The Skull

1965

1h 23m

IMDb RATING

6.0/10

106

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2 Videos

23 Images

Horror

Thriller

An occult investigator buys the 150-year-old skull of the Marquis de Sade, which turns out to be possessed by evil spirits.

Directors

Freddie Francis

Writers

Robert Bloch(story by)

Milton Subotsky(screenplay by)

Robert Bloch(writer by)

Stars

Peter Cushing

Christopher Lee

Patrick Wymark

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Videos2

Trailer
Watch IL TESCHIO MALEDETTO (1965) Con Peter Cushing - Trailer Originale
Featurette
Watch Joe Dante on THE SKULL

Top cast

Peter Cushing

Dr. Christopher Maitland

Sir Matthew Phillips

Anthony Marco

Jane Maitland

Bert Travers, Marco's Landlord

Inspector Wilson

French Girl

Dr. Londe

Pierre, Phrenologist

Police Surgeon

Judge

Auctioneer

Maid

First Guard

Second Guard

Policeman

Driver

Auction Attendee (uncredited)

Directors

Freddie Francis

Writers

Robert Bloch(story by)

Milton Subotsky(screenplay by)

Robert Bloch(writer by)

All cast & crew

Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

When Christopher Lee tells you to leave well alone, well you should - even if you are Peter Cushing! The latter is "Maitland" who is offered a gruesome artefact by his rather dubious supplier "Marco" (Patrick Wymark) and when he mentions it to his collecting rival "Sir Matthew" (Lee) he is told that this was recently pinched from him and well, he decides to ignore the advice. It doesn't take him very long before he rues that decision. This skull belongs to the Marquis de Sade and his spirit is looking to continue to cause as much mischief as he can! To those ends, it can take over the minds of those close to it and manipulate their behaviour to do his will. Can the sceptical "Maitland" do what generations of his forebears have failed to do and thwart this malevolent force? This is one of my favourite Hammer horrors with plenty of accumulating menace; some clever photography - often from the skull's POV, it's hauntingly scored and the denouement isn't what I ever remember to expect after a fun eighty minutes of pure cinematic evil. It spares us the usual ketchup gimmickry and uses a little more psychology to fo the scaring, and I think it works quite well.

Geronimo196718 Jan, 2025