The Skulls (2000)

Director:

Rob Cohen

Writer (WGA):

John Pogue (written by)

Release Date:

31 March 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

A secret society so powerful, it can give you everything you desire... at a price.

Plot:

Luke McNamara, a college senior from a working class background joins a secret elitist college fraternity organization called "The Skulls"...

Plot Keywords:

College | Ivy League | Secret Society | Suicide | Friend

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Joshua Jackson	...	Lucas "Luke" McNamara
Paul Walker	...	Caleb Mandrake
Hill Harper	...	Will Beckford
Leslie Bibb	...	Chloe Whitfield
Christopher McDonald	...	Martin Lombard
Steve Harris	...	Detective Sparrow
William Petersen	...	Ames Levritt
Craig T. Nelson	...	Litten Mandrake
David Asman	...	Jason Pitcairn
Scott Gibson	...	Travis Wheeler
Nigel Bennett	...	Dr. Rupert Whitney
Andrew Kraulis	...	McBride
Derek Aasland	...	Sullivan
Jennifer Melino	...	J.J.
Noah Danby	...	Hugh Mauberson
Mac Fyfe	...	Laurence Thorne (as Mak Fyfe)
David Christo	...	Shawn Packford
Shaw Madson	...	Chad MacIntosh
Jesse Nilsson	...	Kent Hodgins
Shawn Mathieson	...	Jonathan Payne
Steven McCarthy	...	Sweeney
Matthew G. Taylor	...	Medoc (as Matt Taylor)
Henry Alessandroni	...	Strain
James Finnerty	...	Preppy Freshman
Cyprian Lerch	...	Student in Lunch Line
Dominic Kahn	...	Regatta Judge
Ken Campbell	...	Starting Judge
Pedro Salvín	...	Lodge Butler (as Pedro Salvin)
Derek Boyes	...	Assistant District Attorney
Katherine Trowell	...	Sanctuary Administrator
Connie Buell	...	Waitress
Stephen Richard	...	Furniture Mover (as Steve Richard)
Kevin Allen	...	Sturtevant Security Guard
Paul Walker III	...	Boxing Coach
Jason Knight	...	Police Techie
Amanda Goundry	...	Coed in Caleb's Car
Malin Akerman	...	Coed in Caleb's Apartment
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Larry Beatie	...	Rower (uncredited)
Rob Cohen	...	College Lecturer (uncredited)
Jonathan Khan	...	George (uncredited)
Gillian Parker	...	Coxie (uncredited)
Weir Revie	...	Student in Cafeteria Line (uncredited)

Directed by
Rob Cohen

Writing credits (WGA)
John Pogue		(written by)

Produced by
Christopher Ball	....	executive producer (as Chris J. Ball)
Creighton Bellinger	....	associate producer
Fred C. Caruso	....	co-producer (as Fred Caruso)
Nancy Kirhoffer	....	associate producer
Bruce Mellon	....	executive producer
Neal H. Moritz	....	producer
John Pogue	....	producer
William Tyrer	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Randy Edelman

Cinematography by
Shane Hurlbut		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Peter Amundson

Casting by
Anne McCarthy
Mary Vernieu

Production Design by
Bob Ziembicki

Art Direction by
Peter Grundy

Set Decoration by
Steve Shewchuk
Clive Thomasson

Costume Design by
Marie-Sylvie Deveau

Makeup Department
Kelly M. Beatty	....	prosthetic supply
Kelly M. Beatty	....	special makeup effects artist
Carol Marinoff	....	key hair stylist
Leslie Ann Sebert	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Lyn Lucibello	....	production manager
Robert Rothbard	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Harley Cohen	....	assistant director
Charles Crossin	....	second assistant director
Adam Druxman	....	first assistant director
Yolanda Graci	....	assistant director
Grant Lucibello	....	second assistant director
Tony Lucibello	....	first assistant director
David C. Malcolm	....	third assistant director
Michal Page	....	third assistant director
John Pogue	....	second unit director
Branko Racki	....	second unit director

Art Department
Sarah Ashton	....	construction bookkeeper
Tory Bellingham	....	property master
Rupert Lazarus	....	first assistant art director
Neil Morfitt	....	set designer
Mark O'Donoghue	....	carpenter
Jeff Poulis	....	assistant property master
Reet Puhm	....	key scenic artist
Robert S. Smith	....	carpenter
Phillip Tellez	....	construction coordinator
Shawn Thomas	....	graphic designer

Sound Department
David Franklin Bergad	....	sound editor
Leslie Bloom	....	sound effects editor
Michael C. Casper	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bell Dave	....	cable person
Christopher Emerson	....	sound effects editor
Glen Gauthier	....	production sound mixer
Jeff Gomillion	....	adr mixer
Daniel J. Leahy	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Nutt	....	supervising sound editor
Jack Snyder	....	sound engineer
Steve Switzer	....	boom operator
Matthew Spiro	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Trevor Cripps	....	special effects technician
Alexander Galant	....	special effects assistant
Bob Hall	....	key special effects
Warren Keillor	....	special effects
Ted Ross	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Syd Dutton	....	visual effects supervisor
Kelvin McIlwain	....	matte artist
Kenneth Nakada	....	matte artist: Illusion Arts
Bill Taylor	....	visual effects supervisor

Stunts
Ron Bell	....	stunts
Marco Bianco	....	key stunt rigger
Marco Bianco	....	stunts
Matt Birman	....	stunts
Eric Bryson	....	stunts
Shane Cardwell	....	stunts
Wayne Downer	....	stunts
C.J. Fidler	....	stunts
Errol Gee	....	stunts (as Errol G.)
Howard Green	....	stunts
Danny Lima	....	stunts
Dwayne McLean	....	stunts
Duncan McLeod	....	stunt double: Paul Walker
Kevin Monaco	....	stunt performer
Edward A. Queffelec	....	stunts (as Ed Queffelec)
Ken Quinn	....	stunts
Branko Racki	....	stunt coordinator
Branko Racki	....	stunts
Robert Racki	....	stunts
Kevin Rushton	....	stunts
Robert C. Shannon	....	dive supervisor
John Stoneham Jr.	....	stunts
Bryan Thomas	....	stunt double
Bryan Thomas	....	stunts
Robert Thomas	....	stunts
Tye Tyukodi	....	stunts (as Anton Tyukodi)
Jennifer Vey	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Abby Anderson	....	video assist
Michelle Beaudette	....	first assistant camera
Andy Chmura	....	camera operator
Wayne Goodchild	....	key grip
Jim Krauter	....	dolly grip
Andy Langevin	....	rigging gaffer
Mark Lewandowski	....	video assist operator
Keith Murphy	....	Steadicam operator
Keith Murphy	....	camera operator
Kris Wood	....	video playback operator

Casting Department
Krisztina M. Neglia	....	extras casting (as Krisztina Meuring)
Alex Newman	....	casting associate
Rachael Erwin	....	casting intern (uncredited)
Chris Parson	....	casting intern (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Natalie Bronfman	....	costume assistant
Gayle Franklin	....	costume assistant
Gayle Franklin	....	costume buyer
Linda Petty	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Luke Borghi	....	assistant editor
Jim Flynn	....	assistant editor
Jana Lynn Gold	....	assistant editor
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Michael Matsumoto	....	post-production assistant
Mike Stanwick	....	color timer

Music Department
Elton Ahi	....	scoring engineer
Joanie Diener	....	music editor
Michelle Kuznetsky	....	music supervisor
Steve Porcaro	....	composer: additional music
Mary Ramos	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Robert Tenaglia	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Elizabeth A. Bergman	....	post-production accountant
Anthony Carovillano	....	key craft service
Arthur Clarke	....	location manager
Sean Coyne	....	on-set craft
Bennett Fidlow	....	additional legal services
Daniel Horvat	....	first assistant production accountant
Stephanie Keating	....	unit publicist
Marcus Paletta	....	security officer
Angelo Vacco	....	adr loop group
Tanya Valentine	....	development assistant
Randee Lynne Jensen	....	creative assistant (uncredited)
Derek Ursacki	....	office assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
David C. Malcolm	....	the producers wish to thank

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures (presents)
• Original Film (in association with) (presents)
• Newmarket Capital Group (in association with) (presents)
• Cranium Films

Distributors

• Eurocine (2000) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Filmes Lusomundo (2000) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Keyfilms Roma (2000) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Kinowelt Filmverleih (2000) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Kinowelt Hungary (2000) (Hungary) (theatrical)
• Laurenfilm (2000) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Paradiso Entertainment (2000) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (2000) (USA) (theatrical)
• UGC-Fox Distribution (UFD) (2000) (France) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2000) (UK) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2001) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Village Roadshow Greece S.A. (2000) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2000) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Warner Roadshow Film Distributors (2000) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2001) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (200?) (Greece) (VHS)
• Europa Filmes (200?) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Europa Filmes (200?) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD) (collector's edition)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Veronica (2004) (Netherlands) (TV)

Other Companies

• Decca Records  soundtrack
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Picture Mill, The  main title design
• Summit Entertainment  foreign sales
• William F. White International  grip and lighting equipment

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for violence and brief sexuality

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Chile:14 | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-14 | France:U | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | New Zealand:M | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #37120) | Singapore:PG | Iceland:12 | South Korea:15

Filming Locations:

Belfountain, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

A single person boat used for rowing is called a scull, pronounced the same as "skull".

Goofs:

Continuity: In the first classroom scene, the overhead shots show Luke sitting at a table with one girl sitting on his left. Another woman is sitting at the head of the table. In the eyelevel shots of Luke from the teacher's viewpoint, the woman from the head of the table has shifted position to become a second woman on Luke's left.

Quotes:

Caleb Mandrake:You've been digging, Luke, and if you keep digging, you'll be digging your own grave.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Secret Things (2002)

Soundtrack:

Higher

Interesting premise, poor presentation

Though it poses a good moral dilemma, `Skulls' is presented in such an implausible way as to render it crippled at birth. Luke McNamara is a small town boy of modest means attending an Ivy League institution that is never really named but is obviously Yale. He is hoping to be called for membership into the Skulls, a secret society of great status and power. Members of this society have the doors of power, wealth and influence thrown wide to them. This is a dream come true for Luke, who spends much of his time fretting over the hundreds of thousands in student loans he is incurring. When he discovers that one of the members has committed a felony, he is torn between his desire for wealth, his loyalty to a friend, and his conscience.

Writer John Pogue (`U.S. Marshals') has conjured up a good moralistic tale, but it is so full of ridiculous premises that it becomes laughable. This is supposed to be a secret society where other than the members themselves, no one knows who the members are. Yet, Pogue and director Rob Cohen present it in such a way that they may as well be advertising their identities on TV. The building where the secret meetings take place is prominently marked with a Skull, and only members have keys to the building. So, Duh, anyone seen entering the building must be a Skull. New members get brand new $50,000 automobiles and $100,000 in cash, as if no one will notice this sudden burst of good fortune. The new members are branded on their wrist and we are supposed to believe that they will never be seen by anyone without their wristwatch on. The list of inconceivability goes on ad nauseam.

The acting is generally quite good. Joshua Jackson (`Cruel Intentions', `Urban Legend') is excellent as Luke. He plays the part with just the right combination of idealistic zeal and moral grounding. He gets great support from Paul Walker (`She's All That', `Varsity Blues') as Caleb Mandrake, the spoiled rich kid trying to step out of his father's shadow. Craig T. Nelson gives a wonderfully nefarious performance as the chairman of the Skulls and Caleb's father.

Maybe secret societies exist, and maybe they don't. The fact that no one is sure indicates that if they are more than mere myths, they are a lot more secret than depicted here. I rated this film a 6/10. It is an interesting idea that loses credibility in the telling.