Best DVD version? - The Screaming Skull (1959) Discussion

[–] Nullness 16 years ago

Dunno, but the Brentwood version sucks, and some guy in a review said the Drive-In version he had sucks too. Ironically, I bet the MST300 is the best version.

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[–] Alienator 16 years ago

I own the Mill Creek Entertainment version. This is one of those "50 Movie Pack" versions, of which the quality is poor. I expected this, but noticed that the film's total running time on IMDb, as well as on the DVD sleeve, lists the screaming skull as running 68 minutes. Upon watching the film, my DVD player recorded around 62 minutes. Does anyone know if this version is edited in some way?

"Pull the string, pull the string!" -Bela Lugosi

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[–] prp456 16 years ago

I bought the "TV Guide" DVD with this and "Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter" and it was HORRIBLE. So bad that I sent it back even though it was real cheap; Movies Unlimited credited the return shipping as well as the DVD price.

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[–] anthonycashmere 15 years ago

Everyone,
The best DVD version of The Screaming Skull is the GT Brand!!

Anthony Cashmere

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[–] Incantatore 15 years ago

GT brand, as in the Good Times edition. Hmm, well the art work is superb and if it contains the good Times logo on the actual image throughout the film, as lon as it really is the 'best' quality and uncut, I could live with that.

I'll report back when my copy arrives...

* Ok watched the GT logo version and yes, it's the best for picture quality so far. Buy with confidence.

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[–] anthonycashmere 15 years ago

Simon,

I told you so!!!

Anthony Cashmere

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[–] Incantatore 15 years ago

Indeed you did anthony, however the net if crammed full of bs, so you never can tell. But with the pair of us stating it, I'm hoping fans will more trusting ;o)

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[–] mortys 13 years ago

The Goodtimes DVD does sport a decent quality print, but it is cut. It's missing the scene where well-endowed leading lady Peggy Webber undresses down to her bra and slip. The scene lasts one minute (I like to call it "the bra scene"), and it's something I always look for because I have vivid memories of horror host Seymour showing THE SCREAMING SKULL and appearing in a small circle in the corner of the screen and making jokes during this scene.

I've checked a few DVDs of this film, but have yet to find one with a nice-looking uncut print that runs a complete 68m. Here's a rundown:

Alpha DVD - 67m12s; bra scene is intact, save for a brief jump as Ms Webber walks toward the window near the end of the scene. Print quality is average/fair, but it's the longest version I've seen, though still not complete.

Goodtimes DVD - 66m59s; bra scene is cut (except for a few seconds at the tail end). Better looking print than Alpha or any of the others, but still scratchy in spots, and has GT watermark.

Elite Drive-In Double feature DVD (paired with GIANT LEECHES, I think) - 62m30s; has the bra scene, though missing 15s of it. Also missing 5 minutes of footage elsewhere. Print is letterboxed but overly bright with scratches and jumps in dialogue and music. Night scenes are dark and mushy looking.

To summarize:
For best quality: Goodtimes DVD;
Most complete version: Alpha DVD

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[–] anthonycashmere 13 years ago

Morty,

If you have the Good Times DVD of TSS, then the scene with Peggy Webber peering downstairs from the upstairs balcony is included in that DVD!! She walks out of the bedroom onto the balcony when the ghost begins knocking on the front door!!!
She briefly stares downstairs for about ten seconds and then slowly walks to the staircase, looks over her shoulder,( for effect)because by this time, the scary music is in full swing, and the scene becomes very eerie!!!
But, the "bra scene" is deleted briefly from this DVD. It does show Ms. Webber, in her bra and slip walking upto the window and looking out of it in the bedroom before she retires for the night.
The director, Alex Nicol, obviously knew how to include the " cheesecake factor" into TSS, much to the chargrin of Ms.Webber. He also tricked her in the special effects scene, used when "backlighting" was done on Ms. Webber slowly descending the staircase, which lit up her nightie and made it, luminous and seethru in that particular chilling horror scene!!!

Anthony

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[–] lonesomefetter 11 years ago

I own a version of this that was released a few years back by Genius Entertainment, and marketed using the "AMC presents: Monstervision" heading.

It's part of a 2-disc, 4 film set (2 features on each disc).

The print quality is pretty rough. VERY overexposed and blown out in the bright parts of the image.

However, its running time comes in at 67 minutes and 40-odd seconds.

Does anyone out there know if the GoodTimes version looks substantially better than the AMC-branded print that I own?

I like the fact that this one seems to be damn near complete in terms of footage, but the quality of the transfer is very disappointing.

Any feedback / input on this would be most appreciated.

Thanks!

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[–] anthonycashmere 11 years ago

Lonesome,
The GT version of TSS is the best and crispiest for video and sound. Nearly all of the film is also intact. You can actually understand the conversations in the film. There were several problems with the visual and audio while TSS, was in the process of production, and their was no money in the budget to refine those audio and visual issues. But GT, has the clearest and crisped video of TSS.
I hope this info helps you.

Anthony

It isn't fair, using the living, to bring back the dead!!!-THE SCREAMING SKULL

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[–] le_chiffre-1 14 years ago

I have one that came with a Platinum PD movie box set called "Horror Classics" and an Alpha Video version that I got on sale for $1. They obviously were taken from different sources (the aspect ratios are diffferent) and neither transfer is particularly good, though both are watchable. The Platinum disc is brighter and more contrasty than the Alpha and has more compression artifacts (which shouldn't be surprising since Platinum are shoving 4 movies onto one dual-layered DVD). The audio may be slightly better on the Platinum disc, but I'm not sure.

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[–] anthonycashmere 13 years ago

Board,

Yes.. I have all of the named above prints on DVD...The GOODTIMES print is by far the best... But the other prints containing the undressing scenes with Ms.Webber, maybe intact...but they all have missing scenes of the haunting when the ghost is knocking at the front door of the mansion... I call it the "look at scene"... it is when Ms. Webber peers over the balcony to the front door downstairs. That scene is cut.. if you have all of the undressing or "bra" scene intact.
I prefer all of the "knocking ghost scene" or "look at" scene intact
myself...

Anthony

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[–] mortys 13 years ago

***SPOILERS***

I agree that the GOODTIMES is the best print, no contest. I watched the Alpha disc recently, and it does have a scene where the ghost is knocking at the door...but I think it is where William Hudson has just tried to strangle Peggy and he walks down the stairs to open the front door as he hears the knocking. I will check out the part you mention with Peggy peering over the balcony. I certainly trust your word that the knocking is cut there. With the exception of the Alpha disc, I think nearly all the other discs I've seen are missing the bra scene...possibly due to people back in the day snipping it out of prints for their (ahem) private collection or whatever. Anyway, thanks for all the info, Anthony, I'm a big fan of the film, too. Here's my memory of watching The Screaming Skull in the early 70s on Fright Night with horror host Seymour:

I'll never forget Seymour showing The Screaming Skull late one Friday or Saturday night. There's a scene in which actress Peggy Webber goes to bed one night while her husband, actor John Hudson, is away in town. Undressing for bed, the well-endowed Ms. Webber removes her blouse so that she's only wearing a bra and skirt. A little circle popped open in the corner of the film with a snickering Seymour asking, "Is this an X-rated movie?" Ms. Webber then removed her skirt so that she was only wearing her bra and slip, and sat on the bed. The circle with Seymour reappeared and he says, "This IS an X-rated movie!"

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[–] le_chiffre-1 14 years ago

I see that Something Weird Video has a DVD:
http://www.somethingweird.com/cart.php?target=product&product_id=29074

I wonder how it compares? I've watched one of their DVD-Rs and I seem to recall that the transfer was alright.

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[–] mortys 13 years ago

The Goodtimes DVD does sport a decent quality print, but it is cut. It's missing the scene where well-endowed leading lady Peggy Webber undresses down to her bra and slip. The scene lasts one minute (I like to call it "the bra scene"), and it's something I always look for because I have vivid memories of horror host Seymour showing THE SCREAMING SKULL and appearing in a small circle in the corner of the screen and making jokes during this scene.

I've checked a few DVDs of this film, but have yet to find one with a nice-looking uncut print that runs a complete 68m. Here's a rundown:

Alpha DVD - 67m12s; bra scene is intact, save for a brief jump as Ms Webber walks toward the window near the end of the scene. Print quality is average/fair, but it's the longest version I've seen, though still not complete.

Goodtimes DVD - 66m59s; bra scene is cut (except for a few seconds at the tail end). Better looking print than Alpha or any of the others, but still scratchy in spots, and has GT watermark.

Elite Drive-In Double feature DVD (paired with GIANT LEECHES, I think) - 62m30s; has the bra scene, though missing 15s of it. Also missing 5 minutes of footage elsewhere. Print is letterboxed but overly bright with scratches and jumps in dialogue and music. Night scenes are dark and mushy looking.

To summarize:
For best quality: Goodtimes DVD;
Most complete version: Alpha DVD

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[–] surfink 11 years ago

Shout! Factory has finally given this an official release in a four-movie set titled Movies 4 You: Horror (which also includes The Vampire [1957], The Vampire Lovers, and The Bat People). It's a licensed edition of the MGM-owned AIP movie, presented 1.33:1 full frame (but open matte so you can enlarge it to its original 1.85:1 widescreen format). The print is overall very clean, with good tonal values and white and black levels. I was actually mildly surprised at how good it looks.

Even though it has been compressed to fit on a single disc along with three other movies, it suffers little, if at all, from any distracting artifacting, etc. It runs 68:23 and appears to be completely uncut. Unless Shout! or some other company steps up and gives us a Blu-ray, this is probably as good as it's going to get for the foreseeable future. And the disc retails for about $7 on most video seller sites, a can't-miss purchase.

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[–] jonm11100 8 years ago

The best quality version of this movie on dvd, by FAR, is the one released by ORION pictures...it is totally uncut and on a scale of 1 - 10, i would rate it a good 9 to 9 1/2......MGM released it in a 4-movie, single dvd...the other movies on the disc are The Vampire, The Bat People and The Vampire Lovers....you can stream this version on Amazon.com or you can purchase the DVD pretty cheaply....The Screaming Skull is one of my favorite movies growing up as a kid and i had about 4 different copies of it, ALL BAD.....then i happened to see it on Amazon.com streaming service...cost about $2 or so....i wasn't expecting much but when i saw it i was completely blown away...i was beginning to think a decent version didn't exist but apparently i was wrong...so I did some research and found it. Here is the link:

https://www.amazon.com/Movies-4-You-Horror-n/dp/B00H4KQN82/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1478662746&sr=8-2&keywords=the+screaming+skull+dvd

It absolutely is the best quality copy i have ever seen. The only complaint i have about it is that around towards mid way into the movie, the audio track is slightly off track from their lip movements....but even so, this is a VERY acceptable copy....I challenge anybody out there to point me to a better copy..this one rules.....

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