The Skull (1965)

Director:

Freddie Francis

Writers:

Robert Bloch (story)
Milton Subotsky (writer)

Release Date:

25 August 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

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.

Plot Keywords:

Skull | Marquis De Sade | Collector | Nightmare | Doctor

Cast

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
Jack Silk	...	Driver
Christopher Lee	...	Sir Matthew Phillips

Directed by
Freddie Francis

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Robert Bloch		story "The skull of the Marquis de Sade"
Milton Subotsky		writer

Produced by
Max Rosenberg	....	producer (as Max J. Rosenberg)
Milton Subotsky	....	producer

Original Music by
Elisabeth Lutyens

Cinematography by
John Wilcox

Film Editing by
Oswald Hafenrichter

Art Direction by
Bill Constable

Set Decoration by
Scott Slimon

Makeup Department
Jill Carpenter	....	makeup artist
Henry Montsash	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Ted Lloyd	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Anthony Waye	....	assistant director

Art Department
Bill Waldron	....	construction manager

Sound Department
Buster Ambler	....	sound recordist
John Cox	....	sound supervisor
Tom Priestley	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Ted Samuels	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
David Harcourt	....	camera operator
Ray Jones	....	camera grip
Maurice Gillett	....	supervising electrician (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jackie Cummins	....	wardrobe supervisor

Music Department
Philip Martell	....	conductor

Other crew
Pamela Davies	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Amicus Productions

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1965) (USA) (theatrical)
• Legend Films (2008) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

83 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

Norway:16 | UK:X | Finland:(Banned) | Finland:K-16 (re-rating) | France:-12 | Sweden:15

Company:

Amicus Productions

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.

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.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Pierre: What are you doing here?
French Girl: Aren't you pleased to see me?

Movie Connections:

Edited into Out of this World Super Shock Show (2007) (V)

Amicus,Christopher Lee & Peter Cushing at their best.

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.