Shock Waves (1977)

Boring Mer-Nazi Fix

Shock Waves suffers from unrequited potential. The monsters here are undead MER-NAZIS (!!!) who automatically kill any human being they encounter. Call me old fashioned, but I expected Mer-Nazis would be more exciting. Or at least have some motivation and take apparent satisfaction from their work. These guys go about their task with the approximate eclat and aplomb of a trash collector.

The monsters are essentially stealth/ambush killers who dispatch their victims with mute efficiency that, while appropriately German, isn't particulary exciting. There's really no reason to root for the monsters, except to bring the movie to an early end by dispatching the uninteresting protagonists as quickly as possible.

Redeeming features include fairly spooky scenes of ocean horizons broken by the still silhouettes of zombies in SS dress and lurking Nazis in the mangrove swamp. However, the occasional creepiness isn't enough to offset the general tedium of the movie. October 2, 2008

How do the Nazi zombies keep their uniforms looking so nice?

During World War II, German scientists performed top-secret experiments in the paranormal and worked at creating an invincible super soldier. They succeeded on creating a squad of soldiers who were neither living, nor dead. Allied troops later spoke of battling with this elite SS unit, known as the Death Corps, who fought without weapons and killed with their bare hands. The allies never captured a single member of this SS unit.

Two couples looking for some leisure time on the ocean take a dive boat out for some relaxation. The boat's captain (John Carradine) and first mate (Luke Halpin) expertly manage to shipwreck the boat near a remote island. Upon finding the home of a self-exiled Nazi commander (Peter Cushing) they all learn of the story of the undead super soldiers and what became of them. And unfortunately for the living, the troops are ready for service once again.

Ken Widerhorn's direction was passable, but ultimately, I think it's the acting that keeps this ship afloat. No, they're not spectacular performances, but overall they're pretty good. As it should be expected, veteran actors Carradine (The Astro-Zombies) and Cushing (Star Wars) are the standouts, though I don't think it's on either one of their best roles lists. Brooke Adams (Invasion of the Body Snatchers) and Halpin (Flipper) put in some honest work while the rest of the main cast are fairly forgettable. Though don't discount the eight actors playing zombies. They did a yeoman's job and seemed to take their roles very seriously, adding a lot of believability to the film. That's saying a lot since they were cast from an ad put in the paper down on location in Florida.

These Nazi zombies look good for being some thirty plus years old. By that I mean they're not very decomposed. To their credit, they are on the pasty side and they're pretty wrinkled. You know how you get when you're in the bubble bath, er...shower too long? Sorta like that. They're still fairly creepy, though. Since we don't know how exactly these guys were created, you could explain away the decomposition by some kind of anti-aging zombification serum. What's more impressive is that their uniforms don't look decayed at all. You can rationalize the zombies, but not the uniforms I'm afraid.

SHOCK WAVES is the first film for director Ken Wiederhorn. Likewise, it's the first film for all the credited screenwriters as well as the producer. Many of the film's flaws can be attributed to the lack of experience, but even with its flaws, Shock Waves is very watchable and managed to attain a cult following over the years. I think there are a few reasons why.

First of all, it manages to escape what most zombie movies can't...simply being a crappy movie. If you can at least be an average zombie film, with the glut of all the really bad ones, you're destined to stick out among the crowd. Secondly, it's a rather unique take on the undead. Only ZOMBIE LAKE really comes close to the premise of underwater Nazi zombies, and SHOCK WAVES is head and shoulders above that dried-up piece of dead wood. Thirdly, there are a few very memorable scenes that will stick in your mind. For me, the best was the scene where all the undead Nazis rise up out of the water one by one and slowly head to shore. And lastly, you have the mere presence of John Carradine and Peter Cushing. Between the two, I think they've been in about a billion films and have both accumulated their own legions of fans throughout their career. Put it all together and you've got a flick that will continue to add to its following for quite some time to come. June 9, 2008

The King of the Genre

Classic late-nite TV fare. Tom LaBrie and his LaBrie Nightcomfort Theater are to thank for introducing me to this one. May 30, 2008

Atmospheric and Genuinely Creepy

As a zombie and Hammer completist, I made a point of buying this film as soon as it was released on DVD. I first saw it on late night TV back in the 70s, and it has aged remarkably well.

The plot concerns a group of vacationers who find themselves stranded on a remote island after their creaky vessel nearly collides with a hulking derelict freighter and is grounded. After some exploration, they find a run-down hotel and meet its sole occupant: a scarred SS commander living in exile on the island. During World War II, this man led an experimental corps of undead super soldiers who were ultimately abandoned by the Nazis because they were too difficult to control. Banished to the freighter and cast adift, the zombies are awakened and come to the island to carry out their old seek and destroy orders, forcing the castaways to fight for survival while looking for a way off the island.

This is a low budget film, shot in 1976 on 16mm film (later blown up to 35mm at the cost of some graininess) with a monaural soundtrack and a cast of unknowns. Despite this, it is outstanding, building a genuinely creepy atmosphere instead of relying on gimmicks and gore. The zombies kill their victims by drowning, and despite every death being bloodless, these scenes (particularly the standout swimming pool sequence) are eerie because of their stillness and dreamlike silence. John Carradine and the great Peter Cushing are superb in small roles, though it is a shame they are never onscreen together. Cushing in particular shows what a gifted actor can bring to a film: his accent and deft performance give his character (the SS commander) real presence despite only a few minutes of screen time. The other actors also deliver solid performances, and Brooke Adams looks terrific in a yellow bikini. But the real stars of this film are the Nazi zombies themselves. The scenes of them rising from the water and standing in formation are unforgettable, and their stalking scenes are made more effective by their slow but relentless gait. All the while, the spare but unsettling electronic score adds perfectly to the mood of the film.

If you're looking for a flashy, big-budget gorefest, you won't find it here. But if you are willing to overlook a few flaws and give a little known film a chance to shine, you should be pleased with Shock Waves. This is about as good as a B-movie can get.



April 30, 2008

Nazi-Zombies - Better Than Most

Been looking for this one for a while and finally got to see it recently. Scared me as a kid and don't remember much except some dudes coming out of the water with goggles on their faces.

Watching it again all these years later I realize how the mind plays tricks on you. Not so much a scary movie anymore, but still better than many other movies that came out at that time. Seeing legendary actors Peter Cushing and John Caradine together was interesting (poor Caradine suffered from an extreme case of arthritis, as we can see in this movie) and I guess neat, if you want to look at it like that. The acting wasn't horrible at all, though not Oscar-worthy. The special effects and film location were good as well, giving the audience a more believable setting and action.

The few special features (commentary, interview, trailer) were okay, though I'd liked to have seen more (deleted/alternate scenes).

My only gripe with this version of the film was the quality wasn't what I expected for a DVD release. I'd heard somewhere that this version was pulled from a copy belonging to the [director, producer? not sure]. Guess you really can't complain though. Overall a good movie. January 8, 2008

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