The Skull (1965)

Thanks for the memories!

Sorry, this movie sucks

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Starts really well and the simple tale is well set up with fabulous sets and a multitude of spooky artefacts. Lee and Cushing work well together and all the cast are effective, the ladies perhaps less so but then maybe I'm used to the stylish girls of Hammer and the Italians. Everything is seemingly going fine until about halfway through and then it slows almost to a stop. There are moments when nothing happens and the cameraman is left to pan around the rows of masks and various trophies. The script ran out and with it the film and although it does pick up for the ending it is rather a shame. I would have though even a little back story of what the mask has been up to in the past years would have been relatively simple to film. Still, a little bit different and those wonderful sets look great in Blu-ray.

The Skull is directed by Freddie Francis, and stars Peter Cushing as Christopher Maitland. Maitland is an author and collector of rare antiques relating to the occult. He soon finds himself in possession of a skull that belonged to Marquis de Sade. A well known brutally insane criminal, courtesy of his supplier Marco played by Patrick Wymark. He soon discovers that there maybe more to the skull then he had imagined. Realising that it may indeed be inhabited by an evil spirit, that forces unsuspecting victims to do its bidding against their will.The Skull is a film of it's time. There are plenty of funny moments where you can see levitating objects being held up by wires. Whilst it can be occasionally distracting, the film manages to retain it's excellent eerie atmosphere. The use of lighting to add depth to the set design and atmosphere is used effectively, especially in a sequence where Maitland is hauled before a silent judge.The Skull is definitely more campy then scary. Whilst there aren't many scares to be had In the film, it remains a lot of fun. The only downside being that at times the film does take its self too seriously, which is a detriment to the film. The Skull also features a guest appearance from Christopher Lee as Maitlands friend Sir Matthew Phillips, who despite being in only a handful of scenes leaves a lasting Impression upon the film. The Skull though was clearly a vehicle for Peter Cushing, who Is enigmatic in every scene, he has a commanding screen presence and it shows in this film. His performance elevates the film to another level.The Skull is certainly a dated film by today's standards. It has some questionable plot devices and character motivations, but despite this it still makes for a highly entertaining film, warts and all.

Reading the letters page in an issue of UK film magazine The Dark Side,I found out that whilst most of the titles in Netflix UK's Horror section are recent flicks,that they have actually put a rarely mentioned Amicus movie on the site.Becoming a fan of Amicus Horror during the 2015 October Horror Challenge on IMDb's Horror board,I decided that it was time to unmask the skull.The plot-The 1800's:Robbing the head from the grave of the Marquis de Sade, Pierre gets set to find out if Sade's head contains the power to make people go insane. Whilst boiling the flesh off the skull (charming!) the "power" of the skull grips Pierre and kills him.The present:Losing out in a bidding war over ancient statures, Christopher Maitland goes to talk to friend and winning bidder Sir Matthew Phillips.Asking why he spent so much on the items,Maitland is taken aback,when Phillips tells him that he has no idea why he purchased them. Seeing Maitland's disappointment,sly antiques dealer Marco breaks into Phillips house and steals an item to sell to Maitland. Meeting up with Maitland,Marco reveals that he has tracked down an item just for him:the skull of the Marquis de Sade.View on the film:Lining up (most of) the biggest stars in British Horror, Patrick Wymark/ Patrick Magee/ Michael Gough/Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee each give great performances,with Wymark making the skin crawl as slime ball Marco,whilst Gough and Magee give the film a touch of class in their small roles. Meeting up at auction, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee both give splendid performances as Phillips and Maitland,with Cushing sending Maitland into a cold sweat over getting his hands on the skull,and Lee casts a shadow of unease over the tightly coiled Phillips.Made from an "outline" by Amicus studio's co-owner Milton Subotsky's take on a Robert Bloch short story,un-credited writer Freddie Francis cracks open a head filled with eerie Occult Horror,as Francis wisely decides to avoid focusing on the origins of De Sade's power,to instead look at the horrific reactions,turning Maitland from a mild mannered gentlemen into a wide-eyed mad man.Although the visible wires making the skull "float" do pull some of the chills down,director Freddie Francis & cinematographer John Wilcox paint De Sade's skull in dazzling psychedelic Art-Deco,glowing in red,black and green patterns breaking Maitland's madness in extreme close-ups,as the skull sets its sights on a new victim.

Freddie Francis directs an Amicus Production horror that has all the elegance and mood of a modern Gothic tale. Based off of Robert Bloch's story titled 'The Skull of the Marquis de Sade' the film follows an Occult Researcher (played by Peter Cushing) who crosses paths with a particular item of interest from a "mutual" friend of his, and Christopher Lee's, who sells him rare artifacts of the strange and wonderful. This particular item is the skull of the marquis de Sade and it comes with a terrifying back story of possession and madness that soon begins to add another story to the curse's legendary reputation. The film is a great execution of all the aspects that make cinema the powerful medium it is. The shot styles, the lighting, the set dressing, the music, and the performances are one of a kind. Horror buffs will be delighted with Francis' wonderful direction that truly upholds the 'show don't tell' ethos of film. Albeit it is a bit of a slow-burner and there isn't much subtext to walk away with. If anything it's a great little morsel to satisfy any cravings you may have for an old school horror that sets the mood for a dark and stormy night at home.