "Zombie Island" or "The Witch's Ghost," which for a while seemed to be the intention. Sadly, the tiny bit of goodwill that they accrued is negated by the final act, in which the story suddenly devolves into a run-of-the-mill Scooby tale.
As a stand-alone Scooby-Doo film, it's overwhelmingly average. As a finale to the series, it ranks right up there with "Lost" and "Game of Thrones" as one of the most unsatisfying conclusions in television history.
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RIP Fred Jones 1969-2019
They absolutely ruined Fred in this. It all began with Shaggy's Showdown(2017) and here they absolutely murdered his character. For these new pseudo liberal writers, writing a strong woman means destroying a male character. FRED WENT CHEERLEADING?? REALLY!!?? As for the movie, it's garbage. Loved Shaggy & Scooby hence the 2 stars.
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Not good sad to say
Warning: Spoilers
We kind of got excited my kids a d I and made a special movie night out of this. We dont watch scary stuff but do allow scooby and yes even the 13 ghost serious as to I grew up with it. But this poll of junk was down right wrong. First off they off course had to make the movie PC like all movies today using Fred and took all his manhood away to fit todays lifestyle. This was a real.insualt to those who love this show. Second the 13 ghost was a great supernatural part of scooby in which they was real. Nothing on this but the beginning was real. Third they made Vincant lame and powerless which is is a down right slap in the face to the original actor. Fourth bo scrappy doo which was the only reason myself and the kids liked the show. 5th added Flin Flan but this time around the character was even more annoying. 6th they changed Daphanies clothing and etc which I acully liked the best 6th scooby and shaggy was great of course. But you could tell the whole movie was about women power and feminists and demanding a Male this movie was not for entertainment at all.
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Very disappointing
Warning: Spoilers
The title is false advertisement and that alone is what makes this movie disappointing. Also this is suppose to be a sequel/closer to the 80s tv show The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo and sadly its nothing like the TV show. Main characters aren't in the movie. At least 3 are not. Most importantly is the false title of this movie. This was suppose to be closure and it just leaves the same question at the end. Movie poor written too.
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NOT CANON NO MATTER WHAT THEY SAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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.
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A huge fan
This has to be one of the best sequels to any Scooby Doo series. Maurice played Van Ghoul to a T. Rest in peace, Vincent Price. && Flim Flam was enjoyable. This is a must see. A perfect way to end the series. It's been years since we all questioned the 13th ghost. 10 out of 10.
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I waited 34 years for this conclusion... all I got was this Chest of Demons Cooler
Warning: Spoilers
To appreciate why this movie might bother some of us who saw it you have to understand the original show this movie is supposed to be paying homage to and follow up. This era came from the peak of the Scooby, Shaggy (red shirt), and of course Scrappy Doo. This was pre Zombie island but yet ghosts and magic was real. The stories were also a lot sillier. Vincent Van Ghoul was a warlock with significant power.
This movie on the other hand decided to go with the more common tropes of the current wave of Shovel Stories, introducing new characters, making the story into a solveable mystery and nerfing as much of the supernatural as possible. Fred and Velma really are the biggest problem in this movie, Velma's skepticism constantly having to be reasonably satisfied and Fred's constantly needing to feel important in the mystery solving process.
The movie begins with a backstory of Vince and a new character Mortimer and giving some info on the 13th ghost. It then follows up with giving the gang a reason for needing a reason for the gang to retire, that brings up unnecessary questions about passage of time. The gang messes up a case and proceeds to give up solving mysteries and have a yard sale where they sell the mystery machine, show off a series of Easter eggs and find the crystal ball where we see a return of Vincent Van Ghoul. The gang of course immediately goes there skeptical of Scooby, Shaggy and Daphnee's adventures as ghost hunters from when they were split up.
They find VanGhoul's place decked out with fake stuff to make it spooky even going beyond classic scooby doo for making it obviously tricks. They then find Vince tied up in a coffin, he informs them they will need the chest of demons to get the last ghost. They come to realize they need to go to the Himalayas which is actually a throwback to the first episode of 13 ghosts of Scooby-Doo, alas no town filled with werewolves this time or Bogle and Weerd. At this point it becomes clear there isn't much of story as the search for the chest of demons consumes the majority of the rest of the story, we soon get to see Fred and Velma meet Flim Flam who has aged a significant amount but yet remains as obnoxious and a conartist. That said being an offensive middle eastern stereotype, he also is a weapons dealer. As if the Impersonation of Vincent Price wasn't bad enough in this film, the song Scoobystition felt a lot like a rip off Thriller so there is that too.
But perhaps nothing is worse than the ending where the gang unmasks the 13th ghost,who turns out to be Mortimer who faked his own death to steal it so he could sell it for a lot of money (10 million to be exact), of course being an expert on the chest being one of the discoverers of it he couldn't tell the difference between the real chest and one of Flim Flam's coolers.
The 13th ghost shows up just at the end in what felt like a tacked on wrap up to the story that ties into the book that Velma was reading that also was invented for the movie. The ghost rather then needing to be locked up in the chest just needed to find peace by making amends with his descendant.
As a fan of the classic series since it was one of the first original series I was alive for the first airing syndication of, it holds a special place in my memory, one I had watched enough times I could quote it line for line at one point as a kid, this movie was beyond a let down. This movie is basically the same as every rushed scooby doo movie released today, an extended episode obsessed with giving characters unnecessary depth and not worried about having a good story. Scrappy Doo who was a major part of this series got one mention, if you don't want to have Scrappy Warner Brothers then don't make a 13 ghosts movie, even worse there was nothing on Bogle or Weerd, who were as significant unique characters to this series as Vincent and Flim Flam. Deep down I was really hoping this could be another movie in the vain of Reluctant Werewolf, Ghoul School or Boo Brothers, but alas I realize now Warner doesn't get the surreal nature of the late 80s Scooby. Vincent no longer is the most powerful warlock ever as for much of the movie he barely had enough power to open a door. The movie doesn't even get around to resolving their conflict with the sheriff who was hassling them about messing up the case at the beginning despite teasing they would all the way til the credits roll. Nothing about this felt like 13 Ghosts of Scooby Doo, it all feels like another one of the many direct to video movies which are long tv episodes.
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This isn't what I was sold.
The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo was one of my favorite incarnations of the show as a kid. So I was excited when I heard about this movie. Sad to say, it doesn't live up to my expectations. What I thought was going to be a reunion of the gang with Van Ghoul and Flim Flam turned out to be a series of overly long, unfunny gags, mostly centering around Fred's insecurities (and cheerleading because they thought that was funny, I guess) that strained even my tolerance for lame 80s Hannah Barbera comedy. I often felt the writers were more concerned with poking fun at the concept of Scooby-Doo more than the advertised plot. Which is all well and good but it's been done (Zombie Island) and done better (Mystery Inc.)
The reunion of the 13 Ghosts cast, which you actually came here to see, didn't come until late into the movie, essentially being treated as an afterthought. Likewise, the absence of Scrappy-Doo was reduced to one throwaway joke.
The most grating part of this movie for me was that 13 Ghosts centered around the gang trying to trap 13 actual ghosts in a magic chest, eventually catching all but the 13th. This is back during a time when the series was less mystery and more goofy comedy that didn't care to shy away from the supernatural. But this movie was trying to fit that plot into their usual and current "guy in a mask" theme. This not only ended up being a major letdown but kind of insulting. The 13th ghost was a great big nothing, Van Ghoul was portrayed as a powerless whimp and they invalidated the entire 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo series by implying it never happened. Why couldn't they have just set this in the 13 Ghosts universe as a stand alone? It's not like these movies have a continuing narrative you have to follow.
This movie didn't know what it wanted to be. Kids today don't remember 13 Ghosts so they'll probably like it but as someone who grew up with it, and obviously was the target of their nostalgia, I feel like they took something dear from my childhood and dumped all over it. Why even bother making this a series finale of a 30 year old show to begin with?
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A highly entertaining wrap-up to the weakest Scooby-Doo show
Who's seriously giving this anywhere near a ONE out of ten? LOL pathetic.
Anyway, thanks to the always-winning combo of the modern day Scooby-Doo animation style + quality, the incredible (possibly franchise greatest) voice acting cast, and the infinitely enjoyable fourth wall-breaking comedy writing, this very easily ends up being yet another top quality WB Animation Scooby film.
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They stole my idea and made a mockery of it...
This was MY idea lol but for a live action part 3... This is a joke. Immasculating Fred like that is PATHETIC. Too many people with 'AGENDAS' in Hollywood. This is why out entertainment in pandering junk nowadays. An insult to Scooby AND to the 13 Ghosts cartoon.
The 'one last case they left unsolved' was my idea. The movie would have opened like this one did but with the mini-gang trapping what they believe to be the final demons. The chest is opened but everyone is being sucked in (hanging onto rocks goonies style, like a barrel of monkeys). The last two are Scrappy and Flim Flam but the vortex is too powerful and flim flam loses his grip and is sucked into the demon chest. THIS is why Scrappy 'went bad' his guilt over Flim Flam - I love Scrappy and like him beig the villain but at the same time he deserved better imo). The opening credits would have been a blues brothers parody of scrappy being released from prison (the camera having to tilt DOWN at the end lol) He's met by Yabba Doo and released into his custody. They're all reconnected by a mysterious woman claiming to be a relative of Vincent Van Ghoul (played by Michael Mckean of Spinal Tap) and all set off to find the chest of demons and capture the final demon. The twist of the movie would have had the woman be flim flam (hence the name lol), alive and possessed by the final demon who's looking to use the chest as a gateway to the other side and release EVERY demon, spirit, specter and ghost into this world...
Future writers - don't EVER give away your ideas lol ;) I thought of this about 2 yrs ago or less and lo and behold HERE is the movie...only an animated junk pile of TOXIC FEMININITY that REVELS in cutting off Fred's balls. Disgusting trash and a WASTE of my idea. If you're gonna THIEVE 'Tim Sheridan'...do it RIGHT.
This was nothing but pandering junk intended to INSULT the audience who watched this show originally - where as my idea was a love letter to my favorite Scooby Doo series (yeah SO SHOOT ME lol), a way to SAVE Scrappy and give the gang a trilogy of films and then let them RETIRE...and properly reboot a new cartoon and stop destroying our Doo (that nobody cares about anyways)... This POS was heartbreakingly sad.
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More PC BS to ruin TV
I loved Scooby as a kid and was hoping to introduce my daughter to it, but I would never show this drivel to her. Just as I wouldn't let my son watch shows that disrespect women, I will not let my daughter watch a show that disrespects men.
If you can't make a strong woman character without a bumbling idiot male, then she isn't really a strong female character.
What's wrong with you people? Just make a fun cartoon!
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Vincent's comeback, heck yeah!
I just loved this movie, really. I remember myself back when I was like 8 years old and I was watching the 13 ghosts of scooby doo, God I was crazy about this gang, it was something different. When I watched that movie I felt nostalgic, that van ghoul and flim flam comeback was adorable. The only thing that's bothering me is the absence of scooby's nephew and Fred's cheerleading thing, otherwise, I like it very much.
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A bit different story from the rest. But very good to enjoy.
Warning: Spoilers
Scooby Doo animations never make me boring. I love Scooby Doo animations no matter how people think they are just for kids and animations are for kids. And this one is also a good one to enjoy. At least, it doesn't make me boring.
Although the story is quite simple, but it turned out good one. The voice actors are so perfect and so, it turned out a fine animation.
What I love is the van changed. We all saw the mystery machine every time. In this one, there's no such mystery machine. They replaced with a new cool van. It makes me have different feeling for this animation.
All in all, although people are giving low rates, as for me, it's good to enjoy.
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The humor and homages to the original series are absolutely spot on, but the ending and character disappointments hold it back
Warning: Spoilers
The first half of the movie had it on track to be one of the best Scooby Doo movies ever. The intro with Van Ghoul recapping the captures of the ghosts in the original show in poetic form was really cool. There were a great many small references to the show that worked so well - I was thrilled when I saw the rubber ducky come out, really liked how they dealt with Flim Flam, and the consistency of the backstory with Fred and Velma being away at camp was all so satisfying. The humor in the episode was also a high point, with a bit more self-awareness and referential humor that worked well. Now, for that pesky third act. The biggest problem with the film overall is that the twist disregarded the darker realism of the monsters from the show, and gave a horribly weak explanation for what actually happened to the 13th ghost. Velma's hand-wavy claim that the Sanskrit was translated wrong and he just wanted redemption which he got through Van Ghoul is unequivocal garbage and runs counter to all the lore of the demon chest. I get they wanted a mystery rather than just the capturing of a real ghost, and the lack of actual mystery was a flaw of the show, but the bait and switch in this case given the backstory is a bad decision, especially with the terrible execution of the explanation. The solution itself was fine and plausible if quite cliche and derivative, but it was a letdown given the lore of the 13th ghost and also didn't make complete sense (how did Asmodeus fly and breathe fire and all that if he was just the dude? He may have been a powerful magician, but he couldn't have kept up the appearance of the most powerful demon of all time, or stifle Van Ghoul's magic). In addition, in the second half of the film Fred and Velma's characters were both too absurd and too one-dimensional. All of Fred's moments were focused on his identity crisis -> accepting that he's a cheerleader, which (while amusingly built up with subtle hints at that earlier in the movie) relegated him in value for the mystery and wasn't really consistent with his character historically. Similarly, all of Velma's moments were her going way too over the top in refusing to believe in ghosts. This at least does have precedent, but not only was the execution of it poor (a ski lift picked her up? Seriously??), the reveal at the end reaffirmed her incorrect belief instead of the realism the show is steeped in. Velma was unlikable for her unwillingness to listen to other's experiences with the ghosts and general insistence, and Fred was just so over the top in this bizarre and unprecedented character shift as to be unbelievable. I did quite like Daphne and there were plenty of humorous moments in the role reversal between her and Fred. Shaggy and Scooby were consistent as always, and I appreciated their willingness to call out the other characters for their absurdity. Van Ghoul was just as great as I hoped. A final minor flaw of the movie was the avalanche sequence. It was quite out of place and also physically impossible. At various points, the avalanche would've physically overcome them and they would end up beneath the snow, not on top of it. The sliding on the snow was not well animated, and it was drawn out much more than needed.
While I've focused on the negatives here, I do believe it's an average to above average Scooby Doo movie and a good one. When considered in the context of the show, so many elements are excellent and satisfying, especially early in the film, and it is a fun and exciting one to watch that does feel like it has real stakes. But considering the context of both the show and the characters, the ending is a major let down. For a movie with some great highs and some bad lows, it ends up as a solid but forgettable movie - and that's a real shame for the potential it had.
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they sold the Mystery Machine
Mortifer and Vincent trap 13 evil spirits in a magical chest. Mortifer sacrifices himself in order for Vincent to escape. In present day, the kids screw up a case and they have to stop solving mysteries. Fred even sells off the Mystery Machine. While selling the rest of their gear, they uncover a crystal ball and are contacted by Vincent. It was a case without Velma and Fred. The others and Scrappy-Doo vanquished 12 ghosts. With a new vehicle, the gang heads off to help Vincent defeat the final ghost.
This follows The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo (1985) which I never saw. I don't think that it's necessary to understand this movie. It is notable that Vincent Price voiced Vincent VanGhoul in the TV series. So, it's not so macabre to have a rando voicing an obvious Vincent Price character. The bigger issue is that Mortifer is too obvious. It's obvious right from the beginning. As for the gang, I get the forced retirement but I do not abide with selling the Mystery Machine. They can refurbish it. They can add to it. They cannot get rid of it. I do not like the new van and I hope that they do not keep it. It's only good comedically for Fred not being able to drive it. The next mystery should be tracking down the Mystery Machine. The actual mystery is a bit messy but whatever. It does go back to the standard mystery which is helpful. This is not that good but it's enough. They better get the Mystery Machine back.
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Enjoyed this movie but disagreed on Scrappy Doo!
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!!!!
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Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9260980/reviews
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