Skullduggery (1983)
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Villian(s)
Devil possessed man
Actor(s):
David Calderisi, Wendy Crewson, Thom Haverstock, Jim Coburn
Brief Description
Skullduggery (also released as Warlock and Blood Puzzle) is a 1983 Canadian comedy-horror film directed, written, and produced by Ota Richter. Associated with the "Satanic Panic" and slasher boom eras of the early 1980s, the film uses a tabletop role-playing game heavily resembling Dungeons & Dragons as the centerpiece of its bizarre mystery.
Plot:
The story follows Adam, a mild-mannered costume shop clerk and amateur theater worker living in Toronto. Adam belongs to a group of five friends who regularly gather to play a medieval-themed board game. Unknown to him, Adam's family line carries an ancient curse dating back to an ancestor who fell victim to a sorcerer or Satan. As the game progresses, the devil uses the role-playing scenarios to manipulate Adam, convincing him that he is a powerful, cursed warlock. Succumbing to the curse, Adam begins a surreal killing spree targeting his community college theater coworkers, frequently changing into bizarre costumes—including a memorable scene where he commits a murder while dressed as a rabbit. The film culminates in a chaotic showdown where the supernatural elements of the game bleed into reality. The game's dungeon master, "Dr. Evil," is ultimately revealed to be the devil himself.