“The Shout” may be the longest 87 minutes you will ever experience on film. And 5 minutes of that total time belong to the opening credits.
This 1978 British horror film was directed by Jerzy Skolimowski and based on a short story by Robert Graves. It was notable to me for featuring two young actors; John Hurt and Tim Curry, both of which would go on to the horror hall of fame.
Nice Setting
The movie opens with a rainy English countryside and I’m always down for that. Crossley (Alan Bates) comes upon a rural house owned by Rachel and Anthony Fielding (Susannah York and John Hurt). Anthony is a composer, and tricks with sound play a factor in his life and the story. Crossley reveals he has a supernatural ability. He can shout in such a way that kills anyone who hears it. Sure.
One can tell director Jerzy Skolimowski was taking a stab at being artsy. There are long and drawn shots that replicate isolation and embody an uncanny state. Cool angles and closeups frame characters in such a way that the visuals are appealing.
The inclusion of the sounds of a peacock call are naturally chilling. “The soul is imprisoned in the body until death liberates it.” Lines like that are sublime. And any horror produced in the 1970s is unintentionally spooky in its own low-quality way.
Yawn
The problem is “The Shout” so boring and so slow, I was lost 20 minutes in. Despite seeing Tim Curry as a 32-year-old, and John Hurt in a pre-Alien performance, I was so bored I couldn’t concentrate.
Lots of talking. Not a lot of scares. Nothing interesting. And it’s barely 80 minutes long.
I’m not sure why “The Shout” was on my radar but it’s a definite miss.
