"Homicidal (1961) offered a "fright break"?the film actually stopped for 45 seconds for patrons to gather their wits."
Audiences back then were a lot less desensitized than we are. After seeing the Hellraisers and the Friday the 13ths and the Freddy Krueger's of the past 20 years it takes a lot for people to really feel scared or get that same "thrill" that some of the movies of old used to give us. I know it's true for me anyway.
I'll see if my shop has the original 13 ghosts,