The episode of WTF Occurred to This Horror Film? protecting The Skulls was Written and Narrated by Mike Holtz, Edited by Jaime Vasquez, Produced by Andrew Hatfield and John Fallon, and Government Produced by Berge Garabedian.
Elite secret societies, good-looking dudes, the tip of the nineties, the start of the 2000s, and even Shooter McGavin chasing Pacey from Dawson’s Creek throughout campus to the sounds of Fatboy Slim. Hell, we’ll even throw a Creed music on the soundtrack. At present, we take a deep dive right into a time capsule of a film that’s as maligned as it’s beloved. A movie that solutions the query that nobody ever thought to ask…what occurs while you combine a severe thriller like John Grisham’s The Agency, that was so in style within the 90s, with the hip world of rising teen dramas and slashers? When a subgenre driving the wave of the cultural phenomenon of Scream and its many successors ran headfirst right into a quote, unquote DAD thriller? A film described as laughable by some critics however thought of by others an entertaining, easy-to-watch consolation throwback….This is simply What The F*ck Occurred to The Skulls.
The Skulls (watch it HERE), for the uninitiated, follows Luke McNamara, a Yale Senior, financially eeking his method via his school years with no household or benefits however thriving via sheer exhausting work and willpower. A lot to the dismay and concern of his on a regular basis pals, Luke is initiated right into a secret society for the elite of the elite referred to as “The Skulls”. A company run by not solely probably the most influential on campus however an especially highly effective group of alumni who’ve their fingers in all the pieces from politics to regulation enforcement.
That is type of the enjoyable a part of the movie, as Luke’s total existence modifications for the higher. He finds what he thinks is the household he’d all the time wished he had, a sudden deposit of 20 thousand {dollars} in his checking account, his selection of sports activities vehicles and girls, and for the primary time in his life…a wide-open future. However when considered one of his pals goes and utterly f*cks all of it up for him, discovering himself lifeless within the course of…Luke has to select: do the fitting factor and sound the alarm on his secret society’sshady dealings (and possibly discover himself lifeless as nicely)…or flip the opposite cheek and obtain in return all the pieces he ever wished. It’s type of exhausting to look at as a result of part of you is rooting for him to simply go the simple route…that good friend of his bought himself into that mess, you recognize? He was type of being a whiney little prick about all this in my view. Hey, don’t have a look at me like that.
The Skulls is a wild trip as a result of whereas it’s a little bit bit foolish in its premise and the best way issues shake out…it additionally raises some very fascinating questions concerning the powers that run the world. Even in case you’re not the tinfoil hat kind, it’s exhausting to not agree with Luke’s tremendous needy lifeless good friend that “if it’s secret and elite, it can’t be good.” Which is strictly what was on the thoughts of Yale graduate and US Marshall’s author John Pogue when he wrote The Skulls. Pogue leaned closely on his private expertise with secret societies on campus, saying, “I thought they were a myth. When I became a senior, I found out that they weren’t and that within this already elite institution, there was an even smaller elite group or groups that had their own rules, mysteries, and culture and that these people were very powerful throughout the world and the United States”. And one thing I had no concept about after I watched this film in theaters sporting my outsized Union Bay sweatshirt within the 12 months 2000?
He was proper. The Skulls relies on a real-life group, The Order of the Cranium and Bones, present on that exact same Yale campus. The key society was based in 1832 and yearly chooses fifteen members of excessive society standing or nice affect among the many campus seniors. A lot of whom went on to nice success and distinguished positions on the planet, and as director Rob Cohen would clarify… some even grew to become the President of america.
Cohen would clarify his curiosity in taking the movie, saying, “Skull and Bones have had a long and very interesting history. Including Wild Bill Donovan and the formation of the OSS which became the CIA. It’s membership of Abril Harama and George Bush and George Bush JR.” He continued, “(there is) CIA lurking in there somewhere, keeping secrets, secret societies, it’s all true. Whether the rituals as we portrayed them are true? We made them up to be cinematic, dramatic, and fun to watch. But they are based in truth. The roots are true.”
Which is one thing lead actor Joshua Jackson confirmed, when he mentioned,” There’s solely a lot that anybody is aware of about what goes on within the hallowed halls of the Skulls tomb however…uh…What we do know we tried to include within the movie after which we type of dramatized, fictionalized after that”
So, we’ve got a brilliant severe premise right here, proper? One which displays an ongoing dialog on the planet concerning the Illuminati and all these hot-button points. The Skulls appears good for the world of a Jack Ryan-style political thriller and even an Eyes Large Shut-type movie in case you’re feeling naughty. Not throughout a time when films like Scream 3 and Ultimate Vacation spot have been releasing and the teenager ensemble flick was all the craze… In any case, we have been coping with a gaggle of school youngsters. And that’s the place the sauce mixes in all kinds of bizarre areas…however I prefer it. That sounded incorrect and I apologize. Just a little.
Right here’s the place the casting is available in. Because the movie opens and the underrated courtroom-thriller model Randy Edelman rating kicks in, we’re launched to the hazy campus of Yale and our main man, Joshua Jackson as Luke McNamara furiously figuring out alone within the early morning hours, doing rowing coaching…or no matter that is referred to as.
This is among the many elements of The Skulls that makes it a consolation movie for me and others. Not solely is that this all a pleasant blast from the previous again to a selected second in popular culture, nevertheless it’s oddly sleepy and stress-free for a thriller (in a great way).
For one, Jackson being solid within the lead was a pleasant change of tempo for his followers. The actor had develop into an enormous heartthrob and ensemble solid mainstay thanks to a different Kevin Williamson venture, Dawson’s Creek, the place he performed the character of Pacey, who was basically the black sheep of his household. Pacey was humorous, troubled, romantic and girls adored him for it, as you may inform by watching any press he did for The Skulls on the time. Earlier than that, he might be seen in character roles in a pleasant assortment of post-Scream movies together with Scream 2, City Legend, and Merciless Intentions, typically stealing lots of the scenes he discovered himself taking part in. Jackson could not have regarded just like the hardest dude within the biker gang on the time, however he proved himself to be an ideal distinction to the Laguna Seaside-type belief fund youngsters that he could be round in The Skulls. In a deleted scene of the movie, Caleb Mandrake lovingly adorns him with the nickname “crabgrass”. Which, as he places it’s, “the weed that grows through the crack in the sidewalks….dogs piss on it, kids step on it. It still thrives.”
This relationship between Luke and Caleb Mandrake was on the coronary heart of The Skulls, which is why the casting of the late Paul Walker was a complete residence run. That’s to not say Paul Walker was some type of wealthy child snob or something like that however along with his charming smile, blonde hair, and blue eyes…nicely, look on the man. There was a motive he so completely portrayed the beginning quarterback who had all of it in Varsity Blues. However simply the identical, life wasn’t as nice because it appeared on the floor.
Caleb appeared like had all of it however was weighed down by the dearth of affection from his father and one of many predominant figures of the group, Litten Mandrake; performed by none aside from Coach himself, Craig T. Nelson. No offense to Craig Nelson however he was good for the position right here, channeling the identical type of wealthy butthole he portrayed because the spouse murdering businessman in The Satan’s Advocate, now that includes a mustache. However again to Walker, who, for my cash, gave an underrated efficiency. His character went from super-douche… telling a woman whose path he was in throughout a rowboat race (or no matter you name it) to “imagine it” as a substitute of transferring out of her method….to a personality who you type of felt for as he was so deeply trapped and weighed down in cognitive dissonance. Certain, he was a wealthy child who had all of it however deeply admired his good friend Luke for the best way he’d needed to earn all the pieces he was given and will make his personal selections. The Skulls, regardless of how critics felt (which we’ll get to) performed an element within the early star flip for Walker, who would star in The Quick and the Livid movie only a 12 months later.
In a little bit of casting irony, James Van Der Beek was at one level up for Joshua Jackson’s position as Luke. Whereas Joshua Jackson was as soon as thought of for Van Der Beek’s position as Mox in Varsity Blues….which was the position of the man who took Paul Walker’s characters spot because the star quarterback in Varsity Blues. Then two of them ended up on Dawson’s Creek togeth-holy Hell, I’m getting a 90s model 7/11 Slurpee mind freeze.
The elder Skulls, led by the aforementioned Craig Nelson have been filled with acquainted faces as nicely, together with Concern and Manhunter’s William Peterson with a type of “oh f*ck this guy is rich” uppity southern attracts, and Shooter McGavin himself, Christopher McDonald, who can each be a hilarious unhealthy man who eats items of shit for breakfast, or a plug and play company Dad unhealthy man for any venture you want. Right here, he spends most of his time oddly enjoying the muscle for the higher-ups. That is tremendous bizarre, contemplating they’re speculated to be this huge secret society with infinite attain, however they’ve his character of all individuals out chasing school youngsters? You’ll assume that’d be a job for the Winklevoss twins of the world, however regardless, he’s all the time a pleasant face to see.
Rounding out the solid are Luke’s greatest buddy and man who completely screwed all this up for him, Will Beckford, performed by Hill Harper who not solely would group up once more with director Rob Cohen on The Boy Subsequent Door however can be a New York Occasions Finest Promoting Creator and Political Candidate today. His character, nonetheless, was a brilliant needy, poisonous greatest good friend who ought to have simply minded his personal enterprise. I’m clearly hung up on this. Enjoyable truth: the character was primarily based on Rob Cohen’s roommate in School, which makes me really feel unhealthy for him.
Luke’s love curiosity within the movie, Chloe, was performed by Leslie Bibb, whose recognizable face may be seen in all the pieces from Iron Man to Trick R’ Deal with. The love story between these two, which culminates in a steamy Jason Bourne-model PG-13 bathe bang, had a pleasant friendship spin on it that separated it a bit out of your conventional relationships in most of these films. Plus, it was good to know that after Luke went and rightfully dicked all this up for himself, he was going to be superb it doesn’t matter what…as a result of Chloe got here from a buttload of cash.
Whereas the cinematography of The Skulls feels perpetually trapped on this early DVD haze with a bizarre trace of Noticed vibes…it did characteristic an underrated Ivy faculty environment not that not like Fincher’s Social Community. Filmed largely in Toronto on the College of Toronto and made to appear like Yale. It’s mentioned that part of the Skulls headquarters was filmed at College School in Toronto, however all I wanna know is the place this “War” room is. It’s a complete aura all by itself. It’s like a scary wealthy asshole model of Zordon’s Energy Rangers command heart. I simply need to examine e-mails in there and faux I’m Batman.
When the movie was launched on March thirty first, 2000, it got here in quantity three on the North American field workplace, trailing each Erin Brockovich and The Street to El Dorado, respectively. The finances of the movie had been 35 million and the movie, all in all, landed with a complete seize of over 50 million worldwide gross. This could be sufficient for a few direct-to-video sequels in The Skulls 2, and The Skulls 3, which don’t characteristic a continuation of any of our predominant characters right here.
The Skulls was dragged throughout concrete critically, with Jack Matthews of the New York Day by day Information evaluating it to precise animal feces saying, “Like guano in a bat cave, the implausibility’s pile up.”…Bumble Bee Tuna…. In addition to Boston Globe’s Jay Carr throwing within the uppercut, “The Skulls plummets into the realm of ludicrous failure”. The movie even ended up on Roger Ebert’s “Most Hated Films” record alongside films like The Scorching Chick (to be truthful there are some classics like Tommy Boy on that record too. So put your Herbie Hancock on that, Richard!) The Skulls at the moment sits with a 9% “Rotten” critics score on the assessment combination Rotten Tomatoes however a a lot larger 43% score from the viewers scores.
Right here’s the factor about The Skulls, although. I feel due to the time interval the place you had so many studios attempting to capitalize on the entire “teenage ensemble cast” factor, the movie will get unfairly portrayed as some tacky, half-assed, money seize. And positive, Common acquired the rights for the only real motive to get into these teen movies.
However while you take heed to Cohen and his solid speak concerning the movie, it was something however. Cohen wished to not capitalize on what had come earlier than however somewhat use that as a gateway for younger individuals on the time to be launched to the thriller style utilizing a topic they have been fascinated about….School. He fought again in opposition to a few of the critiques of his film, saying, “I had in my mind that I was telling the story of George Senior and George W. Bush. I had gone to Harvard that had the dining clubs, but not the Skull and Bones, the secret societies. But I knew a lot about the secret societies, and I thought ‘this is how the elite functions. This is how the elite knits together these bonds that take them through life and keep them in the elite heights of any society’, and I was very excited about portraying that with Paul and Josh and all the cast. To create this secret world of power elites…that was very exciting to me and I got the cast excited about that idea. It’s interesting how many of the critics missed this and didn’t understand it and blew it off as silly. Skull and Bones is a reality and the film got very close to how that reality works at Yale”.
There are certainly fairly just a few similarities between The Craniums and the actual world of secret societies. From the best way they allegedly handle their funds, to “tap day”, and stealing different elite teams’ mascots (which is an exercise referred to as “crooking” apparently…f*cking wealthy individuals, am I proper?). The island they escape to relies on an actual place referred to as Deer Island the place the members congregate, and so forth.
The story of Luke can be extra considerate than it’s given credit score for. Some fascinating deleted scenes present Mandrake revealing to Luke that his Mom, lengthy regarded as lifeless in actual life, had really deserted him to start out one other household. Which not solely added to his sense of needing to belong however made his resolution to go away all that behind to do the fitting factor all of the harder. Cohen in contrast it to the tales of Faust the place he had to decide on to surrender all the pieces he ever wished within the title of doing what was proper. However ultimately of this story, his sacrifice was rewarded with love, and a extra fulfilling, most likely nonetheless profitable life. As Cohen mentioned, “I thought it was a really great story for young people. I thought they needed that”.
Add this to the gushing of Cohen on set from the solid, who every mentioned that he was an incredible security web for them early of their careers; Paul Walker talked about to his brokers that whoever he labored with once more, he wished somebody like Cohen…who ended up because the director of The Quick and the Livid. Josh Jackson would even search out one of many precise watches the Cranium and Bones members have been gifted to provide to the director after the shoot. Based on Hill Harper, very like within the movie itself, the solid have been every given a Mustang to drive round throughout the manufacturing and the solid all grew to become very shut within the course of. Regardless of the important opinion of The Skulls, the intention and on-set dynamics couldn’t have been higher.
All I can say about The Skulls is that, whereas dated, it’s a private consolation film with each nice younger and skilled actors, an fascinating (if a little bit implausible) story that flies by on each rewatch. And it ends in a mother-f*cking (bleeped) duel. Any non-western that ends in a duel will get an additional bump up. These are the principles….and we reside by the principles and die by the principles. And THAT is what the f*ck occurred to The Skulls.
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