Once upon a time, there was a film studio that made great horror movies despite its output being far less than its rival Hammer Studios. That aside, Amicus would still remain a player for a time with many notable titles to its name and starring many of the same players who would appear in those Hammer films. The Skull, released in 1965, is one of those pictures with Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee taking the lead, not to mention Patrick Wymark and Jill Bennett who would also star.

Directed by Freddie Francis, the man behind many of the more popular horror movies of the 1960s, and based on a story by Robert Bloch, The Skull is a film about men being possessed by the Marquis de Sade. It all seems rather silly when one thinks about it but the end result is a satisfying trip into the realm of obsession and possession with Cushing giving a very compelling performance of a man falling under the spell of the long-dead De Sade. Both Cushing and Lee play a similar role, that of collectors who lean towards the darker side of humanity. Obtaining the skull of the Marquis is something of a lifelong goal for Cushing’s character and when given the chance, and after a bit of haggling, he agrees to purchase it. All of this leads to a murder, a dream sequence starring Cushing, compulsion and confusion and finally, possession of a murderous entity thanks to the unassuming skull of a dead man.

Cushing is fantastic as always.  The man gives a layered performance as he goes from a simple collector to a man who will do what it takes to get what he wants and finally to a person who finds himself on the edge. Though Cushing might be the lead of the picture, he is joined by his frequent collaborator Christopher Lee who may not have as much screen time as his friend but makes a mark nevertheless. Lee’s character is a collector of the esoteric as well and unlike Cushing, Lee has learned to fear the unknown and he knows that if Cushing persists in obtaining the skull of the Marquis there will be a price to pay. Lee nearly steals the show with his performance despite his momentary presence and it definitely adds to the film’s overall atmosphere simply by him being there. As for Wymark and Bennett, they do good work respectively, especially the former, and it pays off when all is said and done. Though the performances of these particular thespians essentially made the movie, there was another factor, that being Francis.

The film sports a great, gothic atmosphere throughout, setting the stage for the eventual showdown that is to take place and that is thanks to its director who would take that inanimate object and make it an almost living character. That coming battle is between the very human Cushing and the supernatural forces contained in the skull, whether that be the Marquis or not. Francis sets the mood perfectly and as things slowly escalate, the movie gets darker in tone with a heavier ambience and soon enough, the audience realizes that things are coming to a head. There is some very inventive direction on Francis’ part, especially when it comes to the skull, certain scenes come from its point of view and while he might have overdone it by going back to the well a few too many times, they remain especially eerie and set this movie apart because of it.

In the end, one could say that the skull itself is the lead of the film, everything else revolving around it, and given that final act, that very well proves to be true. Some might think this all a bit hokey or cheesy, and in a sense, it might be, but it is also a great horror movie with fine performances and an aura that invades the senses making it worth a watch.

3.5 out of 5