Screaming Skull, The (1958)

This 1958 American International Pictures release has newlyweds Eric (John Hudson) and Jenni Whitlock (Peggy Webber) retire to his desolate old mansion, where Eric’s first wife Marianne died from a mysterious freak accident.

Jenni, who has a history of mental illness, begins to hear eerie noises and see strange things, including a mysterious skull, which may or may not be a product of her imagination.

Suspicion falls on Mickey (director Alex Nicol), the estate’s mentally challenged gardener, who was very attached to his former mistress.

Of course, we eventually learn that it is, in fact, Eric who is engineering the haunting himself, having married Jenni – whose parents were wealthy – only to terrorise her back into a sanitarium so that he could take charge of her fortune.

But the scheming Eric is ultimately chased down by the very horror he tried to impersonate and manipulate to his own selfish ends.

It’s a VERY cheap production, but it does have some tension and a decent screenplay. Peggy Webber’s buxom figure is exploited throughout, with numerous nightgown shots and one particularly gratuitous scene where she strips down to her bra to read a book.

Released in the US on a double bill with Terror From the Year 5000. AIP offered a free burial service to anyone who died of fright in the cinema while watching the movie!

The cast members were paid $1,000 each plus a share of the profits to be paid out later. AIP never paid out any of the shares.

Eric Whitlock
John Hudson
Jenni Whitlock
Peggy Webber
Reverend Edward Snow
Russ Conway
Mrs Snow
Tony Johnson
Mickey
Alex Nicol

Director
Alex Nicol