Jake M
This is one of the best "old", B&W films I've seen. The story was sensible, easy to follow, but not completely predictable. All acting was fairly good, but the female lead, Peggy Webber carries the film, is captivating and easy to watch. Unfortunately being 1958, we don't get to see enough of her. The movie moves along at a steady pace and keeps your interest, which is surprising considering many movies of this time are dull and boring by modern standards.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
12/22/23
Full Review
Blobbo X
Audience scream at how bad was film, think Blobbo. Wait, maybe thinking different movie. Doesn't matter, no ones cares.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
01/30/23
Full Review
Chris M
It's clear who killed Eric's first wife and his plan for Jenni. But this would be a great "Twilight Zone" episode. But as a feature, even at 68 minutes they had to pad the HELL out of it. It felt more like a really slow "Scooby-Doo" episode. Plus, I doubt they had to cough up any free burials. Because I doubt anyone died of fright, even if the watcher was 99 years old with a heat condition. But it's not horrible either. It can be cheesy fun, a movie you can riff during bad movie night.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
11/07/22
Full Review
Audience Member
Distributed by American International Pictures, The Screaming Skull was part of double features with Earth vs. the Spider or Terror from the Year 5000. It was the first movie that Alex Nicol directed, as he was tired of the roles he was being offered. He also made Three Came Back and Point of Terror.
In case you were worried about the contents of this movie, it starts with an open coffin and a narrator explaining that the end of this movie is so terrifying that it may kill you, while reassuring you that should you die of fright, your burial will be paid for by the film's producers. I would assume that this contract is now null and void, so you should watch this movie with caution*.
Jenni and Eric are newly married, but this isn't Eric's first time at the altar. His first wife died when she slipped and hit her head on the edge of a decorative pond. If that doesn't seem weird enough, Jenni has just gotten out of an asylum after the death of her parents. Her very rich parents.
Mickey (Nicol) the gardener was childhood friends with Eric's first wife, whose ghost may haunt the home. Also, perhaps even more strange is the fact that she looks just like Jenni's mother. Jenni demands that the portrait of the dead woman be burned and when that happens, it leaves behind a skull.
This would be a good time to leave if you were her, because that ghost — and the fact that her husband is gaslighting her — are both absolutely real.
The cast members for this movie were each paid $1000 as well as the promise that a share of the profits would be shared. As you can imagine, no one was paid any more than that first grand.
*When William Castle did the same publicity stunt for Macabre, he actually paid for this insurance. Nicol did not.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
02/06/23
Full Review
Audience Member
In spite of the low budget, this one works quite well. This is well worth seeing at least once. OK script, superior editing, believable characters, with mediocre direction & shooting.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
01/25/23
Full Review
Audience Member
It's not bad, but it's not great. A laughable B horror film.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/13/23
Full Review
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