The Skeleton Key (2005)

[sarah_wentworth]

Originally Posted by sarah_wentworth

yeah. i thought it was creepy with a cool surprise ending

i have a skeleton key

[Tuco_76]

Originally Posted by Lucy Ashton

(...)but as for the review, stick to the screengrabs and technical specs, and you'll be fine.

Sry to bump this, but on this one, not even that statement is true.
Besides one-dimensional and at times childish-offensive review ("wannabe chiller" etc.), the technical part is even worse.

Without going into detail, the PQ review is the most faulty I came across so far on this site. 3 stars is a joke, the reviewer must've watched it on his notebook.
PQ is a rock solid , at the very least. There are 24 user reviews at blu.de, half voted 5, half 4 stars, not a single one voted below 4.

That disc is pretty cheap by now and region free, btw.

[HeavyHitter]

I watched this last night and I have to say, it's one of Universal's best looking catalog titles especially given it was released before their newer (better) direction. It has a nice, smooth (but not overly so) image that doesn't look processed or blown-out. There is some really nice shadow detail in the darker scenes and definitely a very good movie.

[Popcorn_Bliss]

It's definitely a favorite of mine. Nice for a late night viewing.

[AaronJ]

Wow, glad to whomever bumped this. I never would have thought of it otherwise. I remember really enjoying this back in the day. Like others in this thread have said, it's a lot better than many films of its ilk. And it was nice to see Kate Hudson given a role to sink her teeth into, instead of those silly rom-coms she seemed to be making every year previous.

I'll definitely be picking this up at some point. But I may have to wait, as I have some expensive pre-orders about to come due very soon.

[wonkavision]

Great actors and acting all around. This is certainly one of my favorites and often played, especially with friends who have not seen it. Everyone walks away liking and actually thinking (and freaking out) about it later,

[Show spoiler]especially the downbeat ending. I particularly find it truly gruesome when they hang Papa Justify and Mama Cecile in the flashback...but it's really The Thorpe's own kids. Scary.

[JaseT]

Yes, thanks for the bump! I would've forgotten to add brick dust to my shopping list!

No mirrors!

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by wonkavision

Great actors and acting all around. This is certainly one of my favorites and often played, especially with friends who have not seen it. Everyone walks away liking and actually thinking (and freaking out) about it later,

[Show spoiler]especially the downbeat ending. I particularly find it truly gruesome when they hang Papa Justify and Mama Cecile in the flashback...but it's really The Thorpe's own kids. Scary.

It scares the crap out of me when I see it, definitely need to grab the BD at some point. The horror genre is horrifically under-represented now in my collection, need to rectify that by the end of the year.

[JaseT]

The soundtrack is worth tracking down, especially now that it's OOP. Very moody!

[StinkingSuede]

Skeleton Key is even better on second viewing, because you see all the clues that you didn't know were clues the first time you watched it.

[JaseT]

Originally Posted by StinkingSuede

Skeleton Key is even better on second viewing, because you see all the clues that you didn't know were clues the first time you watched it.

Definitely! Welcome to the forum!

[Mystic]

I've always enjoyed this film. It's moody, atmospheric, and reminiscent of an expanded feature length version of the type of story that would not have been out of place on Rod Serling's Night Gallery.

[Luke B.]

Bought my copy today (along with Milla Jovovich's Faces In The Crowd) and can't wait to watch it. This is one of my favorite films ever, never get tired of watching it. Unfortunately the blu-ray doesn't come with any of the extras that were on the dvd edition, but i'm sure it's worth even with the lack of extras.

[evoll]

I agree with you on it being a good movie, we used to watch this a few times a year. The story is pretty good with a nice twist.

[javy]

The Skeleton Key is one of my favorite horrors and films in general. It is totally awesome and beautifully wicked. I was completely mind blown at the end the first time I watched it. It got close to the end and I thought I had it all figured out and then, mind-fxcked. This movie is a true gem and I can't give it enough love.

[Show spoiler]It is time Lord,
From the dry dust,
Out of these chains,
From the devil's house.
It is time Lord take me,
from the dry dust bring me,
from these chains bring me,
From the devil's house take me,
Out of darkness walk me,
Out of blindness lift me,
Out of sadness take me,
From my damnedness please Lord.

[rocknblues81]

Originally Posted by javy

The Skeleton Key is one of my favorite horrors and films in general. It is totally awesome and beautifully wicked. I was completely mind blown at the end the first time I watched it. It got close to the end and I thought I had it all figured out and then, mind-fxcked. This movie is a true gem and I can't give it enough love.

[Show spoiler]It is time Lord,
From the dry dust,
Out of these chains,
From the devil's house.
It is time Lord take me,
from the dry dust bring me,
from these chains bring me,
From the devil's house take me,
Out of darkness walk me,
Out of blindness lift me,
Out of sadness take me,
From my damnedness please Lord.

It's one of those movies that is better than you would expect. I mean, the mid 2000's had plenty of PG-13 spookfest failures, and its easy to go into this movie expecting it to be another one. However, the cast is great, and the ending delivers more than expected. It would make for a nice double header to go along with Drag Me to Hell.

[slimdude]

The Skeleton Key is more of a thriller, than a horror film.

[Todd Tomorrow]

Originally Posted by slimdude

The Skeleton Key is more of a thriller, than a horror film.

By that logic Rosemary's Baby, generally considered one of the most influential horror films ever, is also more of a thriller. The two films have a lot in common. If anything, The Skeleton Key is less ambiguous about its threat being a supernatural one.

[javy]

Originally Posted by rocknblues81

It's one of those movies that is better than you would expect. I mean, the mid 2000's had plenty of PG-13 spookfest failures, and its easy to go into this movie expecting it to be another one. However, the cast is great, and the ending delivers more than expected. It would make for a nice double header to go along with Drag Me to Hell.

Hell yeah!

[laidbacklarkin]

Originally Posted by javy

The Skeleton Key is one of my favorite horrors and films in general. It is totally awesome and beautifully wicked. I was completely mind blown at the end the first time I watched it. It got close to the end and I thought I had it all figured out and then, mind-fxcked. This movie is a true gem and I can't give it enough love.

[Show spoiler]It is time Lord,
From the dry dust,
Out of these chains,
From the devil's house.
It is time Lord take me,
from the dry dust bring me,
from these chains bring me,
From the devil's house take me,
Out of darkness walk me,
Out of blindness lift me,
Out of sadness take me,
From my damnedness please Lord.

Phenomenal movie, couldn't agree more. Very focused in approach, never wastes time on superfluous sub plots and delivers an absolute kick to the gut at the end. Kate Hudson rocks it with attitude ('Not where you can see it' - who recalls that retort ?