THE SKULL (1965)

Amicus, one of Hammer Films' chief rivals in the production of horror movies in the 1960's, combined the considerable talents of director Freddie Francis with that dynamic acting duo, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, to create THE SKULL. The result was a work of art that can be called a prime example of Gothic horror. 

The screenplay, by Milton Subotsky, is based on Robert Bloch's short story The Skull of the Marquis de Sade. The era is the 19th century. Cushing plays writer Christopher Maitland, whose main interest is the occult. He has a large collection of occult artworks. One of his sources for antiques is Marco (Patrick Wymark), a less than honest dealer. Marco brings him the skull of the notorious Marquis de Sade. Maitland is strongly drawn to the strange object. He learns that his friend and fellow collector Sir Matthew Phillips (Christopher Lee) once owned the skull, but it was stolen from him. Phillips warns Maitland to get rid of the thing, as it is possessed by demonic powers. Maitland comes under the skull's power, leading him to his destruction.

There is so much to praise here. THE SKULL is a compelling and frightening meditation on the nature of evil and packs quite a bit of tension and atmosphere into its relatively brief 83 minute running time. The art design, the cinematography, and the musical score all work together to provide what may be called the typical ambience of so many Gothic horror films of the era. But this film is executed in such a superior manner that it can almost be regarded as a celebration of, a study of, the Gothic horror genre itself.

Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee

The performances are all excellent. Peter Cushing has done possibly his best work here. Much of his acting is done with no dialogue, so he has to convey the spiritual and mental degradation of his character with gestures and facial expressions, as if he were in a silent picture. Christopher Lee is as convincing and compelling as always in his supporting role. Patrick Wymark threatens to steal the picture with his nuanced portrayal of the crooked, creepy antique dealer who brings the accursed skull into Maitland's life. Also in the cast are Nigel Green, Patrick Magee, Michael Gough, and George Coulouris. Jill Bennett manages to stand out in her brief screen time as Maitland's wife.