THE SKULLS II
US, 2002, 96 minutes, Colour.
Robin Dunne, Aaron Ashmore.
Directed by Joe Chappelle.
The Skulls was a modest drama about the dastardly doings of college secret societies (which have had four Presidents as members, so we are told) who choose the most promising students to form an elite that exercise power long after graduation. A lot of energy and power seem to be employed in cover ups of member's criminal indiscretions. It is the same here. A young man witnesses the death of a woman and spends the rest of the film trying to follow his conscience and find out the truth of what happened. He is thwarted at every turn by the student president, former Skulls businessmen and his ambitious girlfriend. He wins, but at some cost. More or less what you might expect.
1. The impact of the original film, its themes about college and secret societies, the treatment of the characters, the themes, designed for a young audience? The comparisons of this film with the original? Themes, treatment, audience?
2. College and the university town, the rooms, the interiors and the way that they were lit, the mediaeval overtones for a secret society? The contrast with the broad daylight of ordinary life? The musical score?
3. The American brotherhoods and fraternities at universities and colleges? The information about four presidents belonging to the Skulls? The nature of the elite, their secrecy, their old-fashioned rituals, the interaction, the initiation ceremonies and demands? The value of belonging to such a society, the privilege and its consequences? The nature of blind loyalty, cover-ups, protecting people from the consequences of their evil choices?
4. The hero of the film and audiences identifying with him, his friend Jeff, going to the ceremony, his brother Greg and the influence and expectations? His relationship with Ally, friendship and love, sexuality? His being touched, trying to keep the secret? The ceremony and its ritual? The blood pact? The exercise for mutual trust, life and death? His participation in the hoax - his punishment, in the tower, with Jeff, seeing the young woman go up to the roof with Hamilton, her death? His puzzle, the compulsion to find out what had happened? Her disappearance, the news of the crash? The pressure from the fraternity, his going to library, finding out about other suicides? The lawyer, going to the coroner, getting the special report? The finale, the confrontation with Parker, the deal and the Skulls letting him go?
5. The Skulls and the various members, Parker and Hamilton, their presumption, Ally and her ambitions to be associated with the Skulls, the clash with the hero in the restaurant? Their pressure, the cover-ups? The older Skulls and their presiding at the ceremonies, their being in influential positions, in law firms?
6. Ally, character, student, relationship with the hero, her ambitions, being set up by the Skulls, her disappointment and rejecting the hero?
7. Kelly as the roommate, her decision to help, her attraction towards the hero, helping him with getting the coroner's report?
8. The older members of the Skulls, the law courts, Greg and his role, his being ousted? The coroner and his being intimidated, revealing this to Kelly and the hero? His being tricked?
9. The nature of intrigue, truth, cover-ups, integrity?
