THE SHOUT (1978)
Article 3976 by Dave Sindelar
Date: 7-10-2012
Directed by Jerzy Skolimowski
Featuring Alan Bates, Susannah York, John Hurt
Country: UK
What it is: Odd horror movie

A musician and his wife find their home invaded by a stranger who claims to wield aboriginal magic, including a shout that is capable of killing people.

This strange, offbeat little horror film is something like a cross between THE LAST WAVE and CUL-DE-SAC, though in truth that doesn’t quite capture the vibe. It’s a difficult movie, and I’m not sure I quite understood all that was happening, but it does have a real sense of dread, and its use of sound to increase tension and build suspense is very striking. Alan Bates gives a great performance as the magic-wielding stranger, though the other performers (which include John Hurt, Susannah York, Tim Curry and Jim Broadbent) all do very well. Whatever its difficulties, the movie does draw me into a world that I haven’t been to before, and that’s always a plus, and this is one I will probably watch again when the opportunity arises.