NIGHT OF THE SKULL (1976)
aka La Noche de los asesinos Directed by Jess Franco
Image Entertainment DVD
THE FILM
Sometimes, all you really need is a rubber skull mask and a dark, rainy night.
If you will, imagine Jess Franco directing a script by Andy Milligan. There would be period costumes, whipping, and much familial malice. People would say things such as "She beat me with a strap!" before sobbing through a wash of well-composed zooms. Aggressive nudity would relax alongside cheapo wollops of the old ultra-violence. With Night Of The Skull, that's what we get. Except for the last part.
Wait one second. Who directed this?
Night Of The Skull conclusively proves that birthday suits and bloodshed are not a trash film necessity; they're a nicety. In a shocking turn of events, the talented Jess Franco here exchanges habitual kinkiness for astute atmosphere. Steady, composed, and only hinting at perversion, be it sexually or technically -- that's how Night Of The Skull presents itself. Restraint. No naked Frankenstein monster whippings or gutter-poetry camera rants from The Erotic Rites Of Frankenstein; no pubic hair forests ala Demoniac. We're talking business. On this Skull-Nite, there's half of a boob, one butt, a bloody nose, constant thunderstorms, many Colonel Sanders ties, an obsession with flames, people named Lord Archibald and Mr. Pimperton, and yes, a killer with a neato rubber skull mask. As easy as it gets.
Maybe too easy. Night Of The Skull, for all its nifty gloom 'n' doom humidity, still makes drowsiness irresistible. There's a lot of talk. A lot. The "dirty family trying to kill each other at an old house over the reading of a will" plotline doesn't do much to clear the air. The film is visually assertive, yet the surprising lack of psych-out camera experiments adds to the drag. That's just fine. At heart, this is an ideal film for the late nights of lazy, rainy days. When you see that chincy skull mask sparkling under a very unnatural downpour, you'll know exactly what I mean.
AUDIO AND VIDEO
So very widescreen. Night Of The Skull makes an official North American home video debut on very good terms. Presented in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio, this anamorphic print is in terrific shape. Damage is miniscule. Colors are appropriately subtle. The blacks aren't very deep and there's a tiny bit of compression during blank scenes, but that's no big deal. The Spanish-spoken mono soundtrack is not dubbed, so optional English subtitles are also available.
EXTRAS
Nothing, but here's a hypothetical question. Who would win in a jogging race -- The Embalmer or Mr. Skull Face? A tough call.
FINAL THOUGHTS
When it rains, it pours...and that's a good thing. Night Of The Skull is not a film everyone needs to see. But for those in the mood for an old-fashioned-yet-lurid rainy night thriller, this about-face from Jess Franco makes for a nice evening at home. Plus, it's not Oasis Of The Zombies. I had a good time.
— Joseph A. Ziemba, 03.29.06 | 
Lord Archibald Percival Marion (aka "The Arch")
Nite lite
Bra burner
My kind of guy
|
