Such a frustrating disappointment

Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

This terrific slow-burner is Spanish Director Jess Franco's old dark house mystery in the style of a giallo – a historical one, no less. It is a spectacularly underrated film – consistent, intriguing, well-played and possessed of some impressive twists.Lina Romay, in possibly her best role, plays Rita, shamed servant girl. Without the distraction of hubby Franco's predilection for sex and gore, her performance shows what a true talent she was. Rita is humble and subversive, a million miles away from many of the other parts she played. Antonio Mayans, who would star with Romay years later in the notorious 'Mansion of the Living Dead (1984)', is excellent as Alfred, who may or not be Rita's brother. Franco himself, never a hugely impressive actor, also gives what maybe his best performance as drunken old lawyer Andy. Dependable Alberto Dalbés as Major Brooks and Vincente Roca as Inspector Bore (pronounced 'Borey', fortunately) also spice up the 74 minute running time.The direction is restrained – no lingering, graphic sex scenes or manically zooming lenses here – and really conveys a classic haunted house thriller. Indeed, Edgar Allen Poe is credited as an inspiration in the opening moments, although there is nothing specifically similar that I can see.A darkly shot project – occasionally too dark – this drips with atmosphere, with Franco making the most of his splendidly intimidating location.

"Night of the Assassins" is an atmospheric Spanish giallo made by a prolific exploitation filmmaker Jesus Franco.The the film is largely based on a book by famed English crime novelist Edgar Wallace.The plot of John Willard's famous 1922 stage play "The Cat And The Canary" is an inspiration too in which a group of greedy relatives gathered at a spooky old mansion for a will reading are systematically murdered by a masked killer who's concealed identity holds the key to the macabre mystery.The assassin wears a human skull mask and is particularly merciless."Night of the Assassins" is an atmospheric and stylish giallo with very good performances and the aura of creeping mystery.The killings are bloodless and the lack of sleaze may be disappointing for fans of Franco's graphic exploitation,but I enjoyed this little macabre film.8 out of 10.

Jess Franco made a lot of films that are liable to make you want to claw your eyes out; but then he also made a lot of films that made you wish he took more care of his overall filmography as the man clearly had talent. Night of the Skull is firmly in the latter category; as while the plot is not particularly original and has been done many times before and since; Franco makes good of it and Night of the Skull is a very successful thriller overall. The basis for the plot takes influence from the often used idea of a will reading causing trouble within a family. The film takes place in England and we focus on the residents of an old castle. The Lord of the manor, Lord Archibald Marian, has been murdered. As the family gather for the will reading, they are shocked to learn of two wills; one to be read in the case that the Lord was murdered, the other in the case that he died of natural causes. The family are shocked further when all of his assets are left to his illegitimate daughter, but there are twists in store before the will can be executed.The film gives a writing credit to the great Edgar Allen Poe for his story "The Cat and the Canary", although clear influence is taken from crime writer Edgar Wallace and indeed his novel "The Terror" (which was adapted in 1965 as The Sinister Monk) features basically the same story. The film has some similarities with the Giallo genre also and Giallo fans will no doubt enjoy this one too (genre entries such as The Weekend Murders and Deadly Inheritance also use the same base for a plot). The film is set in England and Franco takes care with his setting and the film does actually have an English feel; despite the fact that all the characters speak Spanish. Franco also creates an effectively creepy atmosphere that benefits the film immensely. The film is of a higher quality than a lot of Franco's stuff also - with the acting from the ensemble cast being well above par. The storyline is interesting for the duration despite the fact that it will be familiar to most genre fans; and the ending does deliver something of a surprise. It's an unlikely way for the tale to end, but at least it sort of makes some sense. Overall, Night of the Skull is a very decent thriller and comes recommended.

Roger Corman apparently isn't the only director who can do Edgar Allen Poe adaptations, even though he undoubtedly remains the reigning king thanks to his SEVEN masterful films during the early 60's starring Vincent Price. The least you can say about this movie is that it's a likable effort. If you compare the oeuvres of exploitation master Jess Franco and early 19th century author Edgar Allen Poe, an amalgamation of their works seems nearly impossible and ridiculous. And yet, "Night of the Skull" is a very compelling and atmospheric Gothic horror film, worthy of Poe's good reputation and a class above the majority of Franco's other movies. The screenplay is based on Poe's "The Cat and the Canary" and revolves on the despicable Marion family as they gather around to hear the will of the murdered patriarch Archibald Percival. Since his death was unnatural, the inheritors all of a sudden get to hear a completely unexpected testament that divides the family fortune differently. Then at night comes a skull-masked killer to eliminate all the family members in gruesome ways, referring to the four basic elements water, wind, earth and fire. Our good old pal Jess manages to create a wondrously sinister Goth atmosphere, complete with dark mansions near the seaside and loud thunderstorms. There's always a certain level of suspense to enjoy and the murders are impressively barbaric. Especially the first murder, that of the family patriarch, is quite creepy. This movie probably contains the smallest amount of sleaze in a Jess Franco movie ever (even Lina Romay keeps her clothes on at all times, which is truly odd), but there's constant hinting at perverted themes, such as incest, voyeurism and adultery. The decors are great, the acting is more than adequate for once and the recent DVD release looks very nice. This film isn't dubbed, which is a real pleasure. Definitely top 3 Franco material, alongside "Faceless" and "The Awful Dr. Orloff".