The Skull (1965) review. Amicus, Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee

Ill watch

A very, very fine review/discussion in your ever-growing collection of very, very fine reviews/discussions. :-)

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I haven't seen The Skull either, but I will now after your fine review. Thank you!

End of the working week and grumpy does another comprehensive analyisis/review of a movie gem ( set design!!!!) great stuff Andrew. What a thought! a series of Marquis De Sade themed movie ( NOT Salo ) reviews. For my money the 2018 remake of Suspiria owed a lot to De Sade especially that Phantasmogoric finale. have a good weekend mate.

OH another one that I haven't seen yet! Frustrating, fascinating, a let down and a hidden gem! haha. I must say I like these movies where Cushing and Lee work together and aren't adversaries, will have to check this one out, and add it to the October watch list

all these movies of amicus were filmed down the road to me! I live right next to the location. The Asylum mansion is walking distance from me.

Very enjoyable review! Thanks for your insights and expertise.

I caught this on Netflix a couple years ago. It was ok, far from one of my favourite Cushing & Lee films though.

Brilliant review Andrew.Peter Cushing is just amazing in this..well in anything he's in.
Thanks for doing the review.

'The Skull' is scary, because you can't pin the movie down. All you are sure of is that, in acquiring the skull, Maitland has condemned himself to a very unpleasant fate. All his terrible nightmares are sadistic images generated by the skull, pushing him further and further towards the abyss. The nightmarish court scene stayed in my mind for weeks after first watching the movie. I love it.

I was never a big fan of Hammer or Amicus, but I always liked this one. It's a cut above, imo.

I'm not surprised to hear that the source material was so short, as I watched the film last night and felt that it would've worked better as a segment in an anthology. I also felt that the "explanation" regarding de Sade etc. were unnecessary, although I suppose they helped with the running time!

Although the material didn't entirely justify itself as the basis for a feature-length film, stripping out the back story and focusing much more on Cushing's experience could've resulted in a stronger (or at least more interesting) movie. They clearly had the budget to achieve what was needed, but it sounds like time was the real enemy for the production team.

Anyway, a curiosity, and thanks for your review.

Subscribed for 2 reasons. 1. You actually posted a review of an obscure masterpiece and 2. You conveyed your critique in a knowledgeable and passionate oration

Hissssss!!! I found another Horror channel!

A fine and intelligent review, thank you.

Great review! Very insightful 👍

Enjoy your reviews a lot! Super job! ......This is a great film. Peter Cushing is totally amazing! The fact he could carry the film with no dialogue for the last 20 minutes is incredible. I agree the score helps the fear factor...I wish Lee and Cushing in the 60's had done even more films together before the cheesy 70's films where the scripts and sets were far below their talents.

In an interview late in his life, Freddy Francis told a wonderful story about another facet of Peter Cushing's amazing talent. Working together on "The Creeping Flesh", it came time to shoot the scene where Cushing's scientist character has to explain his theory behind the bizarre events. Freddy hated the script and apologized to Peter for the fact that he had to say the biggest load of rubbish he had ever read. Peter told him "not to worry, I'm used to it." They shoot the scene and Peter nails it in one take. Peter looks over and sees Freddy with a stupefied look on his face. Peter asked Freddy "Was it that bad ?" Freddy replied- "No, I'm stunned. I completely believed every word that came out of your mouth and couldn't wait to hear what you were going to say next. Is it any wonder Peter Cushing was loved and respected by all ?

i love this film ! its truly one of peter cushing's best and the supporting actors are great ! the story is a bit out there but peter cushing makes it all just right what a great actor he was

You talk very eloquently about this film .I hope it prompts attention to those who have yet to have the pleasure...

Liz Lutyens atonal score is a masterpiece of raising the tension (although I definitely agree the use of the tonal organ music in relation to sightings of the cross a tad obvious and crude)..In fact her work here is very much in tandem with her score in Dr Terror's House of Horrors

Honourable mention too for actor Patrick Wymark as Marco....One of many small almost insignificant but beautifully conceived moments occurs in one scene as he walks along the road to Maitland's house...He passes a church in long shot that has one of those typical bill boards outside proclaiming some religious banality...He slightly smirks in amusement at it...A tiny moment that I have never forgotten...This film is full of them...👍🙂👍

Saw this when I was 8 years old in 1975 at a friends house on a 13 inch black and white tv late at night. Scared the crap out of me in a good way.