IMDb >
The Skull (1965)
Watch It
Buy it at Amazon
Rent it at Blockbuster.com
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
BETA
Discuss in Boards More at IMDb Pro Add to My Movies Update Data
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage boardPlot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotesFun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDeskPromotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsThe Skull (1965) More at IMDbPro »
Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
25 August 1965 (USA)
more
Tagline:
When the Skull strikes you'll Scream!
Plot:
A collector comes into possession of the skull of the Marquis de Sade and learns it is possessed by an evil spirit. full summary | add synopsis
User Comments:
THE SKULL (Freddie Francis, 1965) ***
more (23 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Peter Cushing | ... | Dr. Christopher Maitland | |
| Patrick Wymark | ... | Anthony Marco | |
| Jill Bennett | ... | Jane Maitland | |
| Nigel Green | ... | Inspector Wilson | |
| Patrick Magee | ... | Police Surgeon | |
| Peter Woodthorpe | ... | Bert Travers, Marco's Landlord | |
| Michael Gough | ... | Auctioneer | |
| George Coulouris | ... | Dr. Londe | |
| April Olrich | ... | French Girl | |
| Maurice Good | ... | Pierre, Phrenologist | |
| Anna Palk | ... | Maid | |
| Frank Forsyth | ... | Judge | |
| Paul Stockman | ... | First Guard | |
| Geoffrey Cheshire | ... | Second Guard | |
| George Hilsdon | ... | Policeman |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
83 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound Recording)
Certification:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
The heirs of Donatien Alphonse François de Sade pressed charges to prevent any use of his name on the advertising material. The changes on posters and lobby-cards were made at the very last minute by sticking the new title "Le Crâne Maléfique" (meaning "The Evil Skull") on top of the former, "Les forfaits du Marquis de Sade" (meaning "the Infamies of Marquis de Sade"). Only on that condition the film could finally be released in the French territory.
more
Goofs:
Continuity: The table seen at the very end of the film that the skull sits on is different from the table it is on through the rest of the movie. The table seen in the ending has no pattern, just horizontal wood grains. The table seen earlier has a pattern of hexagons.
more
Quotes:
Movie Connections:
Edited into Out of this World Super Shock Show (2007) (V)
more
FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (23 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Skull (1965) moreRecommendations
If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
Show more recommendations
|
|
|
|
|
| The City of the Dead | Tales of Terror | Karakter | The Legend of Hell House | La terza madre |
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| IMDb Horror section | IMDb UK section | Add this title to MyMovies |

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