‘The tortured ghost who claimed vengeance in the bride’s bedroom’
The Screaming Skull is a 1958 horror film about a newlywed woman who believes she is being haunted by the ghost of her new husband’s previous wife.
The movie was written and produced by John Kneubuhl (Two on a Guillotine), inspired by the short story of the same name by Francis Marion Crawford. The movie was directed by Alex Nicol (APE; The Night God Screamed; Point of Terror), who also plays the gardener) and it stars John Hudson, Peggy Webber and Russ Conway.
When later interviewed by Wheeler Dixon, director Alex Nicol said: “There wasn’t any one director I tried to emulate on that film; I wasn’t smart enough to do that. I just worked my way through the script, blocking it out as I went along, trying to get the film shot on time […] I liked it; it had some nice dolly shots, a good atmosphere. So I was happy with that; it was a nice change from the films I’d been doing.”
The film’s cinematographer was Floyd Crosby, who went on to work several times for Roger Corman.
In the US, American International Pictures (AIP) released the film on a double bill with Terror from the Year 5000.
On April 25, 2017, The Screaming Skull was released on Blu-ray by Scream Factory.
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Opening narration: “The Screaming Skull is a motion picture that reaches its climax in shocking horror. Its impact is so terrifying that it may have an unforeseen effect. It may kill you! The producers would like to offer a free burial service to anyone who dies of shock…”
Plot:
A newly-wed woman (Peggy Webber) believes she is being haunted by the ghost of her husband’s previous wife…
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Reviews:
“Crosby’s camerawork is superb, and there are some nicely macabre moments (birds screeching all around, grinning skulls popping out of a dark pool) … Nicol, an actor directing here for the first time, let’s the action spin out much too slackly…” The Aurum Film Encyclopedia: Horror book
” … some of the dark scenes are effective, particularly when punctuated by mysterious sounds: the peacock screams, the mysterious knocking. And it’s possible to find some kind of meaning in the character relationships – parallel drownings, an ex-wife resembling the new wife’s mother, etc. But there’s neither enough quality nor enough camp to make the flick rewarding.” David Elroy Goldweber, Claws & Saucers
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For the trailer and The Screaming Skull free online and more movie info, please visit page 2
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