Taglines: A secret society so powerful, it can give you everything you desire… at a price.
Luke McNamara, a college senior from a working class background joins a secret elitist college fraternity organization called “The Skulls”, in hope of gaining acceptance into Harvard Law School. At first seduced by the club’s trapping of power and wealth, a series of disturbing incidents, such as his best friends suicide, leads Luke to investigate the true nature of the organization and the truth behind his friends supposed suicide. He starts realizing that his future and possibly his life is in danger.
The Skulls is a 2000 American psychological thriller film starring Joshua Jackson, Paul Walker and Leslie Bibb, directed by Rob Cohen. Its plot is based upon some of the conspiracy theories surrounding Yale University’s Skull and Bones student society. The film was critically panned, but successful enough to spawn two direct-to-video sequels, The Skulls II (2002) and The Skulls III (2004).
The Skulls was shot in Toronto with the University of Toronto disguised as Yale University, the plot’s setting. Scenes were also filmed in the city’s suburban neighbourhood of Guildwood. The film opened at #3 at the North American box office, making US$11,034,885 in its opening weekend, behind The Road to El Dorado and Erin Brockovich.
About the Story
Luke McNamara (Joshua Jackson) is a student with aspirations to become a lawyer. A “townie” who grew up on the “wrong side of the tracks”, he did well enough in school to attend college on a scholarship where he is a champion rower. His best friends at college are his love interest Chloe (Leslie Bibb), and Will (Hill Harper) who is the coxswain of the Bulldog 8’s rowing team of which Luke is the captain (at the victory party for the 8’s, Chloe is revealed to come from a wealthy family which is why Luke is reluctant to reveal his feelings for her).
Luke’s friendships hit the rocks when he is invited to join a secret society known as “The Skulls”. After Luke passes the first part of the initiation process – theft from a rival frat together with boxing prodigy Caleb Mandrake (Paul Walker) as his co-conspirator and alleged “soulmate”, and being lectured in the secret ritual room by a senior Skull that is standing in front of a wall with the word “WAR” engraved into it in huge capital letters. A senior Skull explains to Luke that the Skulls require their members to prove themselves in war. Luke has a falling out with Will when the latter realizes that Luke has become a Skull.
Luke quickly strikes up a friendship with his alleged soulmate. Caleb’s father, Litten Mandrake (Craig T. Nelson), is the current Chairman of the Skulls and a Federal Court Judge who is pushing for a position in the Supreme Court, and his partner Senator Ames Levritt (William Petersen), takes an interest in Luke. Eventually Will, who has been conducting research on the Skulls for some time, discovers their secret ritual room.
The Skulls (2000)
Directed by: Rob Cohen
Starring: Joshua Jackson, Paul Walker, Hill Harper, Leslie Bibb, Christopher McDonald, Steve Harris, William Petersen, Andrew Kraulis, Noah Danby
Screenplay by: John Pogue
Production Design by: Bob Ziembicki
Cinematoğruphy by: Shane Hurlbut
Film Editing by: Peter Amundson
Costume Design by: Marie-Sylvie Deveau
Set Decoration by: Steve Shewchuk, Clive Thomasson
Music by: Randy Edelman
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Release Date: March 31, 2000
Visits: 45
