The Skull

Plot synopsis:
In the 1800s, Pierre, a phrenologist (Maurice Good), robs the grave of the recently buried Marquis de Sade. He takes the Marquis' severed head and sets about boiling it to remove its flesh, leaving the skull. Before the task is done, Pierre meets an unseen and horrific death.
In modern-day London, Christopher Maitland (Cushing), a collector and writer on the occult, is offered the skull by Marco (Wymark), an unscrupulous dealer in antiques and curiosities. Maitland learns that the skull has been stolen from Sir Matthew Phillips (Lee), a friend and fellow collector. Sir Matthew, however, does not want to recover it, having escaped its evil influence. He warns Maitland of its powers. At his sleazy lodgings, Marco dies in mysterious circumstances. Maitland finds his body and takes possession of the skull. He in turns falls victim as the skull drives him to hallucinations, madness and death.

Tags: psychedelic, flashback

Review:
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.
Amicus may be better known for their omnibus films, and indeed this story does feel a little stretched over its 85 minute running time, but in spite of that; The Skull is undoubtedly one of the studio's better feature length efforts.
Christopher Maitland is a collector of rare and occult items, and when his supplier; the dodgy Anthony Marco brings a skull to him one day; he is interested because it once belonged to the Marquis de Sade.
But he finds to his peril that skull is dangerous, as it leads its owner to kill...Freddie Francis directed a number of films for both the big British studios, Hammer and Amicus, and it's not hard to see why he often gets hired as the quality of his direction is not too far behind heavyweights Terence Fisher and Roy Ward Baker.
He's got a good creative partner in novelist Robert Bloch, who wrote the story 'The Skull of the Marquis de Sade', upon which this film is based - as well as the far better known novel 'Psycho'.
This film doesn't feature a career best performance from either horror heavyweight, but Peter Cushing fits his role as the occult collector brilliantly, while Christopher Lee delivers his usual forceful, scene-stealing, method of acting.
But the movie works surprisingly well, first of all due to an excellent script based on a story by Robert Bloch ("Psycho"): Maitland (Cushing) shares an interest in the occult with Phillips (Lee) who warns him to get rid of a skull possessed by a demonic spirit.
This was among the first vintage horror films I recall watching, but it took me this long to re-acquaint myself with it (after I had foolishly abandoned the prospect of a second viewing as part of a late-night Italian TV program hosted by two amiable ghouls  the same thing would also happen with Hammer's FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL [1974], which I then had to wait some 13 years to catch up with!).Anyay, though the film's premise, in itself, is rather daft  that of a host of antiquarians being 'possessed' by the skull of the Marquis De Sade  the result is very stylish and altogether one of Hammer rival Amicus' most satisfying outings.
Rosenberg and Milton Subotsky (the latter also scripted, from a story by Robert Bloch of PSYCHO [1960] fame)  again recruited Hammer's two most popular stars, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, for this production.
As ever, they play extremely well off each other  even if Lee, ostensibly, is only a "Guest Star"  delivering typically committed performances: Cushing has fun acting crazy  under the influence of the skull  towards the end (and also during a surreal nightmare sequence in which he's forcefully taken before a judge who promptly hands him a gun to play at Russian Roulette!), whereas Lee gives surprising poignancy to his role.
Supporting them is a splendid cast indeed  led by Patrick Wymark, who actually matches the stars with his seedy supplier of generally weird artifacts, and the brief (albeit equally welcome) presence of the likes of George Coulouris, Michael Gough, Nigel Green and Patrick Magee!While Francis creates wonderful atmosphere via the cinematography (particularly when shooting through the skull's eyehole) and the set design (the film starts off as a period piece but then reverts to a modern-day setting for the central plot line), I do feel that the possibilities presented by the nonetheless intriguing theme are regrettably constrained by censorship and budgetary restrictions  so that the Marquis De Sade's legacy seems somehow to have been mixed up with that of Jack The Ripper!
Based on a story by Robert "Psycho" Bloch, directed by horror veteran Freddie Francis, starring British horror icons Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, and featuring such sterling character actors as Michael Gough, Nigel Green, Patrick Wymark and Jill Bennett, it would seem like a can't-miss proposition.
In it, Cushing plays an occult investigator who comes into possession of the 150-year-old, particularly nasty-looking skull of the notorious libertine the Marquis de Sade, and comes under the influence of its baleful and hypnotic powers.
(Indeed, it's more like the skull has come into possession of him!) The film features strikingly handsome sets, a justly celebrated and Kafkaesque dream sequence, stylish direction from Francis (dig those skull's head POV shots!), and, near the picture's end, a very interesting and suspenseful 20-minute segment largely devoid of dialogue.
In 1965, in London, the dishonest antiques dealer Anthony Marco (Patrick Wymark) offers to the collector and writer of occultism Christopher Maitland (Peter Cushing) a book with skin made cover about the Marquis de Sade.
Maitland meets his friend and also collector Sir Matthew Phillips (Christopher Lee), who tells that the skull had been stolen from him but he does not want it back since he was free of its evil force.
But the fate puts the skull on Maitland´s hands affecting his entire life in tragic way."The Skull" is a creepy British horror film by Amicus to compete with Hammer with Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. The screenplay is well-written and the tragic conclusion is announced from the moment Maitland meets his fellow collector and friend and keeps the interest on the skull.
Whatever possessed Robert Bloch to ever write such a charming short story I'll never know – it was more in the mind with his stories, the film of course had to be more supernatural and a darker shade more dramatic.It was a fine Amicus production with great roles for both Peter Cushing & Christopher Lee (and also a memorable part from Patrick Wymark) with many atmospheric scenes and images – as a pair of collectors of objects d'art the production values had the opportunity to be and were sumptuous.
"The Skull" definitely isn't on par with the other contemporary Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee pairings, from Hammer or Amicus or whatever other production studios, but it nevertheless remains an interesting and worthwhile slice of 60's Brit-horror.
Music is scored by Elisabeth Lutyens and cinematography by John Wilcox.When collector of occult artifacts Christopher Maitland (Cushing) acquires the Skull of the Marquis de Sade, he gets more than he bargained for.......Out of Amicus Productions, The Skull represents one of the more successful ventures for the studio away from the portmanteau formula they would become regarded for.
It's a very under valued turn from Cushing as it features a different string to his acting bow.With shady characters, suspenseful silences (the opening pillaging of de Sade's grave is excellently macabre) and visual treats aplenty, The Skull is well worth checking out.
Based on the Robert Bloch's story "The Skull of the Marquis de Sade", this film really thrills and chills.
Peter Cushing stars as Dr. Maitland, a demonologist who comes across the skull after it has been stolen from his friend Christopher Lee.
I feel that "The Skull" is one of the finest films Cushing and Lee have ever done together, and the best horror film that Freddie Francis has directed.
It has a good story by Robert Bloch as the basis for the script, some fine acting from Peter Cushing in the lead and Patrick Wymark as a  disreputable salesman, good character roles by George Coulouris, Patrick Magee, Nigel Green, Michael Gough, and particularly Christopher Lee, some imaginative direction from Freddie Francis, and some very stylish set pieces and costumes.
Peter Cushing (Dr. Christopher Maitland),"Monster Island",'81, gave a great performance as a collector of Horror items and came into contact with the young looking Christopher Lee, (Sir Matthew Phillips),"The Gorgon",'64, who also had a very large collection of strange and mysterious items of murder and devil worship.
Based off of Robert Bloch's story titled 'The Skull of the Marquis de Sade' the film follows an Occult Researcher (played by Peter Cushing) who crosses paths with a particular item of interest from a "mutual" friend of his, and Christopher Lee's, who sells him rare artifacts of the strange and wonderful.
An early attempt by Amicus at a Hammer style horror movie, The Skull opens in wonderful Gothic mode with a night-time grave robbing scene, complete with unkempt, windblown cemetery, creaky metal gate, random owl hoots and a howling dog (the foley artist really went to town on this one).
The desecrated grave in question turns out to be that of the infamous Marquis De Sade, the reason for the illicit exhumation being the retrieval of his skull, which is apparently host to an ancient demon called Baalberith, who drives men to commit blasphemy and murder.Unfortunately, the enjoyably excessive Gothic atmosphere of the film's opening scene is virtually abandoned when, many years later, said skull falls into the hands of obsessive antiques collector Dr. Christopher Maitland (Peter Cushing), who becomes possessed by the demon and proceeds to do its evil bidding.
The film's most interesting aspect—the involvement of a secret satanic society—goes absolutely nowhere (and seems to exist purely to pad out the weak story to feature length).It says a lot when my favourite scene in the whole film is Maitland playing snooker against fellow antiquities collector Sir Matthew Phillips (played by Christopher Lee): despite owning his own snooker room, Phillips seems to possess zero skill at the game, randomly hitting balls to no avail (although he does rack up some points on the score-board, the cheat!).
It is still as brilliant as I remembered.The base story is taken from real life - the skull of the infamous Marquis was indeed exhumed for scientific examination (phrenology - the belief that a persons character can be determined by the shape of their skull, which was popular many years ago) and subsequently lost, its whereabouts remaining unknown to this day.The late, great Peter Cushing plays a researcher into the paranormal who becomes compelled to own the skull when it is offered to him (after convincing himself of its provenance) even though he knows it could destroy him.
The Skull is directed by Freddie Francis, and stars Peter Cushing as Christopher Maitland.
The Skull also features a guest appearance from Christopher Lee as Maitlands friend Sir Matthew Phillips, who despite being in only a handful of scenes leaves a lasting Impression upon the film.
Freddie Francis directed this thriller that stars Peter Cushing as Dr. Maitland, a collector of unusual objects who comes into possession of the skull of the Marquis De Sade, a reputedly evil man with supernatural powers.
Indeed, he is best known to laymen as the author of perhaps the most famous psychological horror novel of all time, "Psycho." Interestingly, the story arc of THE SKULL follows Bloch's literary trajectory in that it begins in the tradition of romantic gothicism but ends in the darkly absurdist realms of Kafka, Orwell, Dali, and Max Ernst.The basic plot of THE SKULL details the various unpleasant fates that befall subsequent owners of the skull of the infamous Napoleonic-era pornographer, the Marquis De Sade.
A demon who still dwells in the eponymous skull and who still retains a taste for dark ceremonies and murder.Peter Cushing plays Dr. Christopher Maitland, an occult researcher and collector who comes into possession of the skull through the offices of one Marco (Patrick Wymark), a shady 'dealer' in obscure objects d'art.
Christopher Lee portrays Sir Matthew Phillips, friend of Maitland, and former owner of the skull, who warns its new possessor of the item's destructive powers.
Mr. Lee's role as the doomed Phillips, who meets a violent end at the hands of the friend he tries to help, is crucial to the overall structure of the plot and flawlessly performed.The highlight of the film is a nightmare sequence that could have been taken straight out of Kafka's "The Trial." Here Mr. Cushing gives a world class performance that echoes his earlier triumph as Winston Smith in the BBC television production of Orwell's "1984." This segment is gripping in the extreme and still carries a tremendous emotional wallop nearly 40 years later.With stellar performances by Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee; standout supporting and cameo roles by Jill Bennet, Patrick Wymark, Nigel Greene, Peter Woodthorpe, and Patrick Magee; a thoughtful and literate script by Bloch and Subotsky; and measured, restrained direction by Freddie Francis, THE SKULL is an outstanding example of contemporary, modernist horror.
Sit through this unbearable prologue, and you're in for an excellent film.The film then picks up in the(then)present where at a very symbolic auction, we meet the film's central characters; Christopher Maitland(Peter Cushing), Matthew Phillips(Christopher Lee) and the unscrupulous antique fence Marco(Patrick Wymark).
We see a graveyard, with the requisite grave robbers; and, their client, a doctor (albeit a phrenologist).Peter Cushing plays Dr. Christopher Maitland, an occult researcher and collector who comes into possession of the skull by way of a suspicious dealer in such objects.
"The Skull" is one of the finest Gothic horror films ever.**SPOILERS**Offered a rare skull, Christopher Maitland, (Peter Cushing) is told it belonged to the Marquis de Sade, and despite assurances from friend Anthony Marco, (Patrick Wymark) he doesn't believe it.
The story moves forward to contemporary England where old friends Professor Maitland (Peter Cushing), a writer about demonology and Sir Matthew Phillips (Christopher Lee) are attending an auction sale of macabre exhibits.
Maitland later discovers that his fellow occult collector, Sir Matthew Phillips(Christopher Lee, billed here as a guest star, when in fact he has one of the strongest, albeit despite a small amount of time on screen, roles in the film)once had the skull, but it was stolen by Anthony Marco(Patrick Wymark)the very one who wishes to sell it to him.
But, Maitland shrugs off Phillips's warnings of the skull's danger as superstitious mumbo jumbo, and discovers for himself how all too real this evil truly is.Well, I'll say this, Peter Cushing and director Freddie Francis give it everything they have despite a rather hokey premise of a skull having supernatural powers.
"The Skull" is good if not great Amicus horror, based on a story by Robert Bloch.
Cushing plays Christopher Maitland, a collector of items related to the occult who is presented with a skull that he learns just may belong to the infamous Marquis de Sade.
However, much of the rest of the cast is under utilized, including Michael Gough as an auctioneer, Patrick Magee as a police surgeon, Jill Bennett as Maitlands' wife, and Nigel Green as the inspector.Still, "The Skull" is a reasonably fun, eerie film, that does have its moments, beginning and ending fairly well and entertaining enough to watch.Seven out of 10..
"The Skull" is an atmospheric--if somewhat monotonous--vehicle for Peter Cushing, the Gentleman of British Horror and my favorite star of fright films.
Meeting up with Maitland,Marco reveals that he has tracked down an item just for him:the skull of the Marquis de Sade.View on the film:Lining up (most of) the biggest stars in British Horror, Patrick Wymark/ Patrick Magee/ Michael Gough/Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee each give great performances,with Wymark making the skin crawl as slime ball Marco,whilst Gough and Magee give the film a touch of class in their small roles.
Meeting up at auction, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee both give splendid performances as Phillips and Maitland,with Cushing sending Maitland into a cold sweat over getting his hands on the skull,and Lee casts a shadow of unease over the tightly coiled Phillips.Made from an "outline" by Amicus studio's co-owner Milton Subotsky's take on a Robert Bloch short story,un-credited writer Freddie Francis cracks open a head filled with eerie Occult Horror,as Francis wisely decides to avoid focusing on the origins of De Sade's power,to instead look at the horrific reactions,turning Maitland from a mild mannered gentlemen into a wide-eyed mad man.Although the visible wires making the skull "float" do pull some of the chills down,director Freddie Francis & cinematographer John Wilcox paint De Sade's skull in dazzling psychedelic Art-Deco,glowing in red,black and green patterns breaking Maitland's madness in extreme close-ups,as the skull sets its sights on a new victim..
Occult object collector Dr. Christopher Maitland (the always excellent Peter Cushing) gets his hands on the skull of the infamous Marquis de Sade.
The fine acting by an ace cast of top British thespians rates as another substantial asset: Christopher Lee as gloomy fellow collector Sir Matthew Phillips, Patrick Wymark as sleazy antiques dealer Marco, Jill Bennett as Maitland's concerned wife Jane, Nigel Green as the hard-nosed Inspector Wilson, Peter Woodthorpe as pesky landlord Travers, Patrick Magee as a perplexed coroner, and Michael Gough as an auctioneer.
Has anyone ever done a scorecard of how many films Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee did together, and how many times they killed each other?
This is an amicus production and stars the two horror great, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. The basic story is about a skull that i offered for sale as an antique curio.
By far not a Hammer film, but it does have that dynamic duo of Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee. The skull of the one and only Marquis de Sade is robbed from the grave and a shady dealer(Patrick Wymark) offers it to a collector of the occult Christopher Maitland(Cushing).
This Amicus entry is directed by Freddie Francis and features both Peter Cushing AND Christopher Lee (as a "guest star")and while it's thoroughly entertaining, one can't help but feeling a bit cheated by the lack of thrills.