Shocker (Widescreen): Amazon.ca: Michael Murphy, Mitch Pileggi, Peter Berg, Sam Scarber, Camille Cooper, Ted Raimi, Keith Anthony-Lubow-Bellamy, Heather Langenkamp, Virginia Morris, John Tesh, Jessica Craven, Emily Samuel, Wes Craven, Barin Kumar, Marianne Maddalena, Peter Foster, Robert Engelman, Shep Gordon, Warren Chadwick: DVD

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Wes Craven's horror pictures always have a few wild ideas knocking around inside them, and this 1989 slashfest is no exception. The electrocution of a mass murderer turns into a kind of cosmic jump-start: evil Horace Pinker is reborn as an elusive electronic phantom, capable of leaping from one body to another. (This trick is also used to good effect in The Hidden and Fallen.) Pinker's a stinker, and Craven was clearly trying to set up another franchise villain in the vein of his Nightmare on Elm Street champ, Freddy Krueger--perhaps a bit too baldly. However, amidst the mayhem, the film's real subject is the poisonous presence of mass media, as Pinker (played by The X-Files' Mitch Pileggi) insinuates himself as a free-floating spirit run amok in television itself. In its own pulp way, Shocker gets at the heart of media-culture inanity quicker than a ten-week college class on the subject, and although Craven occasionally lapses into generic bloodletting, he always snaps right back with some crazy angle on the TV nation. The hero is played by a young Peter Berg, the Chicago Hope star who would go on to direct his own shocker, Very Bad Things. Shocker failed to catch on with audiences (somewhere there's a warehouse full of unsold Horace Pinker action figures), but it's definitely worth a look for horror fans. --Robert Horton

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Customer Reviews

26 Reviews

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

Average Customer Review

3.3 out of 5 stars (26 customer reviews)

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars An underrated classic!, Jan 14 2004

By

Jack Hoffman (Cal-ai-forn-ai-aye) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shocker (Widescreen) (DVD)

Wes Craven's renown for many of his classic horror films, but Shocker is one of his better movies, despite getting little accord from most critics. It's got great thrills throughout, especially considering that the psychotic Horace Pinker (played by then-unknown Mitch Pileggi) can transform his spirit into other people to do his bidding, including at one unnerving point a police officer. This is a horror film for sure, but there are also some elements of dark humor thrown in for good measure. As if Pinker's unhinged persona wasn't a captivating proposition enough, "Shocker" even features cameos by Timothy Leary, Eugene Chadbourne (of underground band Shockabilly, oddly enough) and the godlike John Tesh. I couldn't ask for much more than that.

The budget for this film, in retrospect, does appear to have been somewhat low, but it only enhances the experience, giving it a street-level power. It's like comparing a lean 1980s Megadeth album to a one of the more recent, bloated Metallica albums. (Speaking of which, Megadeth offers up a pretty rocking rendition of an Alice Cooper song in the soundtrack; Iggy Pop and Paul Stanley contribute some songs as well.) Those high-production 1990s weren't a very good time for horror films anyway. Although this is an oversimplification, consider "Shocker" to be an indie-ish alternative to the glossy self-consciousness that's marred the horror genre of late. It should also be noted that the 1998 movie "Fallen" lifted more than one plot device from this film, so it's not like this film went unnoticed upon release. I'd definitely recommend that you buy "Shocker," or, if you're unsure, at the very least rent it. You will then know your destiny.

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Craven's Best films., Nov 28 2002

By

Christian Pelchat (Canada.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shocker (Widescreen) (DVD)

There's a serial killer by the name of Horace Pinker (Mitch Pileggi), who enjoys stalking Famillies and then Kills them. When those heinous crimes are been going for months, a young Athlete named Jonathan Parker (Peter Berg) starts dreaming and having contact with the Killer through bizarre dreams. After Jonathan and his step-father (Micheal Murphy) caught the killer. Before the murderer dies in a electric chair, Pinker transforms himself into a terrifying energy source by Needing Power and Going into Human Bodies for his Immortality. Now, it's only Jonathan could him and fight this powerful demon.

Written and Directed by Wes Craven (Scream Trilogy, The Last House on the Left, The Serpent and the Rainbow) made a very entertaining supernatural thriller, which the Director actually basically remade his own-A Nightmare on Elm Street with Hi-Tech Visual Effects with a Heavy Metal score and also a Jolting dark sense of humor. Not many critics love this film (Expect for the late-Gene Siskel, who loved this movie) and this film has become a Cult Classic on Video. There's good performances from the Cast and an Neat Direction by Craven, makes this worth seeing. DVD has an fine anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1) transfer and an good Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround Sound. There's not much extras but if you are a fan of Craven's, this is Worth Buying. Grade:A.

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Soak the sponge, and strap him down!, Oct 22 2002

By

chatchi (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shocker (Widescreen) (DVD)

Capital Punishment has always been a sensitive subject in the movie industry. Speak in favor of it, you alienate one audience - speak against it, alienate another. Wes Craven's "Shocker" decides (wisely) to walk the fine line between the two viewpoints. Yes, the electric kills our most evil criminals, but it doesn't kill them all!

Horace Pinker (Skinner from "X-Files") is sent to the electric chair, but this serial killer has other plans! Horace uses electricity to come back from the dead and carry out his vengeance on the football player (Peter Berg) who turned him in to the police. By traveling through electrical wires, Horace Pinker knows no boundaries - he is THE SHOCKER!

PIVOTAL SCENE: When Pinker and Peter Berg fight *inside* a television set, and jump from channel to channel. Brilliant!

Backed by Megadeth's admirable cover of Alice Cooper's "No More Mr. Nice Guy", this movie succeeds in every way that "The Green Mile" failed.

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Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars The Movie Isnt As The Name Says!!!!
Even with the title SHOCKER, it has nothing to do with the rating of the film! I like it. Sure, it's not the best thing Wes Craven has done, and it's very hard to scare me at all,... Read more

Published on Jun 11 2004 by Micheal Hunt

1.0 out of 5 stars Entertainment for the retarded
I remember seeing this film in theaters way back in the day. I laughed then. I saw it recently at a friend's house and can't believe Wes Craven's career didn't end with this... Read more

Published on April 13 2004 by Johny Bottom