Shock Corridor (Criterion) (n/a Quebec)

 

 

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This precursor to ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST, Written, Produced and Directed by Sam Fuller (THE BIG RED ONE) was originally banned in NZ on its initial release and for some odd reason carries an R18 certificate today (higher than the UK's 15 cert). But even despite the twelve year gap between this and Milos Forman's multi Oscar winning masterpiece, I personally felt that SHOCK CORRIDOR came across as a more subtly unsettling movie.
In this overlooked classic Peter Breck gives a terrific performance as Johnny Barrett, a newspaper reporter who goes undercover as a patient in a mental asylum in order to expose the ill treatment of the inmates. But he soon finds himself fearing for his own sanity when he himself winds up being abused. The situation is not helped when he begins to have disturbing dreams about his stripper girlfriend (Constance Towers) whom he harbours a secret anger against for exposing herself to other men. (The stripping scenes are a special highlight too). However Johnny also gains the unwanted attention of half a dozen attractive-slash-deranged female inmates who want to sexually exploit and degrade him. Who said only women were victims? Unfortunately some of the audio synchronicity in SHOCK CORRIDOR is appalling, especially in this scene and as a result the potential power of this sequence is lessened somewhat. (I viewed the UK videotape so I'll presume this was the work of the Pommie censors and not the intention of Fuller).
As if all this isn't bad enough, among the other inmates is an African American man with a split personality- his alter ego being a white supremacist. This leads to one of the movie's more unnerving moments where he dons a KKK outfit and sets an angry mob upon another Negro patient. This would have been pretty wild stuff for 1963 and the scene still packs a wallop four decades on. It's safe to presume that this wouldn't be allowed in movies today (unless it was being spoofed by the Wayans brothers). It's also of note that several flashback scenes are shot in color- including a brief but effective montage of the movies most powerful incidents during the scene in which Barrett undergoes electroshock therapy.
The combo of b&w photography with a shady atmosphere help to give SHOCK CORRIDOR a chillingly brilliant claustrophobic feel, which is so effective that while watching it you feel that you are incarcerated along with Barrett and suffering with him. Keep your eyes peeled for James Best, later to be better known as Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane on THE DUKES OF HAZZARD.
There are also a couple of amusing parts amongst all the despair, most notably the scenes featuring the screaming mad cowboy and a bit where one of the inmates proclaims with pride: "I am impotent and I like it!" Yup, the man is certifiable in my opinion.
SHOCK CORRIDOR is a movie well worth tracking down. Fuller manages to seamlessly blend thriller, psychological drama, social commentary horror, black humor and exploitation into a richly textured and unique viewing experience which retains the power to disturb and challenge viewers today.

Samuel Fuller's low-budget masterpiece _Shock Corridor_ is indisputably one of the greatest American films of the 1960s. Although some elements of the plot feel dated today, Fuller's expose of American racism and militarism has force, passion, and true cinematic technique.

The DVD of the film features an excellent video transfer with a so-so mono audio mix. Because this is an early effort from Criterion, the only extra you'll find here is a rather shabby theatrical trailer. Nowadays this would be disgraceful, but in 1998 (when the disc was first produced), it was about par for the course.

Unless you really, really like this film, consider a rental, not a purchase. Perhaps Criterion could re-issue _Shock Corridor_ with more extensive special features, as they've already done for Truffaut's _The 400 Blows_ and Cocteau's _Beauty and the Beast_.

This review is for the Criterion Collection edition of the film.

This film first of all has a cery original plot.

A journalist has himself commited to a mental hospital to solve an unsolved murder case which occurred there. The film has interesting scenes of mental hospitals and appears to be well with the time period in which the film was made.

There are two scenes that some may find humorous. In one the main character takes a wrong turn and ends up in the nymphomaniac ward. The depiction of the result seem pretty tame by today's standards though. In the other scene an black patient suffers from the delusion that he is a member of the Ku Klux Klan.

I for one foud the scene somewhat interesting given that this film was made in the early 60's at a time when race relations were beginning to change. I also wonder how they found a black actor willing to do such a scene.

The DVD has only a theactrical trailer for a special feature which is somewhat disappointing for a Criterion Collection release.

Overall this film is good but not very good.

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2.0 out of 5 stars disc was good but package was broken
The condition is like the title. I wanted the blu ray but screwed up and got the dvd. The case was cracked in the top and a huge piece of the case was protruding like a hangnail... Read more

Published 7 months ago by Michael Twardowski

5.0 out of 5 stars Sam Fuller's masterpiece
A journalist wants to win the Pulitzer Award, and due this goal he gets into a mental hospital pretending he is insane, but few days more he'll know he made a wrong choice because... Read more

Published on May 14 2004 by Hiram Gomez Pardo

4.0 out of 5 stars "Whom God wishes to destroy, He firsts makes mad."
Shock Corridor (1963), was written and directed by Samuel Fuller, who was also responsible for The Naked Kiss (1964), stars Peter Breck as Johnny Barrett, a reporter with his eye... Read more

Published on Mar 2 2004 by cookieman108

4.0 out of 5 stars Insanity, Incest, Social Responsability, and... Nymphos!
Like many films from the same time period, Shock Treatment intends to showcase serious and dramatic social/political issues that plague mankind, but attempts to do so in a... Read more

Published on Dec 24 2003 by S. Michael Wilson

4.0 out of 5 stars A DISTURBING MOVIE...
A reporter seeking a Pulitzer Prize cons his way into being committed to an asylum to get the story on an unsolved murder case. Read more

Published on Oct 20 2002 by Mark Norvell

3.0 out of 5 stars Great film, shame about the transfer
This is one of my favourite movies - it improves everytime I watch it - and while it is great to own it on DVD it's a shame the transfer is so poor. Read more

Published on Feb 21 2002

5.0 out of 5 stars Fuller's strange world
Alternately brilliant and infuriating, Samuel Fuller's Shock Corridor is without question a one-of-a-kind film. Read more

Published on Dec 31 2001 by LGwriter

4.0 out of 5 stars Fuller
Stark, powerful, riveting, are some descriptions you might hear from others reviewing this film. Ok here's the deal, not as good as Fuller's other works like Naked Kiss or... Read more

Published on Sep 21 2001 by BRIAN W. BRODY

5.0 out of 5 stars raw power
I remember the first time I saw this film. I'd heard a lot about it beforehand, but wasn't sure how it'd be portrayed on screen. Read more

Published on July 12 2000 by albemuth

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
This is one of the best B-movies I've ever seen. The ideas and thoughts that Fuller was able to convey on such a small budget is astonishing. Read more

Published on Feb 11 2000 by droogdogg

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