I feel like everyone remembers their first scary movie. You remember how old you were, whether or not you should have been watching it at whatever age you were, and, most importantly, you tend to remember what subgenre it was. That film serves as a gateway into the larger genre of horror but there will always be that one film that got you into it. For me, I grew up a slasher kid. I was raised in a fairly conservative household and horror movies were not normally allowed to be seen. To this day, my parents hate scary movies and don't understand my fascination with them. I digress. My introduction to the genre was the slasher subgenre.
I was probably a little too young to actually register what my eyes were seeing. I had forgotten about the experience until doing some research late last year for a collaboration with our friends over at Collateral Cinema. That film in question was actually Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 5: The Toymaker with Mickey Rooney. For the longest time I thought I had seen one of the Chucky movies. With a 24% on Rotten Tomatoes, is it any wonder that my brain forgot that movie? What I would call my legitimate introduction into the slasher genre would be Wes Craven’s Scream. I stumbled upon it as a teenager and instantly fell in love with everything that movie offered. It remains one of my favorite films to this day.
Shortly after I had my fix with slashers, I wanted to see what else the horror offered. I searched throughout Blockbuster picking out random movies. Then I found myself enthralled with the supernatural. There’s nothing like a good ghost story. That’s where we find ourselves today, discussing the Portuguese film Skull: The Mask. Skull is a bridge between both the worlds of the supernatural and slasher alike. The film tells the story of a pre-Columbian serial killer’s spirit, which is resurrected through a relic of the era during an exhibition dig and a blood ritual. Skull is an interesting movie to consider for multiple reasons. For one, it takes two seemingly opposite subgenres of horror and seamlessly melds them together. The result is a beautifully violent film that is rich with its mythos and narrative alike.
It’s refreshing to watch a slasher movie that actually takes its time in telling the story. Don’t get me wrong, we are quickly introduced to this relic and the ties to our protagonist, Manco Ramirez (Wilton Andrade). Though it’s not until later that we understand what we’ve just seen. This film indulges itself in the mystery of the lore. I found myself glued constantly to the edge of my seat, trying to figure out the mystery before it was revealed. All of this prologue takes place in the 1940s. When we come to the present day, we are met with three different arcs, each fitting into the larger narrative with ease but once again demonstrating the importance of pacing and storytelling for the movie: the aforementioned Andrade, our mysterious detective Beatriz Obdias (Natallia Rodrigues) and our antagonist Tack Waelder (Ivo Müller).
Perhaps the most frustrating thing Skull has in its cannon would be the latter two characters. Müller should have had a smaller role. At first we meet him and he is nothing more than the museum’s curator. Instead, he morphs into the film’s pointless victim. If you saw this past spring’s Godzilla vs Kong, think of Müller as Demián Bichir’s character. He is a villain that the narrative attempts to interject on top of the already supernatural and slasher elements. The latter are reason enough to gain the attention of viewers. Instead he is left with nothing to do and comes across as a one-dimensional character. On top of this fact would be the use of Rodrigues who ends up helping Müller. I won’t explain how or why, but this narrative choice is a complete waste of both screen time and what could have been an interesting character.
Andrade is the true star of the film. Introduced as a man down on his luck in the first act, he is the most developed character within the cast. More than that though he is also the emotional core of the film. The events of the film are personal to him. How the story ties together Andrade and the antagonist of Skull is rather incredible. Once the film actually establishes Skull as a formidable villain, there is no going back. The film uses its supernatural elements to birth a truly terrifying slasher antagonist. The use of gags woven throughout the film is genius. The kill sequences in the second and third act feel like a throwback to the exploitation films of the 70s. The cinematography is stunning in these sequences in particular. Honestly the entire film has a warmth about it that stands out in every frame. Skull is a vividly breathtaking film.
Overall, Skull: The Mask is a beautifully stunning amalgamation of the slasher and supernatural genres. The acting is top notch. Even if the actors aren’t always wisely used. The pacing is brilliant; constantly holding viewers to the edge of their seats. Perhaps the most surprising thing about the film is how warm it feels to the eyes. The cinematography is exceptionally breathtaking in the kill sequences. However it’s written all over the film for a surprisingly eye-popping delight of a movie. Skull: The Mask backs in the goods from start to finish.
RORSCHACH RATING:
Mental Health Moment: When we first meet Manco RaHorro in the film, he is burdened by the mistakes of his father. As the film develops it seems like his sole purpose in life is to deal with this generational burden. That can be a great deal to carry. Coming from someone who has had to work, and subsequently unlearn a good deal of what I inherited from generations prior, there is a large weight on your mental health.
These types of things have a way of setting up unattainable expectations. Which can result in you never feeling like you’re enough. Or every attempt you do is never good enough. There are some of us that will follow in our parents’ footsteps and be perfectly healthy while others chase after such desires and find ourselves depressed and burnt out. Find what works for you. Do you feel burdened by generational expectations? What do you need to change to find peace?
If you or someone you know is reading this right now and struggling with suicide, depression, addiction, or self-harm - please reach out. Comment, message, or tweet at us. Go to victimsandvillains.net/hope for more resources. Call the suicide lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Text "HELP" to 741-741. There is hope & you DO have so much value and worth!
Victims and Villains is written (and produced) by Josh "Captain Nostalgia" Burkey and others, and edited by Cam Smith. Music by Mallory Johnson and others. Skull: The Mask is property of Shudder and Raven Banner Entertainment. We do not own nor claim any rights.
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