The Screaming Skull (1958)

A widower (John Hudson) brings his new bride (Peggy Webber) to the large mansion with lush garden grounds that he inherited from his first wife. But soon she starts hearing screams in the night as well as seeing a mysterious skull that may belong to the deceased first wife. This badly written, poorly acted low budget horror flick is enjoyable in a cheesy way but it's predictable from the first few minutes. It's all rather silly really though when I first saw it as a child, it scared the pants off me! The film opens with a disclaimer that if you die of fright during the film, the film company will bury you free of charge ... ah, the days of hyperbolic showmanship! The film's most notable feature is its attractive setting, the Huntington Hartford estate in San Marino, California. The film does have some superior talent involved, notably Floyd Crosby (HIGH NOON) who did the cinematography and Ernest Gold (EXODUS) who did the score. The film is directed by the actor Alex Nicol, who plays the child like gardener in the film. With Russ Conway and Toni Johnson.