Czaszka (1965) Online

The Skull is probably the best film Amicus produced,based on a chilling short story by Robert Bloch and directed with visual flair by Freddie Francis it tells the story of a writer on Demonology ; Christopher Maitland(Peter Cushing excellent as usual) who is offered a skull and a fleshbound book originally belonging to none other than the Marquis de Sade for a mere £500,at first he is skeptical of its provenance but finally agrees to buy it from Marco a shifty character(memorably played by Patrick Wymark)who previously stole the skull and book from Sir Matthew Phillips(Christopher Lee)who had fallen under it's sinister spell in the past and was glad the skull and book had been stolen,Matthew tries to convince Christopher of its evil power and advises him to get rid of it as soon as possible,but to no avail,Christopher keeps the skull and begins to come unstuck, he starts hallucinating and having bizarre dreams. All the performances are first rate,but this is Peter Cushings film,he is literally in every scene and gives a convincing performance of a man falling pray to evil. I can't help thinking this could have been a true classic if it had had a bigger budget. The whole cast and crew have worked wonders with what little money and resources they must have had,it also remains(in my opinion) Freddie Francis best film as a director....a must for a cold winters night.

The Skull won't exactly knock you out of your seat with its brilliance, but despite that fact, it is still an enjoyable slice of British horror, with a number of things to recommend it for. Amicus may be better known for their omnibus films, and indeed this story does feel a little stretched over its 85 minute running time, but in spite of that; The Skull is undoubtedly one of the studio's better feature length efforts. The fact that Amicus have managed to get both Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee on board ensures interest from the beginning, and the plot isn't a let down. The Marquis de Sade isn't the most common horror figure, but nevertheless; this film focuses on his disembodied skull. Christopher Maitland is a collector of rare and occult items, and when his supplier; the dodgy Anthony Marco brings a skull to him one day; he is interested because it once belonged to the Marquis de Sade. When his friend, Sir Matthew Phillips, explains that the skull is dangerous, Maitland only becomes more intrigued. But he finds to his peril that skull is dangerous, as it leads its owner to kill...

Freddie Francis directed a number of films for both the big British studios, Hammer and Amicus, and it's not hard to see why he often gets hired as the quality of his direction is not too far behind heavyweights Terence Fisher and Roy Ward Baker. He's got a good creative partner in novelist Robert Bloch, who wrote the story 'The Skull of the Marquis de Sade', upon which this film is based - as well as the far better known novel 'Psycho'. This film doesn't feature a career best performance from either horror heavyweight, but Peter Cushing fits his role as the occult collector brilliantly, while Christopher Lee delivers his usual forceful, scene-stealing, method of acting. Patrick Wymark is also worth a mention, as he is given the most intriguing role in the piece as the slightly sleazy dealer. It has to be said that the first two thirds of the film are more interesting than the third one, which is a shame as the film seems to run out of steam before the end. However, The Skull is still an interesting little film, and I'm sure that fans of classic horror will find lots to like about it.

The initial scenes of the film THE SKULL are deceptive. Set in an early-19th century graveyard complete with grave robbers, hooting owls, and what is all too obviously a doctor about to delve into "things man was not meant to know;" one might be forgiven for expecting that this picture is going to walk-on the well-trodden path of Hammer Films. But such is not the case. Producers Max J. Rosenberg and Milton Subotsky, and screenwriter Robert Bloch have a surprise in store for the audience. What will follow this, by now, formulaic opening, will not be a Hammer 'ripoff.' Rather, the viewer will be treated to a unique psychological thriller with supernatural underpinnings. A film that will explore nightmare states and dreamscapes with a strong Kafkaesque flavor and a modernist sensibility.

Adapted from his own short story, "The Skull of the Marquis De Sade," Robert Bloch's script parallels his own career as an author. Starting off as a disciple of H.P. Lovecraft in the 1930s, and publishing a number of well-received tales in the Cthulhu Mythos canon; Bloch later developed into a premier advocate of the modern, psychological horror story. Indeed, he is best known to laymen as the author of perhaps the most famous psychological horror novel of all time, "Psycho." Interestingly, the story arc of THE SKULL follows Bloch's literary trajectory in that it begins in the tradition of romantic gothicism but ends in the darkly absurdist realms of Kafka, Orwell, Dali, and Max Ernst.

The basic plot of THE SKULL details the various unpleasant fates that befall subsequent owners of the skull of the infamous Napoleonic-era pornographer, the Marquis De Sade. Bloch's fictional construct is that Sade's historical excesses can be explained by the 'fact' that he was possessed by a demon. A demon who still dwells in the eponymous skull and who still retains a taste for dark ceremonies and murder.

Peter Cushing plays Dr. Christopher Maitland, an occult researcher and collector who comes into possession of the skull through the offices of one Marco (Patrick Wymark), a shady 'dealer' in obscure objects d'art. Christopher Lee portrays Sir Matthew Phillips, friend of Maitland, and former owner of the skull, who warns its new possessor of the item's destructive powers. THE SKULL really is Cushing's movie. Mr. Cushing's performance carries the last 2/3 of the film and is of grueling intensity. Mr. Lee's role as the doomed Phillips, who meets a violent end at the hands of the friend he tries to help, is crucial to the overall structure of the plot and flawlessly performed.

The highlight of the film is a nightmare sequence that could have been taken straight out of Kafka's "The Trial." Here Mr. Cushing gives a world class performance that echoes his earlier triumph as Winston Smith in the BBC television production of Orwell's "1984." This segment is gripping in the extreme and still carries a tremendous emotional wallop nearly 40 years later.

With stellar performances by Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee; standout supporting and cameo roles by Jill Bennet, Patrick Wymark, Nigel Greene, Peter Woodthorpe, and Patrick Magee; a thoughtful and literate script by Bloch and Subotsky; and measured, restrained direction by Freddie Francis, THE SKULL is an outstanding example of contemporary, modernist horror. This movie is not only a must-see for any Christopher Lee/Peter Cushing fan, but a lesson in intelligent, stylish film making.

Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee working together again here, though for Amicus this time, not Hammer. Despite the good cast, "The Skull" looks like a low budget studio production, quickly shot - and with the "monster" being a skull flying on visible wires, this easily could have gone awry. But the movie works surprisingly well, first of all due to an excellent script based on a story by Robert Bloch ("Psycho"): Maitland (Cushing) shares an interest in the occult with Phillips (Lee) who warns him to get rid of a skull possessed by a demonic spirit. Of course Maitland doesn't listen and gets into trouble. Because the skull hasn't got any claws to catch victims, the terror has to be mostly psychological, and this is done brilliantly for example in the surreal dream sequence when Maitland believes a judge asks him for a Russian roulette. The extremely colorful photography of John Wilcox ("Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires") makes "The Skull" look really good - knowing that, they let the caretaker fall through coloured glass, not simply on the floor. In opposite to other horror films of the 1960s, "The Skull" still seems quite original, not a story you saw a dozen times before. Well worth watching.

If there was ever a writer more well-known for work which was unusual for him or not exemplary of his output, it was Robert Bloch. To John Q. Citizen, he was the guy who wrote 'Psycho' and some story called 'Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper' which he has never read. So one could assume that Bloch was a dead-serious man who hated his mother and wrote dead- serious stories about women haters who butchered their victims in a realistic fashion.

Well, No. The mother part could be true, but the majority of his output consisted of SUPERNATURAL short stories that never took themselves seriously and were filled with bad puns and metaphors, he even wrote a series of humorous fantasy stories featuring a swindler named Lefty Feep. I found the book 'Psycho' to be rambling and tiresome; it would be forgotten if not for the film. Bloch's best work, IMHO, was his short stories and novellas, and they could be just as grim as 'Psycho', and though mostly humorous, could be filled with just as much psychological anguish and mood. 'The Skull' adapted by Amicus studios, proves this, and it makes for one hell of a horror flick.

The film begins with a memorable sequence featuring the theft of a skull from a cemetery at the dead of night. Then it becomes unbearably boring, and it only lasts for 3 minutes! Three of the longest minutes I've ever seen. It's like an endurance test. Sit through this unbearable prologue, and you're in for an excellent film.

The film then picks up in the(then)present where at a very symbolic auction, we meet the film's central characters; Christopher Maitland(Peter Cushing), Matthew Phillips(Christopher Lee) and the unscrupulous antique fence Marco(Patrick Wymark). Maitland is a rather callous man who researches the occult and fanatically collects corresponding memorabilia. And Marco keeps tempting him like a drug dealer tempting an addict. After talking Maitland into buying a book (bound in human flesh)about the Marquis De Sade, Maitland's interest is piqued. Marco then offers Maitland the skull of...could you have guessed? The Skull of the Marquis De Sade!!!And since we've already seen several Point-of-view shots from the skull, that can't be good....

Maitland refuses to accept the Skull because of the exorbitant price. Then things get tricky. It turns out that Marco stole the Skull from Phillips, and Phillips couldn't be happier!! The Skull is possessed(What? You thought this film wasn't just going to be about a boy and his skull), and acts up worst during the full moons. Now, Maitland's interest has REALLY piqued, he HAS to have the skull! Now's where things get interesting....

The plot becomes sketchy, but I won't spoil it. Through a chain of circumstances, Maitland gets the Skull, and quickly starts to wish he never had it. At this point, the film becomes a barking mad nightmare featuring some of the creepiest sequences I have ever seen. The final half-hour is a horror fan's dream come true. Cushing is excellent, and despite his character's poorly set-up relationship with his wife, when she starts becoming endangered by a periodically possessed Maitland, you can really feel his anguish. I have a feeling Cushing didn't watch this one much after his wife died.

An eerie masterpiece that is ideal Halloween viewing, the film's climax makes up for all the tedium, and it truly becomes frightening. If you are patient, sit back, preferably with all the lights out, and let the Skull work it's power over YOU. It won't do to you what it does to Maitland, but I can guarantee every horror fan that it's an experience he'll never forget; he may forget the plot and it's details, but he will NEVER forget the mood.~

This was among the first vintage horror films I recall watching, but it took me this long to re-acquaint myself with it (after I had foolishly abandoned the prospect of a second viewing as part of a late-night Italian TV program hosted by two amiable ghouls – the same thing would also happen with Hammer's FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL [1974], which I then had to wait some 13 years to catch up with!).

Anyay, though the film's premise, in itself, is rather daft – that of a host of antiquarians being 'possessed' by the skull of the Marquis De Sade – the result is very stylish and altogether one of Hammer rival Amicus' most satisfying outings. Apart from director Francis, the men behind Amicus – Max J. Rosenberg and Milton Subotsky (the latter also scripted, from a story by Robert Bloch of PSYCHO [1960] fame) – again recruited Hammer's two most popular stars, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, for this production. As ever, they play extremely well off each other – even if Lee, ostensibly, is only a "Guest Star" – delivering typically committed performances: Cushing has fun acting crazy – under the influence of the skull – towards the end (and also during a surreal nightmare sequence in which he's forcefully taken before a judge who promptly hands him a gun to play at Russian Roulette!), whereas Lee gives surprising poignancy to his role. Supporting them is a splendid cast indeed – led by Patrick Wymark, who actually matches the stars with his seedy supplier of generally weird artifacts, and the brief (albeit equally welcome) presence of the likes of George Coulouris, Michael Gough, Nigel Green and Patrick Magee!

While Francis creates wonderful atmosphere via the cinematography (particularly when shooting through the skull's eyehole) and the set design (the film starts off as a period piece but then reverts to a modern-day setting for the central plot line), I do feel that the possibilities presented by the nonetheless intriguing theme are regrettably constrained by censorship and budgetary restrictions – so that the Marquis De Sade's legacy seems somehow to have been mixed up with that of Jack The Ripper! In any case, THE SKULL is generally considered nowadays as Francis' best directorial effort – though I personally feel NIGHTMARE (1964), THE PSYCHOPATH (1966) and THE CREEPING FLESH (1973) to be superior to it…

Throughout the mid 60s and early 70s Amicus Productions churned out a series of wonderful little horror anthologies including: Dr. Terror's House of Horrors, Torture Garden, The House That Dripped Blood, Asylum, The Vault of Horror, From Beyond the Grave, and Tales from the Crypt.

Unlike those movies, THE SKULL is not an anthology. Instead, it is a superb exception!

Six minutes in; and, we've already gotten the back story, even before the titles roll! The opening is set in the early-19th century. We see a graveyard, with the requisite grave robbers; and, their client, a doctor (albeit a phrenologist).

Peter Cushing plays Dr. Christopher Maitland, an occult researcher and collector who comes into possession of the skull by way of a suspicious dealer in such objects. Christopher Lee portrays Sir Matthew Phillips, a friend of Dr. Maitland; and, coincidentally a former owner of the skull!

THE SKULL details the ghastly misfortunes that befall each successive owner of the skull. That is the skull of the infamous Marquis De Sade. According to the story, the Marquis De Sade was not insane, as many believed; but, was possessed by an evil spirit. And, that spirit still dwells in the skull.

Moving from the literal form seamlessly into dreams and fantasies, THE SKULL is a marvelous example of modern, psychological horror. It was years ahead of its time.

On paper, the 1965 Amicus production "The Skull" would seem to be a surefire winner. Based on a story by Robert "Psycho" Bloch, directed by horror veteran Freddie Francis, starring British horror icons Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, and featuring such sterling character actors as Michael Gough, Nigel Green, Patrick Wymark and Jill Bennett, it would seem like a can't-miss proposition. While the film is undeniably fun, however, it somehow falls short of greatness. In it, Cushing plays an occult investigator who comes into possession of the 150-year-old, particularly nasty-looking skull of the notorious libertine the Marquis de Sade, and comes under the influence of its baleful and hypnotic powers. (Indeed, it's more like the skull has come into possession of him!) The film features strikingly handsome sets, a justly celebrated and Kafkaesque dream sequence, stylish direction from Francis (dig those skull's head POV shots!), and, near the picture's end, a very interesting and suspenseful 20-minute segment largely devoid of dialogue. While some viewers have complained of visible strings attached to the levitating skull, that really didn't bother me (a single wire is barely visible for perhaps two seconds); what did vex me is that we never learn of the skull's evil doings between the time of its disinterment and its modern-day shenanigans. It MUST have been up to something during those 150 years, right? The film also seems a bit tentative in that it never lets Cushing become truly possessed and crazed; how much better the picture would have been if ol' Pete really went on a tear! Still, watching Cushing and Lee together has long been one of the supreme pleasures of horror cinema, and this little movie does have its winning ways. It's no "Creeping Flesh" or "Horror Express," but still most enjoyable.

In the Eighteenth Century, after the death of the Marquis de Sade, the phrenologist Pierre (Maurice Good) robs his head from the grave and removes the flesh at home, but dies in a horrible way.

In 1965, in London, the dishonest antiques dealer Anthony Marco (Patrick Wymark) offers to the collector and writer of occultism Christopher Maitland (Peter Cushing) a book with skin made cover about the Marquis de Sade. On the next day, he returns and asks a small fortune for the skull of the Marquis de Sade but without any proof that belonged to him. Maitland does not accept and he offers for half the price until the next day. Maitland meets his friend and also collector Sir Matthew Phillips (Christopher Lee), who tells that the skull had been stolen from him but he does not want it back since he was free of its evil force. He advises Maitland to stay away from the skull otherwise he would be possessed by its evil spirit. But the fate puts the skull on Maitland´s hands affecting his entire life in tragic way.

"The Skull" is a creepy British horror film by Amicus to compete with Hammer with Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. The screenplay is well-written and the tragic conclusion is announced from the moment Maitland meets his fellow collector and friend and keeps the interest on the skull. The "Kafkanian" judgment of Christopher Maitland is another plus in the story. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "A Maldição da Caveira" ("The Curse of the Skull")

Simple story of a complex man wishing to possess a skull once the lifelong possession of the long dead Marquis De Sade which is now possessed by evil forces and which possesses him to possess it and other evil artifacts whatever the cost. Whatever possessed Robert Bloch to ever write such a charming short story I'll never know – it was more in the mind with his stories, the film of course had to be more supernatural and a darker shade more dramatic.

It was a fine Amicus production with great roles for both Peter Cushing & Christopher Lee (and also a memorable part from Patrick Wymark) with many atmospheric scenes and images – as a pair of collectors of objects d'art the production values had the opportunity to be and were sumptuous. Are there really weird people around who like to be surrounded at all times by evil and perverse ornaments and objects, apart from politicians I mean? It's the type of cerebral film to watch at night with the doors and windows closed and locked against the elements and elemental forces, looking over your shoulder to make sure you're still alone. I was entranced by it at age 12, but now it's not so spooky occasionally looking through the eye holes of a skull at various people through the eye holes of middle age; also the floating skull scenes were always borderline risible, but they just about got away with it. The rather flat end might leave you scratching your head too, as the moral is? But maybe I'm just too thick-skulled to get it. Seriously though, this is a wonderful waste of time and engrossing nonsense from start to finish especially if you can get your head round it all.

"The Skull" is one of the finest Gothic horror films ever.

**SPOILERS**

Offered a rare skull, Christopher Maitland, (Peter Cushing) is told it belonged to the Marquis de Sade, and despite assurances from friend Anthony Marco, (Patrick Wymark) he doesn't believe it. Even disregarding stories about it driving previous owners insane or homicidal, he still laughs off the rumors and tries to adhere to the advice of Sir Matthew Phillips, (Christopher Lee) a good friend. Feeling that there's something about the skull, he gets drown into the world and finds that the skull is forcing him to do all sorts of activities against his will or memory, finally causing him to believe that something is wrong with the skull and decides to end it's supposed curse once and for all.

The Good News: This one here wasn't that bad when it had to be. The incredible atmosphere here is one of the best features to this. The film manages to create a real sense of dynamic atmosphere around the skull that works wonders for how creepy this one is. From the beginning, this feels as though it managed to incorporate Gothic atmosphere, mainly from the house and how the whole skull possession is handled. Those amount to a lot of scenes here that give off a really creepy air and make the film feel much better than it really is. This is of course masterfully handled by it's absolutely best part, the finale. As a solo confrontation against the floating skull in the basement, there's plenty to like about this one. The action taken by the skull is tons of fun and really inventive, really making it feel creepy as well. There's a couple of really disturbing scenes as well, which is mostly handled by how the skull's action tend to be viewed as a figment of the imagination as well as the way it seems to be something that's actually happening to him. There's a feeling of dread and tension as the battle against each other is really fun and enjoyable, and all the different ideas for battle tactics is what helps that one along. There's also the way the skull looks like here, with it's eerie-grin and demonic expression makes for some incredibly eerie feelings throughout. This is also helped out nicely by the fact that this one has several scenes that are done through the film that are rather nice and actually creative, where it uses the skull's vision to see the action, done through it's eye sockets. It's an impressive technique and works for the sheer creative idea of it as well as the fact that it wasn't done all that much, making it mean more than if it was done all the time. All of these here make this one entertaining.

The Bad News: There wasn't a whole lot to this one that doesn't work. The main thing with this is the film's really stretched-out nature. There's no way this film should be over an hour long, as it feels like the basis for a TV show than a feature film, as there isn't much that can be done with the plot as it stands since it just doesn't have too many interesting scenes beyond whatever happens with the skull, and it resorts to numerous tricks to try to get the running length up. This is mostly evident in the middle of the film, where the police investigation angle takes over. These scenes don't really do much to keep up the excitement level, and they manage to make the film seem a little slow-going in these sequences. Some of them are just plain confusing altogether, as the sequence where he gets questioned by the police, and there's nothing that makes sense about the whole sequence. All of these here are the film's flaws.

The Final Verdict: With some high-quality moments in here that manage to make this one really enjoyable and entertaining, it's an overall fun entry. This is highly recommended to fans of Hammer and Amicus' previous works, as well as those looking for Gothic efforts, though those who don't should seek caution.

Today's Rating-PG: Violence

1814: A scientist called Pierre (Maurice Good) opens the grave of the Marquis De Sade and steals his skull for his research. When he takes it home the skull exerts its occult powers and kills him by tearing his throat out. The story moves forward to contemporary England where old friends Professor Maitland (Peter Cushing), a writer about demonology and Sir Matthew Phillips (Christopher Lee) are attending an auction sale of macabre exhibits. Maitland is surprised when Sir Matthew bids an excessively high sum for four statuettes of the divinities of hell. That night Maitland is visited by the shady Marco (Patrick Wymark) who provides him with material for his research. He sells him a book on the life of De Sade bound in human skin. But on the following night he returns with a human skull, which he claims is that of the Marquis himself. However, he is unable to convince Maitland of its authenticity. Maitland pays Sir Matthew a visit who assures him that it is the real thing as it was stolen from him and that he is glad of it. He warns Maitland about its occult properties, it is possessed by an evil spirit and Sir Matthew bought the statuettes under its influence. Ignoring Sir Matthew's warnings, Maitland becomes obsessed with owning the skull and goes to Marco's room where he finds him dead, his throat torn out. He steals the skull and its evil power immediately manifests itself. First it wills Maitland to steal the statue of Lucifer from Sir Matthew whom he kills in the process and then to stab his wife, Jane (Jill Bennett), to death. However, the crucifix around her neck prevents him from doing so and the skull turns on Maitland instead. The following morning Jane finds her husband dead with his throat torn out.

Oscar-winning Cinematographer turned director Freddie Francis became firmly associated with the British horror boom of the sixties somewhat reluctantly. Indeed he was all too often handed inferior material to work on and the lacklustre direction he gave to those films clearly showed his disinterest. But his better genre work revealed him to be as talented a director as he was a cameraman. Those handful of pictures strongly suggested a film maker who would have achieved the same degree of acclaim as a director that he did as a Cinematograopher had he been able to diversify away from horror into other subjects.

The Skull, which was made for Amicus for whom Francis directed their noted portmanteau horror films, Dr Terror's House Of Horrors (1965) and Torture Garden (1967) certainly ranks among these and Francis' much praised visual style is evident throughout the movie. The thing that most people remember about The Skull is the point-of-view shots used to heighten the presence of the skull's malevolent spirit. These were achieved by a skull mask being fixed on to the lens of a hand held camera, which was operated by Francis wearing roller skates and being pushed along the set by the prop men to give the impression of Cushing being attacked by the skull. The final scene also has the camera shooting through the skull's eye sockets as the police (Nigel Green and Patrick Magee) discuss the possible cause of Cushing's bloody demise. "Some sort of witchcraft" suggests Magee. "No not nowadays" replies Green and it is clear that the evil spirit is watching them as if saying "That's what you think fools!" Other splendid visual touches include flashing blobs of light on the walls of Cushing's study and an hourglass, which turns of its own accord with the sand beginning to fill the bottom glass as an indication of a victim's imminent doom at the hand of the skull. Amazingly although the film is now forty-six years old, the special effects work still looks reasonable since the wires are cleverly disguised (most of the time although you can briefly glimpse them in a close up of the floating skull at the climax) in the shots where the skull is floating through the air, which must have posed a tremendous challenge for the filmmakers at the time. Bill Constable's set design is impressive especially Cushing's study decked out with Gothic figurines. John Wilcox's colour Cinemascope camera-work and Elizabeth Luyens' eerie score all combine to give the proceedings a genuinely creepy atmosphere. What The Skull lacks in graphic violence is more than made up for by mood and atmosphere. Other moments to enjoy include an effective nightmare sequence in which Cushing held at gunpoint in a phony courtroom and forced to put three pistols in turn to his temple and pull the trigger. Great suspense here that will have you on the edge of your seat!

There are excellent performances throughout with Cushing on fine form as Maitland whose curiosity and fascination with the occult ultimately brings about his own destruction. Christopher Lee also offers an excellent turn as Sir Matthew Phillips even though is role is little more than a supporting part. He is especially good in the auction room sequence where he manages to look genuinely possessed as he bids for the statuettes of the divinities of hell under the skull's influence. In addition, Patrick Wymark is also noteworthy as the shady and somewhat sinister Marco.

All in all, The Skull emerges as a minor but effective little horror film that relies on mood and atmosphere for its thrills rather than explicit violence and is all the better for it. It surely deserves a DVD release which is long overdue.

Plays on the imagination of the viewer with some psychological suspense and terror. Peter Cushing is good in the role of Dr. Maitland. Its too bad that Christopher Lee does not have a much more substantial role in The Skull(1965). The Skull(1965) is a chilling feature that is based on the Robert Bloch short story, THE SKULL OF THE MARQUIS DE SADE. The direction by Freddie Francis is one of his most skillful in a non Hammer motion picture. Nigel Green and Patrick Magee do a fine job in their supporting roles.

"The Skull" definitely isn't on par with the other contemporary Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee pairings, from Hammer or Amicus or whatever other production studios, but it nevertheless remains an interesting and worthwhile slice of 60's Brit-horror. Freddie Francis was always one of the most gifted horror directors in Britain and provides the film with a continuously gloomy and sinister atmosphere. Moreover, he was an even more gifted cinematographer and assures a large number of inventive shots (like, for example, a point of view from inside the skull), while the always reliable Peter Cushing gives away a marvelous lead performance. However, the film specifically struggles with two major shortcomings, namely a) the fact that the script is based on a short story (by Robert Bloch) and it's not exactly fit for a long-feature film and b) the absence of an actual evil villain/monster of flesh and blood. Cushing depicts an avid collector of occult objects who obtains – illegally – the skull of the one and only Marquis de Sade. Fellow collector and former owner of the skull Christopher Lee attempts to warn his colleague about the mysterious and psychedelic forces homing inside the Marquis' skull, but naturally he doesn't listen. During the first two nights of the next new moon, however, he dramatically learns that the skull turns its owner into a helpless murder-committing marionette. I haven't read Bloch's short story, but I presume something went wrong during the processing into a movie screenplay, as there a few too many dull moments and a lack of clarity regarding the skull's incredible powers. The intro, a certain dream sequence and a few flashbacks are extraordinary (what is it with the English and foggy cemeteries). The climax is rather silly instead of frightening, with the skull floating around with the help of clearly noticeable strings as well as grotesque camera gestures and color patterns. Cushing and Lee obviously steal the show, but keep also an eye open for two genuine British cult heroes in minuscule roles: Michael Gough ("Horror Hospital") and Patrick Magee ("A Clockwork Orange").

The Skull is directed by Freddie Francis and adapted to screenplay by Milton Subotsky from the short story The Skull of the Marquis de Sade written by Robert Bloch. A Technicolor/Techniscope production, it stars Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Jill Bennett and Patrick Wymark. Music is scored by Elisabeth Lutyens and cinematography by John Wilcox.

When collector of occult artifacts Christopher Maitland (Cushing) acquires the Skull of the Marquis de Sade, he gets more than he bargained for.......

Out of Amicus Productions, The Skull represents one of the more successful ventures for the studio away from the portmanteau formula they would become regarded for. That's not to say it's without problems, because it is far from flawless, but with Francis casting an ethereal sheen over the production, the film does hold tight as a 60s Gothic chiller of some worth. Actually it's one of the rare films that is reviewed quite accurately by the majority of writers who have written about it. Most agree that the material isn't quite up to being stretched to a feature length film, the long passages of silence in the story proving to be a necessity rather than a creepy tactic by the makers. The string work effects are cheesy, Lee is underused and the rest of the cast away from Cushing are thinly drawn. But it does overcome its flaws.

There are a number of great things within the picture. The use of Skull-Cam that gives us POV from inside the skull itself, works really well, as does the colour tones that Francis uses whenever the skull is holding court. A set piece involving a character falling through stained glass is very well constructed (good stunt work too), and Lutyens musical score is top draw-nerve jarring stuff. Then there is Cushing himself, forced to react for the most part to nothing more than a prop, he gives much by way of visual acting, totally mesmerising for the near silent last third of the piece. It's a very under valued turn from Cushing as it features a different string to his acting bow.

With shady characters, suspenseful silences (the opening pillaging of de Sade's grave is excellently macabre) and visual treats aplenty, The Skull is well worth checking out. 7/10

While I am a big fan of British horror films from Amicus and Hammer, this one is certainly not among their better films--mostly because the plot is pretty silly and you must work hard to suspend disbelief to enjoy it and not laugh at some of the plot. But, if you can, you will no doubt find that the film does have a nice spooky atmosphere and could be a bit of fun. Just don't expect a lot from this one.

Professor Maitland (Peter Cushing) is a collector of strange relics. Eventually, some weirdo offers to sell him the skull of the Marquis de Sade--which had been stolen from Christopher Lee. However, when Lee finds out, he isn't angry--telling Cushing he's happy the accursed skull is gone! Lee goes on to tell him that the skull has evil powers and can make you do its bidding. Further, it can even move about by using the powers of Satan! And, soon, all this comes to be. Cushing does indeed have a cursed skull and it makes him have awful dreams and do its evil bidding. Considering he'd been warned and ignored his colleague's entreaties, I say it serves the fool right! Seeing the skull and other things floating about is a bit comical, though I only noticed wires doing this on a rare occasion or two (especially when the book floated about)--so the special effects, for the time, were pretty good. And, the film had excellent creepiness and music. Overall, not great but considering it had Lee AND Cushing, then it can't be all bad.

Oddly, it says on IMDb that the family of the Marguis (who died around the turn of the 18th century) threatened legal action concerning the use of the guy's name in print ads. What the heck?! It's not like they were trying to defend the name of de Sade, where they?! His name is where they derived the term "sadism" due to his very sick behaviors (rape, torture and the like--he really was a horrible and evil troll of a man despite what any movie might say--research him and you'll find out what I mean). And they had the nerve to sue?!?! What's next? Will Hitler's family sue because WWII documentaries cast HIM in a bad light?!?!

The skull of the Marquis De Sade, imbued with demonic powers, is removed from his grave by a phrenologist with an obsessive curiosity regarding the notorious writer's sanity. This skull has the ability to mind control individuals, often resulting in death to others. The film introduces us to researcher and artifact collector Dr. Christopher Maitland(Peter Cushing)who often writes about(..and has a distinct fascination with)the occult, as his interests lie in studying his collection, a vast cornucopia of objects, antiques & books, hoping to unlock the secrets of the unknown. When a fellow colleague, whose sole interests in the occult are to make a hefty sum from collectors such as Maitland, offers him a chance to retrieve the possession of the Marquis De Sade's skull, it's hard to refuse. Maitland later discovers that his fellow occult collector, Sir Matthew Phillips(Christopher Lee, billed here as a guest star, when in fact he has one of the strongest, albeit despite a small amount of time on screen, roles in the film)once had the skull, but it was stolen by Anthony Marco(Patrick Wymark)the very one who wishes to sell it to him. But, Phillips informs Maitland that he's glad the skull was stolen, telling him of nightmares and the evil control it has over the owner, warning him to stay away from it. But, Maitland shrugs off Phillips's warnings of the skull's danger as superstitious mumbo jumbo, and discovers for himself how all too real this evil truly is.

Well, I'll say this, Peter Cushing and director Freddie Francis give it everything they have despite a rather hokey premise of a skull having supernatural powers. Cushing displays how his character is unable to resist the powers of the skull's control, with horror and confusion taking over. We see a battle of wills with Cushing's researcher losing almost every time, simply too weak to overcome the evil which slowly takes over his mind. We see how the skull, since the one who once had it was such a sadistic and cruel sort who enjoyed pleasure through pain(..claimed in this film as possibly practicing sorcery, an apprentice for Lucifer)commands those whose minds it takes hold over to kill others nearby. In Maitland's case his wife, with the only thing saving her being a crucifix she wore as a necklace. The Christian iconography is heavily used to establish the oft-used theme of "good vs. evil" against the skull and it's demonic grasp of Maitland. We also see how, if you do not obey what it wishes, the result is grim, as the ending so well tells us. Francis, with the flimsy material that probably wouldn't hold under close scrutiny(..if the skull was so powerful how come it never exited the grave? If De Sade in life was such a sorcerer, how come he died the way he did in a prison? And, where does the power of the skull derive from when all that is left of the one who practiced sorcery is dead?), does what he can through tricks and style. The De Sade book, with binding made of human skin, sold to Maitland by Marco, removes itself from a shelf floating to the table where the skull lies within the "devil's star". The camera P-O-V peering at Maitland through the following eyes of the skull. A key turning on it's own releasing the skull from it's "glass cage". Windows opening on their own with the wind blowing the curtains. A mirror breaking as Maitland walks past. And, Francis sure opens the film with a visual aplomb..a distorted graveyard with a creaky gate as the phrenologist enters the dug grave of De Sade relishing the moment. And, any film which has a bidding war over Satanic artifacts between Cushing and Lee, and the two icons playing pool, works for me! Some great names in the cast have smallish roles such as Nigel Green as an inspector with Patrick Magee as his partner, investigating the violent aftermath of what the skull leaves behind. Michael Gough as an auctioneer. Jill Bennett as Maitland's wife Jane whose life is in danger while she sleeps as her husband grapples with plunging a dagger into her. This is definitely Cushing's film. He has many scenes where it's just his character alone with the skull, attempting unsuccessfully to fight the evil desiring to overtake him. Peter Woodthorpe has a memorable role as the nosy landlord of Marco's, whose poking nose sends him to an early grave.

Probably the film's most bizarre, baffling set-piece is a nightmare where Maitland is forced by cops into a car, led to a strange building with a judge forcing him into putting a gun to his head, before carting him off to a room as a colorful poisonous gas enters through vents.

Based on the Robert Bloch's story "The Skull of the Marquis de Sade", this film really thrills and chills. The Skull is an unassuming title, but this little gem does has a lot to offer on a cold winter afternoon. Peter Cushing stars as Dr. Maitland, a demonologist who comes across the skull after it has been stolen from his friend Christopher Lee. Death or possession has come upon the past owners but Maitland is unconcerned with such superstitions. He must have this occult rarity to add to his large collection. Dr. Maitland has no idea what lies in store for him... I feel that "The Skull" is one of the finest films Cushing and Lee have ever done together, and the best horror film that Freddie Francis has directed. At a glance, one would almost definitely think it is a Hammer film. It was actually made by Amicus, but features such Hammer characteristics as a foggy opening scene portraying grave robbers, occasional bloodletting, a dreary score, and canyons of cleavage. Even by today's standards, The Skull is exciting. Highlights include a very inventive dream sequence, a harsh game of Russian roulette, and the riveting climax. Believe it or not, The Skull even has a few scenes where you tense up expecting someone to jump out and scare you. You don't often see that type of thing in the Hammer/Amicus flicks. The major thing that brings the movie down, though, are the fake-looking scenes where the skull floats in the air to terrorize Dr. Maitland. They could have been done better using shadows or long-distance shots. Also, the "camera inside the skull" scenes looked juvenile and took away some of the film's integrity. Bottom line: definitely worth a viewing. Thanks nm!

I first saw this tasty little horror flick while working nights at McDonald's in 1979. I couldn't ever get used to sleeping during the day, so by mid-afternoon, I was up and rarin' to go! With all this useless information under your belt, accept that I was essentially wide awake in the middle of the night. I turn on the tube--cable in its early years--and watch The Skull on KSTW out of Seattle.

And it scared the Big Mac sauce right out of me!

I watched it again tonight and got the same chills as before. Now, in the grand scheme of horror things, The Skull is going to land right around the TV movie based on Stephen King's Salem's Lot--good fun, no nutritional value, but Freddie Francis crafted a nice, fast, mildly-moralistic movie out of a work by Robert Bloch(?), the author of Psycho. There are lots of familiar, comfort-food faces here--Cushing and Lee and the pudgy bad guy from Where Eagles Dare, plus a small army of British actors we've all seen in a bazillion other movies. It's like having a bunch of regular customers come in for a snack at Mickey Dee's--you know you got them and they have you.

The Skull is the snack. Cushing plays the academician researching devil stuff, and gets the chance to own the skull of the Marquis de Sade (sp???). He, of course, is arrogant enough not to heed the warnings of Lee about all the negative vibes coming off the noggin, so, to make a short story even shorter, (sorry for the following, folks) all hell breaks loose.

By the end of the 83 minutes, the body count is surprisingly low, the Marquis has punished Cushing for not following his orders (an actually passionate and suspenseful moment when Cushing goes to kill Mrs. Cushing and just can't do it; don't worry about the spoiler factor here--you just know he's not going to kill her), the cops are clueless (check the last line of the movie), and viewers from 1965 through 2005 have gotten a tidy little thrill.

Who knew horror movies could be so nice?

Peter Cushing plays a demonologist who collects any items pertaining to the occult, witchcraft, devil worship, etc... This desire for the bizarre leads to his encounter with the skull of none other than the Marquis de Sade himself. This film produced by Amicus has a lot going for it. It has a good story by Robert Bloch as the basis for the script, some fine acting from Peter Cushing in the lead and Patrick Wymark as a disreputable salesman, good character roles by George Coulouris, Patrick Magee, Nigel Green, Michael Gough, and particularly Christopher Lee, some imaginative direction from Freddie Francis, and some very stylish set pieces and costumes. Francis has limited special effects at his disposal, and this is a minor distraction as in one scene you can clearly see wires carrying the skull and a book in the air. Francis also gives in too long I think to some dream sequences and other "are they real or not real" happenings with his camera predominating over long periods of silence. It works well at first, but it does grow stale with repeated use. The story and acting, however, greatly enhance the film and make me give it an easy recommendation.

Peter Cushing (Dr. Christopher Maitland),"Monster Island",'81, gave a great performance as a collector of Horror items and came into contact with the young looking Christopher Lee, (Sir Matthew Phillips),"The Gorgon",'64, who also had a very large collection of strange and mysterious items of murder and devil worship. Sir Matthew had in his possession the SKULL of the famous Marques de Sade, a gentlemen who loved horror and torture and also wrote the "Story of O". The two gentlemen combined their collection and this story becomes a thriller all seen through the very eyes of the SKULL!. This film will keep your eyes glued to the screen through out the entire picture. ENJOY!

The script for The Skull, a 1965 effort from Amicus, reputedly came in at only about 50 minutes screen time, which forced Director Freddie Francis to improvise on set to bump it up to its current 82 mins. It's a splendid little film, however, with an eerie and compelling last 20 minutes, and never loses viewer interest. Atmospheric touches abound, and the skull glides eerily about Peter Cushing's house to great effect!

Amicus fans will be aware of the frequent use of the name "Maitland" in many of their movies, perhaps it was some sort of in-joke. Cushing uses it here. And he gives a splendid performance (as ever) as a collector of occult artifacts slowly drawn under the influence of the skull of the Marquis De Sade no less, which is reputed to be a vessel for occult beings. Christopher Lee has a guest starring role, and quite an effective one; getting belted with a statue of a demon associated with murder is almost black humour.

The movie might be a nice early Halloween view for those who haven't seen it but like old horror movies (as I do - I grew up with em! - Cushing, Lee and Vincent Price were like my Uncles!). There's hardly any gore, and the film currently has a 12 certificate in the UK.

There is a fine supporting cast, Patrick Wymark (Blood on Satan's Claw) Patrick Magee, Peter Woodthorpe and The Goughster! What you might remember best is the wonderful occult props in Cushing's study, Francis using them to frame and even comment on the action,and the gripping nightmare sequence in which Cushing is forced to play Russian Roulette. The only real bugbear is a few shots where strings are obviously used to hold up the Skull as it floats. Presumably budget restrictions taking precedent.

The Skull for me is probably Amicus' most consistent non-anthology film, and it's still pretty scary today.

"The Skull" is good if not great Amicus horror, based on a story by Robert Bloch. Cushing plays Christopher Maitland, a collector of items related to the occult who is presented with a skull that he learns just may belong to the infamous Marquis de Sade. His good friend Sir Matthew Phillips (Sir Christopher Lee) informs him that not only is the skull genuine, but it was stolen from Matthew himself...and that Matthew is only too happy to be rid of it. Christopher does not heed Matthews' warnings to dispose of the thing, and pays a big price for his obsession with it, as there is apparently some sort of evil spirit residing within that wields a powerful influence over him.

Noted cinematographer and director Freddie Francis is at the helm of a movie that admittedly gets padded out a bit much with sequences where one has to wonder if the events are real or imagined. Nevertheless, they do have a creepy quality, especially when Christopher is made to play Russian roulette by a strange "judge" (Frank Forsyth). The special effects aren't terribly convincing, as we are able to see the wires pulling the skull along, but clearly Francis wants to go more for mood and atmosphere, and succeeds when focusing on the terror of the characters. We do see a little blood but not much else in terms of physical violence. The final segment, practically a one man show with a terrified Cushing struggling to withstand the evil influence of the skull, isn't bad if somewhat protracted.

The actor does a solid job in the lead, with able support from frequent co-star Lee and Patrick Wymark as the shady Marco; Peter Woodthorpe is amusing as the suspicious landlord. However, much of the rest of the cast is under utilized, including Michael Gough as an auctioneer, Patrick Magee as a police surgeon, Jill Bennett as Maitlands' wife, and Nigel Green as the inspector.

Still, "The Skull" is a reasonably fun, eerie film, that does have its moments, beginning and ending fairly well and entertaining enough to watch.

Seven out of 10.

The entire point of this review is that Peter Cushing in a movie can do no wrong. He can take the stupidest script and make it sound believable. From skulls to finger bones to Van Helsing he was always on the mark. The world of film and the world at large is poorer for his passing in 1994. I have tried to collect his films but there are so many that it is hard to find new quality DVD transfers of all of them.

I have heard many people talk about him, from Christopher Lee to unknown co-stars. Not one had anything to say except what a loving and giving person he was. Not a soul I have heard has a bad memory of him. There is a worthwhile documentary called "Fanex Films - Hammer Films" where many people who worked with him are interviewed and speak at length.

"The Skull" is an atmospheric--if somewhat monotonous--vehicle for Peter Cushing, the Gentleman of British Horror and my favorite star of fright films. He plays a collector of occult objects whose shady, unscrupulous dealer (Patrick Wymark) offers to sell him the ultimate rarity: the skull of the Marquis de Sade. Naturally, Cushing is unable to resist...but he soon realizes that something within the skull is still very much alive, and exerting a murderous influence over him. Director Freddie Francis surrounds Cushing with an exceptionally able supporting cast (including Christopher Lee as a fellow collector of oddities and Michael Gough as an auctioneer), but pacing is a major problem in this film: there are lengthy, dialogue-free stretches during which the viewer will find his attention wandering. This renders "The Skull" less than entirely effective as a horror flick, but the tense, disturbing dream sequence midway through makes it worth seeing. Terrific off-kilter cinematography by John Wilcox, and a nail-biting Elisabeth Lutyens score. Six and a half stars.