The Skull

Produced by Amicus Productions – Hammer Films's big rival – and featuring Hammer’s two most recognisable stars, Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee, The Skull epitomises British horror cinema in the 60s.

Directed by Academy Award-winning cinematographer Freddie Francis, the film trails Peter Cushing’s occult expert as he spirals into a dark underworld touched by madness and death after coming into contact with the exhumed skull of the Marquis de Sade. The somewhat rote script is lent gravitas by Cushing and Lee (in a rare non-villainous role) and the film is elevated by a couple of inspired sequences – in particular, a chilling near-silent game of Russian roulette that acts as a centrepiece.

Those not already fans of Hammer's and Amicus’s particular brands of Gothic horror are unlikely to be won over, but for fans of the studios The Skull is sure to be a welcome addition to their DVD collection.