The Mystery Inc. gang finally resolve a thirty-four year-old case.

Who remembers The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo? Running for a mere thirteen episodes in 1985, the series was a bold – and much underrated – attempt to reinvent a Scrappy-soiled franchise. Scooby-Doo was tricked into opening the Chest of Demons, unleashing “thirteen of the most terrifying ghosts upon the face of the earth.” It became his responsibility, therefore, to recapture them.

He was aided by old pals Daphne and Shaggy, decked out in new clothes. Yes, Shaggy ditched his old green shirt for a red one! Also on hand was warlock Vincent Van Ghoul, patterned after and voiced by Vincent Price; and Flim-Flam, a diminutive, non-specifically-Asian-looking con artist. The flower-patterned Mystery Machine was swapped for a sleeker red model with a plethora of upgrades. Oh, and Scrappy-Doo was also present, but toned down a little.

Thirteen ghosts were released in the series’ opening episode. One was returned to the Chest in each of the other twelve. Which left some unfinished business… In Warner Bros’ latest straight-to-DVD Scooby-Doo film, (a recast) Van Ghoul contacts his old team to announce that he’s finally found the thirteenth ghost. Daphne breaks out the old red van and purple pantsuits, and the gang return to the Himalayan village where they found the Chest of Demons in the first place.

You’ll have gathered by now that The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo was a blatantly supernatural series. It’s hard to reconcile it with current continuity – which has the original Mystery Inc. reunited, not yet turned eighteen and still unmasking fake ghosts in their home town. The fun of this film, however, is in that challenge. Its best moments are reserved for Fred and Velma – both away at camp during that whole previous business and only now hearing all about it. Ever wonder what Velma might have made of the many ‘real’ ghosts that haunted Scooby and Shaggy in her absence? The answer is here, as she struggles to maintain her scepticism against a mass of contrary evidence. Fred also suffers a crisis of confidence, as Daphne slips back into her old leadership role, leaving him redundant.

The Curse of the 13th Ghost flags in a few places, notably its repeated avalanche scenes. Its opening sequence, in which a local sheriff warns the gang to cease their vigilante activities, feels like it belongs to a different film, and isn’t really resolved. Overall, though, it’s a fun ride. Most importantly, for old-time fans, it’s a perfectly-judged resolution to a long-outstanding mystery.

The DVD, wisely, includes the first and final episodes of The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo, so that newcomers can get up to speed. Call-backs to the series abound – though a few minor details do slip through the cracks. One such minor detail, of course, is Scrappy-Doo, airbrushed out of flashback scenes and receiving only a cursory tongue-in-cheek mention. It’s tempting to say that at least some lessons have been learned in thirty-four years, but in fact it almost seems a shame…

Verdict: It’s about time too! 8/10

Steve Lyons