“This is a story of those in the twilight time. Once human now monsters.”
Reports have come into the East Los Angeles police station of strange things going on near an old house that is supposed to be haunted. Inspector Robbins (John Carpenter) sends out Detective Bradford (Duke Moore) to investigate. Lt. Daniel Bradford is more than just a detective. He is a specialist in investigating haunted houses. When Detective Bradford arrives at the house he finds Dr. Acula (Kenne Duncan). Dr. Acula is dressed in a turban. He tells Bradford that there are many in the house, both living and dead. Acula portrays himself as a medium that can contact the dead and speak to spirits. Bradford convinces Acula that he is a prospective client. Also in the house is Lobo (Tor Johnson). He survived a fire that burned down the old mansion that once stood there. He is disfigured from the fire. He serves Dr. Acula.
Outside Officer Kelton (Paul Marco) arrives to provide backup should Bradford need it. Kelton arrives late and has brief encounters with what appears to be two ghosts, one dressed in black and one dressed in white. Inside Acula is performing a séance. Acula is a con man named Karl who bilks unsuspecting people by claming to be able to contact the dead. Bradford exposes him as a fraud. On this night, however, Acula manages to actually contact spirits from the beyond. The spirits intend to take Karl back with them.
“The Night of the Ghouls” was made in 1959 and released in 1984. It was directed, produced and written by Ed Wood. Wade Williams is a Kansas City film hobbyist, entrepreneur and Ed Wood fan. When Wade acquired the rights to Edward D. Wood Jr.'s “Plan 9 from Outer Space” (1959) in 1982, Wood's widow, Kathy Wood, told him of this never-released film that was being held by a post-production house because the lab fees hadn't been paid. Williams paid the fees and acquired the film, finally releasing it to video, twenty-three years after it had been made.
The film is the third part of what Ed Wood aficionados refer to as "The Kelton Trilogy", a trio of films featuring Paul Marco as "Officer Kelton", a whining, reluctant policeman. The other two films are ‘Bride of the Monster’ (1955) and ‘Plan 9 from Outer Space” (1959). Tor Johnson reprises his role as Lobo from “Bride of the Monster”.
The opening scenes of the movie feature a montage of seemingly unrelated events. They seem to feature Wood's view of the post-war era and its social problems: juvenile delinquency, street fighting, and driving under the influence. One memorable sequence has a car driving off a cliff and crashing. The sequence ends with the bloody corpse of the drunk driver staring blankly at the camera. According to Criswell's narration, this is a rather typical end to "a drunken holiday weekend".
Wood, his face hidden by a dark veil, doubled for the Black Ghost in several shots. According to actor Paul Marco, Wood could not get Jeannie Stevens to film these scenes. So he wore the costume and acted as her stand-in. Also, a publicity photo of Wood is seen on a wanted poster on the wall of the police station.
As far as the movie is concerned. It’s Ed Wood. What do you expect?