Screaming Skull
Starring John Hudson, Peggy Webber, Russ Conway, Tony Johnson, Alex Nicol
Directed by Alex Nicol
Written by (uncredited)
Score by Ernest Gold
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1, enhanced for 16:9
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 mono
American International, 1958: 68 minutes
Eric Whitlock (Hudson), accompanied by his new wife Jenni (Webber), arrives at his family's mansion, which he has not visited in some years. But the grounds, complete with resident peacocks, are in immaculate condition, carefully tended as they are by the gardener, Mickey (director Nicol), who is haunted by the memory of the former Mrs Whitlock, who had drowned in an ornamental pool on the estate.
Eric and Jenni are greeted on their arrival by old family friends the Rev and Mrs Edward Snow, who offer wholesome advice throughout the movie.
But then the Skull begins to haunt Jenni...
No, I won't give away the plot, although the conclusion is easy to guess fairly early in the picture.
The Skull makes a momentary appearance at the start of the movie, but is not seen again until the middle of the picture. Naturally it dominates the film's conclusion.
The film doesn't really make much of an attempt at special effects, but is none the worse for that. Actually, it is altogether really quite good, well written and competently directed. The movie is a melodrama, and the actors rise to the challenge. Nicol as Mickey the Gardener is a bit wooden, although this is probably deliberate, since Mickey has been traumatized by the death of the first Mrs Whitlock.
The dialogue is literate and adequate to the task of moving the plot along.
Movies about people with Old Money were more common before 1945: consider The Philadelphia Story, the Golddiggers musicals, and so on.) So Screaming Skull is a throwback in this regard.
The score, by Ernest Gold, of Exodus fame, is well done and appropriate to the movie. It is somewhat thinly orchestrated, and its melodies recall Berlioz.
You certainly won't regret 68 minutes spent with this film.
Special features of the DVD
Screaming Skull is paired with The Giant Leeches on a single DVD, which forms Volume One of Drive-In Discs from Elite Entertainment.
The disc comes with many entertaining extras, such as cartoons and ads for the refreshment stand's hot dogs and pickles (yes, pickles). There is also an extra AC-3 soundtrack, featuring Distorto Sound: the film sound delivered from the left front speaker only, and the sounds of cars revving etc from the remaining tracks. Exceptional work, Elite!
It's not worth my time to post a separate review of The Giant Leeches, and it wouldn't be worth your time to read it. The acting in the movie is actually rather good, but the stars are fighting a losing battle against the script.
DVD picture
For whatever reason, the picture quality was not very good: rather blurry for a DVD. Possibly the original print wasn't so good either.
DVD sound
Perfectly OK.
Internet Movie Database links