The Skull *** (1965, Peter Cushing, Patrick Wymark, Christopher Lee, Jill Bennett) – Classic Movie Review 3104

Director Freddie Francis’s 1965 Amicus horror thriller stars Peter Cushing as a professor who wants to acquire the Marquis de Sade’s skull from an eccentric dealer (Patrick Wymark). Christopher Lee also stars as Cushing’s antiquarian collector friend, who has given him a dire warning about its terrible powers. Alas Cushing does not heed the warning and he hallucinates and tries to stab his wife (Jill Bennett).

Strong performances lift some sub-standard writing in the screenplay by Amicus producer Milton Subotsky for Francis’s film, based on a foolish but eerie story by Robert Bloch (Psycho).

There are some very good moments in this nifty little chiller and there is also plenty of panache in the direction, while the evocative sets and cinematographer John Wilcox’s darting camerawork contribute to a satisfyingly creepy atmosphere.

The film’s original title was that of the story, The Skull of the Marquis de Sade, but had to be changed when the Marquis’s descendants complained. It runs 89 minutes but the cut version runs at 83 minutes.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 3104

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