I haven't watched this film in probably 20 years and I had forgotten a lot of the plot but I watched it again recently and it reminded me that this was one of the most unique and interesting mysteries I have ever seen. Story starts out with a young doctor named Robert Graves (Tim Curry) who comes to an insane asylum to help keep score of a cricket match between the inmates and the staff and sitting beside Robert is a man named Crossley (Alan Bates) who starts to tell him the story of how he ended up there. Crossley was in Devon, England and meets Anthony Fielding (John Hurt) who plays the organ in church but is always experimenting with music and sounds and Crossley invites himself over for lunch. He meets Anthony's wife Rachel (Susannah York) and during lunch he tells them he spent 18 years with the aborigines in the outback and that he had killed his own children and learned some of the aborigine black magic. He spends the night but early the next morning Crossley and Anthony walk out to a secluded area because Crossley mentioned that he learned "The Shout" that can kill anything in the general area. Anthony puts wax in his ears and Crossley does his "Shout". It kills a local sheep herder and the sheep and Anthony is saved by the wax. Crossley possesses Rachels buckle from her sandal which he uses to put a spell on her to possess her as well. These scenes are shown in flashbacks and we're not sure if this is just a made-up story from a crazy man or the real deal. We know some of it is made up because we see York's character as a nurse. The film is directed by Jerzy Skolimowski and along with the Jeremy Irons film "Moonlighting" he shows good patience in the way he tells the stories in his films. This is a very effective mystery and their are lots of images that flash during the film that are cause for discussion and one that pops in my mind is that in Anthony's work room there is a photo tacked to the wall of someone or something on all fours. Later, Rachel is nude in the bedroom waiting for Crossley and she gets on all fours that mirrors the image in the photo! The performances are excellent and Bates brooding nature is put to good use here. His quiet but demanding persona is totally believable. I really enjoyed York in this film and the nudity that she is asked to do here reminded me that English actress's have an entirely different attitude toward nudity in films. York was always an excellent actress and she was very popular in the sixties and seventies and her performance here shows why. This is a film that is intended for mature audiences who are not afraid to view something that leaves some questions. This reminded me of two other films, "Don't Look Now" and "The Wicker Man" which didn't cater to a less sophisticated mindset. Well made and extremely effective.
70 Reviews
unusual and arty horror film involving aboriginal Australian magic; something different
FieCrier3 February 2005
I don't recall now how I'd heard of this movie, but having heard of it, I was motivated enough to get a copy from the Amazon UK site (region-free players are a must; region encoding should be abolished!).
From the very start of the movie, it's clear it will be unusual. First we see a woman drive up to a building. She is ushered into a room where there are three dead men, apparently naked, laid out under white sheets on what seem to be dining tables. She stops at the third one. Then, we see an black, likely aboriginal, man wandering in a desert or among sand dunes, and he approaches with a sharp bone. Then a man (Tim Curry) arrives at an asylum, where he is assigned the job of score-keeping for a game of cricket the patients and staff are about to begin. The other scorekeeper, one of the patients, starts to tell him a story....
That's a lot of jumping around just to start the film! There are layers in the film, due to the storytelling, and not everything is chronological, and perhaps not everything is even true.
The story involves the man telling the story (Alan Bates) and one of the men playing cricket (John Hurt). John Hurt's character plays organ at a church, when he gets there on time, anyway, and at home records a variety of sounds, amplifying them in such a way they sound unusual. He meets Alan Bates, a strange man who had learned some aboriginal magic when he lived in Australia, and Bates manages to enter Hurt's home and life.
The story structure and the involvement of an asylum called to mind The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari for me, and now seeing the comments of others, I see I'm not alone. One other movie that came to mind while watching The Shout was Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) because of the Australian weirdness and artiness in both films.
I can't claim to understand everything in the film. For example, at one point a character wakes up and he's temporarily confused about his identity and profession, a problem that reoccurs at least once thereafter. Additionally, there's some digging in the sand for rocks which seem related to people somehow. In spite of this, or perhaps because of this to a degree (I like some mystery sometimes), I enjoyed the movie, and I'm glad I bought it.
From the very start of the movie, it's clear it will be unusual. First we see a woman drive up to a building. She is ushered into a room where there are three dead men, apparently naked, laid out under white sheets on what seem to be dining tables. She stops at the third one. Then, we see an black, likely aboriginal, man wandering in a desert or among sand dunes, and he approaches with a sharp bone. Then a man (Tim Curry) arrives at an asylum, where he is assigned the job of score-keeping for a game of cricket the patients and staff are about to begin. The other scorekeeper, one of the patients, starts to tell him a story....
That's a lot of jumping around just to start the film! There are layers in the film, due to the storytelling, and not everything is chronological, and perhaps not everything is even true.
The story involves the man telling the story (Alan Bates) and one of the men playing cricket (John Hurt). John Hurt's character plays organ at a church, when he gets there on time, anyway, and at home records a variety of sounds, amplifying them in such a way they sound unusual. He meets Alan Bates, a strange man who had learned some aboriginal magic when he lived in Australia, and Bates manages to enter Hurt's home and life.
The story structure and the involvement of an asylum called to mind The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari for me, and now seeing the comments of others, I see I'm not alone. One other movie that came to mind while watching The Shout was Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) because of the Australian weirdness and artiness in both films.
I can't claim to understand everything in the film. For example, at one point a character wakes up and he's temporarily confused about his identity and profession, a problem that reoccurs at least once thereafter. Additionally, there's some digging in the sand for rocks which seem related to people somehow. In spite of this, or perhaps because of this to a degree (I like some mystery sometimes), I enjoyed the movie, and I'm glad I bought it.
Simply put, one of the oddest films I have ever seen
Stay_away_from_the_Metropol24 April 2020
I don't even know where to start but I will try. Alan Bates is mystifying and terrifying - and I get the oddest feeling that the Coen Brothers love this movie and bit the character for Javier Bardem in No Country For Old Men. John Hurt plays a character who is offensively passive but very likable and he does it with flying colors - his performance is great. Susannah York's role requires great dynamic and she pulls it off menacingly. The plot is so minimal and open-ended it doesn't even feel like a plot, but the experience goes unmatched. The environments are often breathtaking and the editing, pacing, and "progression" of the plot makes the entire movie feel like a bad dream. Through the second half of the film, everything that occurs is so out-there that you can no longer question any small detail - everything is absurd but it feels organic and cohesive in it's own freakish sense. Admittedly, I don't understand the ending, but I don't even care - it still feels climactic and satisfying, and most outstanding dreams are not fully explicable either... for fans of any and all oddities... this one is not to be missed.
the whisper
jplenton6 August 2000
Warning: Spoilers
02/08/00
Due to the success of The Exorcist and The Omen there was an upsurge in supernatural based films in the seventies. Most relied on the Christian belief system with tales of priests battling The Devil. I know of two exceptions. Firstly The Manitou, a messy film based on Red Indian belief. Secondly this film, The Shout, which relies on Aboriginal belief. From this preamble you may ascertain that The Shout is a horror film. Only in a loose sense, it is more of a dark and mysterious drama.
The film opens (and ends) at a mental institution. The scene could be construed as a microcosm of `stereotypical' English life, with the rural backdrop, cricket on the Green, and brief thundershower. A visitor is told a strange story by one of the patients based on his past. This story is the focus of the film (cf. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari)
The patient imposes himself on a young couple living near a rural village. He claims to have lived in the Australian Outback for eighteen years and has become an Aboriginal magician. He has the power to enact a `terror shout', which kills anyone within earshot. He is met with initial scepticism and humour by the couple, especially the husband; Anthony played by John Hurt (typecast as the everyman victim/underdog).
The appearance of a stranger or newcomer (in this film the patient/storyteller) is a familiar premise in film. The newcomer acts as a catalyst for change, gradually exposing the hidden `underbelly'/underlying tensions and secrets of the family or community visited. Cf. Knife in the Water, Cul De Sac, The Enigma of Kasper Hauser, Vampyr, The Witches (1966), and that's only mentioning films I have seen this year.
*spoilers*
The stranger's choice of `victim' could be because Anthony is having an affair. Note introductory dialogue `that man had a wife who loved him'. The stranger leaves for a period, but as the affair resumes, promptly returns. Perhaps the story is in Anthony's imagination, brought on by guilt.
Another theme is religious belief. The initial conversations between the stranger and Anthony are on Christian theology. The topic is not continued as the onus shifts to belief in the magician's power. Anthony can only seek retribution by believing absolutely, he too becomes a magician, but this costs him his `mind'. Note how both `magicians' end up in the asylum. Anyone with unorthodox or unwanted beliefs is hidden away.
Are the magician's powers real or fantasy? He is telling the story remember and openly admits to changing it on whim. The ending chaos could be part of the story or delusion. The film leaves behind a lot of loose strings and unanswered questions. It is up to the listener/viewer to decide.
Due to the success of The Exorcist and The Omen there was an upsurge in supernatural based films in the seventies. Most relied on the Christian belief system with tales of priests battling The Devil. I know of two exceptions. Firstly The Manitou, a messy film based on Red Indian belief. Secondly this film, The Shout, which relies on Aboriginal belief. From this preamble you may ascertain that The Shout is a horror film. Only in a loose sense, it is more of a dark and mysterious drama.
The film opens (and ends) at a mental institution. The scene could be construed as a microcosm of `stereotypical' English life, with the rural backdrop, cricket on the Green, and brief thundershower. A visitor is told a strange story by one of the patients based on his past. This story is the focus of the film (cf. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari)
The patient imposes himself on a young couple living near a rural village. He claims to have lived in the Australian Outback for eighteen years and has become an Aboriginal magician. He has the power to enact a `terror shout', which kills anyone within earshot. He is met with initial scepticism and humour by the couple, especially the husband; Anthony played by John Hurt (typecast as the everyman victim/underdog).
The appearance of a stranger or newcomer (in this film the patient/storyteller) is a familiar premise in film. The newcomer acts as a catalyst for change, gradually exposing the hidden `underbelly'/underlying tensions and secrets of the family or community visited. Cf. Knife in the Water, Cul De Sac, The Enigma of Kasper Hauser, Vampyr, The Witches (1966), and that's only mentioning films I have seen this year.
*spoilers*
The stranger's choice of `victim' could be because Anthony is having an affair. Note introductory dialogue `that man had a wife who loved him'. The stranger leaves for a period, but as the affair resumes, promptly returns. Perhaps the story is in Anthony's imagination, brought on by guilt.
Another theme is religious belief. The initial conversations between the stranger and Anthony are on Christian theology. The topic is not continued as the onus shifts to belief in the magician's power. Anthony can only seek retribution by believing absolutely, he too becomes a magician, but this costs him his `mind'. Note how both `magicians' end up in the asylum. Anyone with unorthodox or unwanted beliefs is hidden away.
Are the magician's powers real or fantasy? He is telling the story remember and openly admits to changing it on whim. The ending chaos could be part of the story or delusion. The film leaves behind a lot of loose strings and unanswered questions. It is up to the listener/viewer to decide.
Not Cricket
richardchatten29 April 2018
Previous commentators have remarked upon the similarity of the framing story of this film (that reunites the author and star of 'I Claudius') to 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari'; but no one yet seems to have noticed the resemblance to Pasolini's 'Teorema', in which Terence Stamp rocks the boat of a bourgeois household with a similar mystical droit du seigneur to that exercised by Alan Bates over a youthful John Hurt's luscious wife Susannah York (who at one point has a remarkably feral nude scene on all fours), despite his unkempt appearance and army greatcoat that recall Davies from 'The Caretaker' more than Bates' earlier saturnine romantic leads.
Most reviewers seem also to be taking this tall tale of bucolic rumpy pumpy with more of a straight face than it's actual makers may have been. But it clearly needs to be seen (and listened to) more than once.
Most reviewers seem also to be taking this tall tale of bucolic rumpy pumpy with more of a straight face than it's actual makers may have been. But it clearly needs to be seen (and listened to) more than once.
A descent into total madness
sol121816 October 2003
(Thre are Spoilers) A movie that's incomprehensible no matter how you try to describe or explain it. "The Shout" is a film with an irrational story about a lunatic spinning a tale about his experiences from the wild Australian outback to a sleepy little town on the coast of England as he's being examined by a doctor at the mental institution that he's been incarcerated in. This happens during a game of cricket on the hospital grounds between the staff and inmates.
Charles Crossley, Alan Bates, is telling his doctor Robert Graves, Tim Curry, how he developed strange and mystic powers while he was living with the aborigines for 18 years in the wild reaches of the Australian desert and perfected among other things the "Terror Shout" that can kill in an instant anyone who's near enough to hear it.
Imposing himself on a naive and unsuspecting couple Anthony, John Hurt, and Rachel, Susannah York, Fielding when returning to England Crossley became the guest that just doesn't want to leave. Using what he learned from the aborigines Crossley steals one of Rachel's shoes and casts a spell on it where she becomes madly in love with him giving into his every whim and command. Even sitting at the foot of the kitchen table, like the family dog, and eating scraps that Crossley throws at her as her astounded husband Anthony watches.
Crossley talking about the human soul and how it can be hidden in a tree or stone or anywhere else besides the human body and about his power to be able to affect the dreaded "Terror Shout". Crossley then takes Anthony out into the sheep meadow, where there's no one around, and demonstrates the "Terror Shout" by telling Anthony to stuff his ears with whatever is available to him and then let's it roar.
Anthony gets his brains scrambled and almost all the sheep that were in the meadow were killed by Crossleys animal-like howl. Anthony later finding the stone where Crossley's soul resides in and then breaking it that in affect breaks the hold that Crossley had on him and his wife and lands Crossley into the asylum that he is in now.
Reliving his story in what looks like a hot dog or refreshment stand on the institutions park grounds it suddenly begins to rain very heavily. As the cricket game is called off some of the staff an inmates start to push the stand where Crossley and Dr.Graves are in away from the downpour.
With his talk being suddenly interrupted by all this Crossley becomes very violent and agitated and starts to scream out hysterically. It's then Where Dr. Graves tells him to shout, maybe believing that it would settle him down. That turned out to be a bad mistake on the part of Dr. Graves where Crossley gives out a tremendous and ear-splitting "Terror Shout" where the stand that he and Dr. Graves are in seems to be hit by a sudden bolt of lighting with both Crossley and Dr. Graves as well as a number of staff and inmates of the institution ending up dead.
The more that I watch this movie the more I get confused, just what were the writer and director trying to tell the audience? Or was the film supposed to be a lesson of how a man can become so immersed in his detachment from reality that in the end he descends in to total madness.
Charles Crossley, Alan Bates, is telling his doctor Robert Graves, Tim Curry, how he developed strange and mystic powers while he was living with the aborigines for 18 years in the wild reaches of the Australian desert and perfected among other things the "Terror Shout" that can kill in an instant anyone who's near enough to hear it.
Imposing himself on a naive and unsuspecting couple Anthony, John Hurt, and Rachel, Susannah York, Fielding when returning to England Crossley became the guest that just doesn't want to leave. Using what he learned from the aborigines Crossley steals one of Rachel's shoes and casts a spell on it where she becomes madly in love with him giving into his every whim and command. Even sitting at the foot of the kitchen table, like the family dog, and eating scraps that Crossley throws at her as her astounded husband Anthony watches.
Crossley talking about the human soul and how it can be hidden in a tree or stone or anywhere else besides the human body and about his power to be able to affect the dreaded "Terror Shout". Crossley then takes Anthony out into the sheep meadow, where there's no one around, and demonstrates the "Terror Shout" by telling Anthony to stuff his ears with whatever is available to him and then let's it roar.
Anthony gets his brains scrambled and almost all the sheep that were in the meadow were killed by Crossleys animal-like howl. Anthony later finding the stone where Crossley's soul resides in and then breaking it that in affect breaks the hold that Crossley had on him and his wife and lands Crossley into the asylum that he is in now.
Reliving his story in what looks like a hot dog or refreshment stand on the institutions park grounds it suddenly begins to rain very heavily. As the cricket game is called off some of the staff an inmates start to push the stand where Crossley and Dr.Graves are in away from the downpour.
With his talk being suddenly interrupted by all this Crossley becomes very violent and agitated and starts to scream out hysterically. It's then Where Dr. Graves tells him to shout, maybe believing that it would settle him down. That turned out to be a bad mistake on the part of Dr. Graves where Crossley gives out a tremendous and ear-splitting "Terror Shout" where the stand that he and Dr. Graves are in seems to be hit by a sudden bolt of lighting with both Crossley and Dr. Graves as well as a number of staff and inmates of the institution ending up dead.
The more that I watch this movie the more I get confused, just what were the writer and director trying to tell the audience? Or was the film supposed to be a lesson of how a man can become so immersed in his detachment from reality that in the end he descends in to total madness.
Why should I remember
stevedyeruk17 February 2003
I saw this film for the first time when I was just 17 years old and it made an impression which has lasted another 25 yrs. I just cant forget it. To this day, I cannot think of another film which captures so much about the isolation of English civility from the raw power of tribal beliefs, and to bring them together in the gentility and peace of a rural Devon setting.. even the "Wicker Man" fails to gain such potency as it is set in what is from the beginning contrived to be island cultures.. remote from civil society, whereas "The Shout" is both in your face, while (as a 1970's film) hauntingly suggestive of unspoken fears and longings. As such it speaks of the era within which it was made, a time of fragile contentment and almost subversive experimentation with.. other ways of viewing the world. Bates and York's performances are also totally believable which contrasted with the other-worldly nature of the setting and story make it compelling viewing. As another review stated.. I believe this to be a thoroughly underrated film, while for me at least definitely.. a classic.
THE SHOUT (Jerzy Skolimowski, 1978) ***
Bunuel19762 June 2006
I'm always fascinated by the way a country like Britain is presented in a totally different, almost alien way when 'looked at' by a foreign film-maker. Skolimowski is an underrated director, and I've generally been impressed by what I've seen from his work; as a matter of fact, I might be watching three other films of his that I own on VHS - LE DEPART (1967), THE ADVENTURES OF GERARD (1970) and TORRENTS OF SPRING (1989)...
The plot of this film (from a story by Robert Graves) is compelling and relatively simple but, handled in such a weird fashion (one might say deliberately), it becomes somewhat hard to take! Still, there's a strong cast on hand: Alan Bates (who has had perhaps the most interesting, if largely unsung career from the British New Wave's flock of "Angry Young Men" - I followed this with one of his early films, THE CARETAKER [1963], via the BFI's R2 SE DVD), Susannah York and John Hurt in the lead roles and, in support, Robert Stephens, Tim Curry and an impossibly young - and thin - Jim Broadbent.
Bates and Hurt play typical roles - the former eccentric, the latter bewildered - but their rapport, and the one each shares with York, is what holds the film together. There's also an effective electronic score by two members of the then prog-rock band Genesis (appropriate considering that Hurt plays a musician with a penchant for experimentation with everyday sounds)! The scenes involving Bates' deadly shout are very well handled; its Aborogine connection links the film with another strange contemporary title, Peter Weir's THE LAST WAVE (1977), which I've only watched once but remember liking a lot - so much so that I considered purchasing the Criterion DVD, despite its being one of their lower-tier releases (then again, THE SHOUT is an absolutely no-frills edition but, at least, it was dirt-cheap!).
If there's any complaint I have to make about the DVD, it's the fact that the audio level is rather low and, consequently, the dialogue - part heavy British accents and part Bates' whispered delivery - is unintelligible at times (which can become frustrating, given that this is largely a dialogue-driven film!).
The plot of this film (from a story by Robert Graves) is compelling and relatively simple but, handled in such a weird fashion (one might say deliberately), it becomes somewhat hard to take! Still, there's a strong cast on hand: Alan Bates (who has had perhaps the most interesting, if largely unsung career from the British New Wave's flock of "Angry Young Men" - I followed this with one of his early films, THE CARETAKER [1963], via the BFI's R2 SE DVD), Susannah York and John Hurt in the lead roles and, in support, Robert Stephens, Tim Curry and an impossibly young - and thin - Jim Broadbent.
Bates and Hurt play typical roles - the former eccentric, the latter bewildered - but their rapport, and the one each shares with York, is what holds the film together. There's also an effective electronic score by two members of the then prog-rock band Genesis (appropriate considering that Hurt plays a musician with a penchant for experimentation with everyday sounds)! The scenes involving Bates' deadly shout are very well handled; its Aborogine connection links the film with another strange contemporary title, Peter Weir's THE LAST WAVE (1977), which I've only watched once but remember liking a lot - so much so that I considered purchasing the Criterion DVD, despite its being one of their lower-tier releases (then again, THE SHOUT is an absolutely no-frills edition but, at least, it was dirt-cheap!).
If there's any complaint I have to make about the DVD, it's the fact that the audio level is rather low and, consequently, the dialogue - part heavy British accents and part Bates' whispered delivery - is unintelligible at times (which can become frustrating, given that this is largely a dialogue-driven film!).
Shouting
VideoKidVsTheVoid19 October 2006
An utterly bewitching and fantastical film from the great Polish-born filmmaker Jerzy Skolimoski. An "abnormal" mental patient, Crossley (Alan Bates), tells a story of himself, which may or may not be true, to a young, confused looking Tim Curry during a mental institution run cricket match. He tells of how he self-imposed his way into the home of an experimental musique concrète composer, Anthony (John Hurt), who records all sorts of fascinating sounds and noises and then manipulates them with his mini-studio of electronic equipment, and his wife Rachel (Susannah York). Inside the flashback/flash forward/flash sideways, he tells them of a unique ability he has perfected, which he learned from an aboriginal medicine man while living in the Australian outback. It seems he can perform a shout that will kill anyone within a surrounding radius. He demonstrates "The Shout" to Anthony and unknowingly kills a local farmer. His presence in Anthony's home quickly becomes awkward and unwanted but he continues to force his stay with intimidation. He uses his mysterious mystical abilities to entrance Rachel into becoming almost rabid for him, and taunts Anthony with his conquest and powers. Anthony, humiliated and overpowered in his own home and life, searches desperately for a way to defeat Crossley; searches for the source of his "soul".
Skolimowski uses the music and sounds that are recorded by John Hurt's character on screen (in real life made by Rupert Hine) as the metaphysical soul to this cinematic nightmare; similar in the ways David Lynch uses sound design as both an audio and visually integral mood stabilizing component in his nightmare-dream poems, or how Nicolas Roeg uses fractured time and images to a disorientating, hypnotic effect. In fact, it feels very analogous to a Roeg film. Highly recommended.
Skolimowski uses the music and sounds that are recorded by John Hurt's character on screen (in real life made by Rupert Hine) as the metaphysical soul to this cinematic nightmare; similar in the ways David Lynch uses sound design as both an audio and visually integral mood stabilizing component in his nightmare-dream poems, or how Nicolas Roeg uses fractured time and images to a disorientating, hypnotic effect. In fact, it feels very analogous to a Roeg film. Highly recommended.
This arty psychological thriller won't thrill your average viewer
wavecat1314 October 2023
This is a weird, bizarre, and not very credible flick. Arthouse tension pervades this psychological thriller with a super-natural twist. Bates and Hurt are both excellent, but the narrative is maximal arty-impressionistic and in need of clarification. For example, what is the point of cutting back and forth between the cricket match sequence, and the main part of the story? The first shout scene is indeed something to behold and belongs in the highlight reel of something, I don't know what, 1970s madness perhaps? There are some interesting talents at work here for sure, e.g. Author Robert Graves, music by two of the members of the band Genesis, actor Tim Curry, and of course the director Skolimowski.
Weird and unengaging ...
parry_na9 April 2022
The acting on display here is exemplary. When you have people like Jim Broadbent and Tim Curry in supporting roles, you know the main cast are of a high standard.
My only problem is, when Susannah York and John Hurt welcome Alan Bates' character into their homes, they are too 'polite' to notice how utterly bonkers he is. Turning the other cheek is one thing, but there are several instances where Bates would have earned his marching orders, however politely. As it turns out, he appears to be slightly madder than anyone realised.
'The Shout' would have made a terrific episode of vintage UK drama 'Tales of the Unexpected', where it would result in a pretty tense half hour of television. Stretched to nearly three times that, only the acting saves it from being a bit of a chore. My score is 4 out of 10.
My only problem is, when Susannah York and John Hurt welcome Alan Bates' character into their homes, they are too 'polite' to notice how utterly bonkers he is. Turning the other cheek is one thing, but there are several instances where Bates would have earned his marching orders, however politely. As it turns out, he appears to be slightly madder than anyone realised.
'The Shout' would have made a terrific episode of vintage UK drama 'Tales of the Unexpected', where it would result in a pretty tense half hour of television. Stretched to nearly three times that, only the acting saves it from being a bit of a chore. My score is 4 out of 10.
scandalously under-rated
shmekel8 March 2006
And I really do mean 9/10. This film is a superbly made, wonderfully acted, deliberately under-stated fantasy masterpiece. The sense of conviction, of the truth being portrayed even when the paranormal erupts into the world, is unnerving. Yes, the film as a whole is unapologetically high-brow, full of cultural allusions that many will miss (The dry psychoanalytic cracks, the Francis Bacon-inspired compositions, the inversion of Orpheus), but all that can happily be missed without in any way detracting from the film. For those who love metaphysics, the incredible thrill of the possibility of magic, this should not be missed. (The current DVD release, MOST Regrettably, has been sub-optimally re-mixed. However, for those new to the film, it shouldn't matter too much. For those who have, turn that shout up loud!!!)
🔊 Sonic Terror Echoes Through Time: A Surreal Psychological Thriller 🌀🏏
CinemaCynic15 June 2024
"The Shout" (1978), directed by Polish filmmaker Jerzy Skolimowski, is a haunting and enigmatic psychological thriller that defies easy categorization. Based on a short story by Robert Graves, the film weaves a tale of supernatural power, mental instability, and the fragility of reality itself.
Set against the backdrop of the English countryside, "The Shout" stars Alan Bates as Crossley, a mysterious stranger who insinuates himself into the lives of a married couple, Anthony (John Hurt) and Rachel (Susannah York). Crossley claims to possess a terrible power: a shout that can kill. This premise sets the stage for a tense and unsettling narrative that blurs the lines between truth and fiction, sanity and madness.
Alan Bates delivers a standout performance as Crossley, imbuing the character with a mesmerizing blend of charisma and menace. His portrayal is both seductive and threatening, keeping the audience constantly off-balance. John Hurt, as the experimental musician Anthony, provides an excellent counterpoint, his quiet intensity serving as a foil to Bates' more overt presence.
Skolimowski's direction is masterful in its restraint. He creates an atmosphere of creeping dread, relying more on suggestion and implication than overt horror. The film's pacing is deliberate, allowing tension to build gradually, punctuated by moments of surreal imagery and unsettling sound design.
One particularly notable scene involves Crossley demonstrating his lethal shout on a deserted beach. The buildup to this moment is expertly crafted, with the sound mixing playing a crucial role. The actual shout, when it comes, is both anticlimactic and deeply disturbing - a testament to Skolimowski's ability to subvert expectations while maintaining narrative tension.
The cinematography by Mike Molloy deserves special mention. The stark beauty of the Devon coastline is captured in a way that emphasizes its isolation and otherworldliness, perfectly complementing the film's themes of alienation and the intrusion of the unknown into everyday life.
However, "The Shout" is not without its flaws. The narrative structure, which employs a framing device set in a mental institution, can be confusing at times. Some viewers may find the pacing too slow, especially in the film's middle section. Additionally, while the ambiguity of the story is largely effective, it may leave some audience members feeling unsatisfied with the lack of clear resolution.
The film's exploration of sound as a weapon and a form of power is intriguing, especially given Anthony's profession as an experimental musician. This theme adds an extra layer of depth to the narrative, though it's not always fully developed.
Susannah York's performance as Rachel is solid, but her character feels somewhat underwritten compared to the two male leads. This is a missed opportunity, as her perspective could have added additional complexity to the central conflict.
"The Shout" is a unique and thought-provoking film that may not appeal to all viewers but offers rich rewards for those willing to engage with its enigmatic narrative and unsettling themes.
For fans of psychological thrillers that prioritize atmosphere over conventional scares, or those interested in exploring the more experimental side of 1970s British cinema, "The Shout" is certainly worth seeking out. It's a film that lingers in the mind long after viewing, inviting multiple interpretations and discussions.
Set against the backdrop of the English countryside, "The Shout" stars Alan Bates as Crossley, a mysterious stranger who insinuates himself into the lives of a married couple, Anthony (John Hurt) and Rachel (Susannah York). Crossley claims to possess a terrible power: a shout that can kill. This premise sets the stage for a tense and unsettling narrative that blurs the lines between truth and fiction, sanity and madness.
Alan Bates delivers a standout performance as Crossley, imbuing the character with a mesmerizing blend of charisma and menace. His portrayal is both seductive and threatening, keeping the audience constantly off-balance. John Hurt, as the experimental musician Anthony, provides an excellent counterpoint, his quiet intensity serving as a foil to Bates' more overt presence.
Skolimowski's direction is masterful in its restraint. He creates an atmosphere of creeping dread, relying more on suggestion and implication than overt horror. The film's pacing is deliberate, allowing tension to build gradually, punctuated by moments of surreal imagery and unsettling sound design.
One particularly notable scene involves Crossley demonstrating his lethal shout on a deserted beach. The buildup to this moment is expertly crafted, with the sound mixing playing a crucial role. The actual shout, when it comes, is both anticlimactic and deeply disturbing - a testament to Skolimowski's ability to subvert expectations while maintaining narrative tension.
The cinematography by Mike Molloy deserves special mention. The stark beauty of the Devon coastline is captured in a way that emphasizes its isolation and otherworldliness, perfectly complementing the film's themes of alienation and the intrusion of the unknown into everyday life.
However, "The Shout" is not without its flaws. The narrative structure, which employs a framing device set in a mental institution, can be confusing at times. Some viewers may find the pacing too slow, especially in the film's middle section. Additionally, while the ambiguity of the story is largely effective, it may leave some audience members feeling unsatisfied with the lack of clear resolution.
The film's exploration of sound as a weapon and a form of power is intriguing, especially given Anthony's profession as an experimental musician. This theme adds an extra layer of depth to the narrative, though it's not always fully developed.
Susannah York's performance as Rachel is solid, but her character feels somewhat underwritten compared to the two male leads. This is a missed opportunity, as her perspective could have added additional complexity to the central conflict.
"The Shout" is a unique and thought-provoking film that may not appeal to all viewers but offers rich rewards for those willing to engage with its enigmatic narrative and unsettling themes.
For fans of psychological thrillers that prioritize atmosphere over conventional scares, or those interested in exploring the more experimental side of 1970s British cinema, "The Shout" is certainly worth seeking out. It's a film that lingers in the mind long after viewing, inviting multiple interpretations and discussions.
Menacing yes, Strange yes, Dull yes, Horror nope
glowinthedarkscars12 October 2017
I really wanted to like this one but didn't.. I could even make a good argument as to why this film shouldn't be considered a horror movie. Basic Plot - Man enters a couple's life and claims he can kill with a shout then gives a pretty convincing demonstration.
Heavy on allegory but missing a few things i like in my horror.. like an element of danger or creepiness, scares, and a little blood. This movie was just menacing, strange, and dull. *1 one star for the excellent cast and acting which was enough to hold my attention for 86 minutes but not enough to make me like it.
Heavy on allegory but missing a few things i like in my horror.. like an element of danger or creepiness, scares, and a little blood. This movie was just menacing, strange, and dull. *1 one star for the excellent cast and acting which was enough to hold my attention for 86 minutes but not enough to make me like it.
A brilliant puzzle of a movie. Original and haunting.
Infofreak20 September 2002
'The Shout' is one of the most underrated thrillers of the 70s, and should be spoken of in the same breath as the much more celebrated 'Don't Look Now' and 'The Wicker Man'. All three put complex and original adult approaches to the supernatural thriller genre. Alan Bates ('Whistle Down The Wind') really shines in this movie as the mysterious and charismatic stranger cum shaman Crossley, who turns a comfortably bohemian middle class marriage upside down. The couple are played by John Hurt ('The Elephant Man') and Susannah York ('Superman'), and they are both first rate, as is Tim Curry ('Rocky Horror') in a smaller but important supporting role. But as good as they all are this is Bates' movie all the way in an unforgettable performance. A haunting, dreamlike puzzle of a movie that improves with multiple viewings. Highly recommended!
A great, unheralded horror movie
JasparLamarCrabb4 March 2009
Warning: Spoilers
A horrifying film by Jerzy Skolimowski. Alan Bates is a mental patient who believes he can kill people with a fearsome shout, something he picked up while living amongst Australian aborigines. He insinuates himself into the lives of sound man John Hurt and his wife Susannah York. What follows is a game of soul-taking, wife-taking and out-and-out bedlam. Bates, never the most stable screen presence, is brilliantly frightening and Hurt and York are excellent. The sexual tension between Bates and York is palpable. Skolimowski infuses the film with an unrelenting sense of dread. It's reminiscent of other classy horror films of the time (THE WICKER MAN, DON'T LOOK NOW). A great, unheralded film from one of the great esoteric directors.
Weird, but incredibly atmospheric
TheLittleSongbird16 April 2011
Reminding me of the likes of the original Wicker Man in terms of style, The Shout is an unusual but very atmospheric film. While the story is compelling and very well-paced, there are some parts where it meanders slightly at the end where the film felt a little strange in its tone. Also the film is a little too short, I think the reason why the story meandered was to do with the attempt to wrap everything up before it was too late. And in regards to the DVD, the audio could've I agree been much better, it sounds a bit murky making some of the dialogue hard to hear That said, The Shout works in its atmosphere. The many moments that work are incredibly haunting, and the shout itself stuck in my mind for weeks. The Shout also looks very stylish, the scenery and costumes are wonderful, the lighting is appropriately bleak and the cinematography and editing add to the atmosphere without looking too slip-shod. The direction is very adroit and the dialogue is thought-provoking and very rarely over-the-top. The performances also help elevate. Alan Bates is brilliant, both John Hurt and Susannah York are perfect and Tim Curry is very effective in a smaller role.
All in all, atmospheric and well done. 7/10 Bethany Cox
All in all, atmospheric and well done. 7/10 Bethany Cox
All I have to do is
lost-in-limbo29 July 2007
During a cricket game in the grounds of an asylum, patient Charles Crossley is telling a story to his opposite scorekeeper Robert. He tells of how he came across musician Anthony Fielding outside church one day, and he invited back home for dinner. Over dinner he tells Anthony and his wife Rachael that of his last two decades of living in the Australian outback, where he learned many spells from the aboriginal witch doctors and one being the shout. It can cause instant death when heard. Soon Charles settles into the homestead, where he has Anthony and Rachael under his thumb, as he fears him and she's infatuated by him.
Weird, baffling and truly novel passes through my mind whenever I watch this sedately complex, courageous and alienating late 70's British experimental thriller. The way it has layer upon layer, goes on to ambitiously build a minor and gripping structure, which its inspired psychological strangle hold and mystical air takes shape as to how genuine the pieces are and if they do come together. Does it make sense? Well, it's hard to say what the bigger picture means, but it is indeed curiously haunting, daunting and truly unpredictable. The non-linear story and compact script chips away with plenty of cryptic messages inter-cutting the soft, dream-like touch brought on by director Jerzy Skolimowski. He gives the film such an hypnotic appeal amongst its arty brushes, where its swirling electronic score peaks in the right places and Mick Molloy's sublime framing emits elegant photography work. Those scenes involving the 'shout' are lethal, and only increase to the lurking eeriness created by top-notch sound FX. Visually the film has a powerful, isolated and lush setting that works with the story's spiritual and supernatural journey. The three lead performances are sensational, but it's Alan Bates who dominates the show with his startling and obscure turn as the tramp/patient. John Hurt as the downtrodden turned bewitched composer gives in a stellar performance and Susanna York, as his wife is also great. The talented Tim Curry shows up in a small, but effective role.
Quite an unusual puzzle, which is strangely compelling, unique and very well made.
Weird, baffling and truly novel passes through my mind whenever I watch this sedately complex, courageous and alienating late 70's British experimental thriller. The way it has layer upon layer, goes on to ambitiously build a minor and gripping structure, which its inspired psychological strangle hold and mystical air takes shape as to how genuine the pieces are and if they do come together. Does it make sense? Well, it's hard to say what the bigger picture means, but it is indeed curiously haunting, daunting and truly unpredictable. The non-linear story and compact script chips away with plenty of cryptic messages inter-cutting the soft, dream-like touch brought on by director Jerzy Skolimowski. He gives the film such an hypnotic appeal amongst its arty brushes, where its swirling electronic score peaks in the right places and Mick Molloy's sublime framing emits elegant photography work. Those scenes involving the 'shout' are lethal, and only increase to the lurking eeriness created by top-notch sound FX. Visually the film has a powerful, isolated and lush setting that works with the story's spiritual and supernatural journey. The three lead performances are sensational, but it's Alan Bates who dominates the show with his startling and obscure turn as the tramp/patient. John Hurt as the downtrodden turned bewitched composer gives in a stellar performance and Susanna York, as his wife is also great. The talented Tim Curry shows up in a small, but effective role.
Quite an unusual puzzle, which is strangely compelling, unique and very well made.
Strange and unique horror/mystery.
ProgressiveHead14 December 2011
An early scene in The Shout (based on the short story of the same name by Robert Graves) shows a cricket match getting underway in a small English village. One of the scorers, Charles Crossley (Alan Bates) tells a story of a musician/sound effects artist (John Hurt) from the local village, who is unfaithful to his wife. Along comes a stranger (Alan Bates again) who invites himself to lunch at the married couple's house and tells them of his time in Australia living with an aboriginal tribe, during which time he claims to have perfected a shout that has the power to kill anything nearby. Eventually he is given an opportunity to prove it.
This is a strange horror film. It tells its story subtly and not necessarily always in the order the events occurred. This approach could be part of the reason The Shout isn't at all well-known, despite its good qualities.
Rich in symbolism and open to interpretation, this film drew me in and by the end I was both satisfied with the story that had been told but also left wanting. A second viewing helped me piece together a few more plot strands such as the significance of certain objects such as bones and a lost belt buckle, but also left me with a few more unanswered questions.
From reading some other people's thoughts on The Shout, it seems to get compared to films such as Don't Look Now, The Wicker Man and Picnic at Hanging Rock. While I don't think it's quite as good as any of those, I would recommend it to fans of those titles. It fits into the mould of the more artsy genre films of the 70s, where the storytelling is complex and (in this case) rewards the discerning viewers attention.
This is a strange horror film. It tells its story subtly and not necessarily always in the order the events occurred. This approach could be part of the reason The Shout isn't at all well-known, despite its good qualities.
Rich in symbolism and open to interpretation, this film drew me in and by the end I was both satisfied with the story that had been told but also left wanting. A second viewing helped me piece together a few more plot strands such as the significance of certain objects such as bones and a lost belt buckle, but also left me with a few more unanswered questions.
From reading some other people's thoughts on The Shout, it seems to get compared to films such as Don't Look Now, The Wicker Man and Picnic at Hanging Rock. While I don't think it's quite as good as any of those, I would recommend it to fans of those titles. It fits into the mould of the more artsy genre films of the 70s, where the storytelling is complex and (in this case) rewards the discerning viewers attention.
Etherial, dreamy and well made tale of the bizarre.
simon-11830 August 1999
Halliwell described this as a "well made and acted but ultimately rather pointless fable" which is typical of his style of reviewing, but despite his glib conclusions one must agree that this is an excellent piece of avant-garde film-making that, in spite of its impressive cast, often strikes one as more like a short by a new director. In fact, the film may have been more effective as a short were it not that the sleepy pace lends it a dream-like and ethereal feel that is totally shattered when the shout is heard. The Shout itself is so built up that one can only expect disappointment. Yet when it finally is heard it is truly horrific and you will jump out of your seat. The scene on the sand dunes as Alan Bates yells out death to all around him and sheep are swept down dead by the cry is masterful. Similarly effective is the soundtrack by Genesis' Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford, mainly based around reworkings of themes from Banks' album "A Curious Feeling" a gorgeously nostalgic sequence of music that is inventively brought into the film as a low-key presence, faintly playing in the background as if echoing on the breeze, and used by John Hurt on the church organ. The man from nowhere character Alan Bates presents is fascinating and a nice change of style for him, and it seems strange how rarely this film is aired on television and how hard it is to locate on video, despite its excellent cast and original realisation. A little known but fascinating tale of the uncanny presented like an adult fairy tale.
Never heard of it until now
Stevieboy6662 July 2018
Strange, arty horror movie filmed in Devon, England about a mysterious traveller who turns up at the coastal home of John Hurt and Susannah York (who gets her clothes off several times) and claims to have magic Aboriginally powers. Indeed he possess a deadly shout, hence the title. Nicely filmed and compelling, with a great cast but if you can understand the ending then you are more clever than me! Just enjoy for the strangeness and visual pleasure.
Just did not resonate with this one.
joseftrethowen26 October 2021
I am not one to shy away from a weird movie and this one is very weird. I guess the movie is unsettling which is kind of the point, and I applaud the originality, but overall I found this movie to put iy bluntly boring, uneventful and pointless.
An eccentric, but curiously compelling tale
Afracious27 July 2000
This is a strange film about a sinister man named Crossley (Alan Bates) who invades the lives of a man (John Hurt) and his wife (Susannah York) in a sleepy English town. He tells the story to a fellow scorer at a cricket match (Tim Curry), and we are left to try and disentangle it.
Crossley tells the couple that he spent eighteen years in the Australian outback, and that he killed his children when they were born. He also tells them he met a magical man in the outback, who taught him how to shout to kill. The scene when Crossley 'shouts' on the sand dunes is good. The shout kills sheep, birds and a shepherd. The sound is good too. The film was made in Dolby system sound, which is rare for that time. During the 'shout' the effect is impressive. The ending is rather weird. Alan Bates is good as the creepy Crossley. It's an odd film, that is curiously compelling to watch.
Crossley tells the couple that he spent eighteen years in the Australian outback, and that he killed his children when they were born. He also tells them he met a magical man in the outback, who taught him how to shout to kill. The scene when Crossley 'shouts' on the sand dunes is good. The shout kills sheep, birds and a shepherd. The sound is good too. The film was made in Dolby system sound, which is rare for that time. During the 'shout' the effect is impressive. The ending is rather weird. Alan Bates is good as the creepy Crossley. It's an odd film, that is curiously compelling to watch.
Less here than meets the eye (or ear).....
PeterHerrmann6 February 2021
Has lots of style, and I did want to find out how it would end; but lacks logic (or if if had logic, it went over my head). Perhaps it works as a metaphor: aboriginal magic vs western religion (the husband plays the organ at church, and the vicar makes an appearance), the aboriginal shout vs the husband's synthetic music composition; the mental hospital playing a role somehow (the insanity of all that we do .. or perhaps just the insanity of cricket). But the whole thing was a stretch, from beginning to end.
What Devon was like in the 70's. Oh, and Susannah York naked.
joachimokeefe27 December 2018
Warning: Spoilers
At a cricket match in a lunatic asylum, an inmate (Bates, moody but overweight) relates his story to a colleague (Curry, looking as gay as can be) in the mobile scorers' hut. It seems he spent 18 years with the Australian Aborigines (but still takes 4 sugars in his tea), and learnt to shout loud enough to kill all living things within hearing distance.
Naturally, since John Hurt and wife Susannah York are arty middle-class types living in Devon, they welcome this raving nutcase into their picturesque Devon home, whereupon he commences to cuckold John Hurt and grope Susannah mightily. Hurt lets him because as an experimenting musician (he earns his living as the church organist), he's dying to learn about The Shout.
The story is no better than a weak episode of the original Avengers, but the footage of 1970's Devon still brings back a pleasant England that might once have existed. I also have to mention that whoever was playing the vicar should not have got the part. He couldn't act his way out of a jamboree bag.
And the hut is struck by lightning, I think it is. Deus Ex Machina ending, subtract 5 stars. Add one for SY's funbags. And pubes.
Naturally, since John Hurt and wife Susannah York are arty middle-class types living in Devon, they welcome this raving nutcase into their picturesque Devon home, whereupon he commences to cuckold John Hurt and grope Susannah mightily. Hurt lets him because as an experimenting musician (he earns his living as the church organist), he's dying to learn about The Shout.
The story is no better than a weak episode of the original Avengers, but the footage of 1970's Devon still brings back a pleasant England that might once have existed. I also have to mention that whoever was playing the vicar should not have got the part. He couldn't act his way out of a jamboree bag.
And the hut is struck by lightning, I think it is. Deus Ex Machina ending, subtract 5 stars. Add one for SY's funbags. And pubes.
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