Moving back into the family friendly comedy this time, as well as cutting back on the gimmicks, Castle's Zotz! didn't have the most lasting impact on popular culture and isn't even considered Castle's biggest or best film.
Professor Jones (Tom Poston) is a quirky fellow. He lives with his niece Cynthia (Zeme North) and is trying for a promotion at the college where he teaches Ancient Languages. How is he so quirky? He mostly lives on wheatgerm and sauerkraut juice! Laugh damn you!
I guessing the comedy threshold was lower back in the day.
Moving the plot along, Cynthia gets an old coin in the mail from her boyfriend. The writing is pretty old, so that would make it her uncle's line of work, right? Professor Jones takes a crack at translating the ancient script. He manages to decipher enough that the coin belongs to the old god Zotz and if one uses his divine name and the coin in the right order, you get exactly what you want.
Jones, being a rational stick in the mud, thinks this is pure hokum. At least until he off handily says "Zotz!", and he summons both a thunderstorm and naked woman (Julia Meade). Flustered, Jones hands her some of his niece's clothes and bids her a fine good day. Naturally they run into each other later at a school function, as it turns out she's Professor Virginia Fenster, a new hire to the department.
We also meet Professor Kellgore (Jim Backus), who is in competition with Jones for the same promotion. Boy, sure is lucky Jones has a coin that can grant him wishes isn't it?
Honestly it feels like a third tier Disney film only with more nudity and booze.
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