Michael B
Bava’s last film may not be his best, but ‘Schock’ (titled ‘Beyond the Door II’ in the States for some weird reason—it’s not a sequel) still had the touches of a master filmmaker. Any lover of psychological horror, the supernatural or haunted houses should find this a real treat.
Daria Nicolodi, who you probably know from ‘Profundo Rosso’ and was Dario Argento’s longtime partner, is terrific as Dora, who moves back into her old home with her son and new partner after recovering from the loss of her first husband. We soon find out that perhaps she hasn’t quite recovered, nor has her son, Marco, and these deep unresolved issues begin to manifest themselves in very disturbing ways. Especially in Marco, who is a super creepy kid and does his best to keep his mum on edge.
That’s just one resemblance that this film bears to ‘The Babadook’. Another is that we don’t quite know what’s real and what’s in Dora’s imagination, making for some genuinely scary and surprising moments. Bava’s ever-creative photographic techniques and a strange, sometimes pitch-perfect score contribute to the film’s creepiness and general sense of dread.
A few annoying issues for me: the lead actor could have been better, the score varies from perfectly to terribly wrong, and there’s one sequence involving a plane that’s totally unnecessary and, frankly, kind of dumb.
Ultimately, ‘Schock’ is very suspenseful, genuinely scary and well crafted. In fact, I’m surprised, given Bava’s reputation, that this film isn’t mentioned as much. Like many of his films, it seems to have influenced films that would come later.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
09/24/24
Full Review
Bernard R
This is an original film adapted into a modern film called THE PRODIGY. Though this film is only a product of its time and era, instead of a fast paced anxiety inducing paranoia similar to modern horror movies, Shock produces a slow burn mystery of its own making similar to The Others and its predecessors.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
07/28/24
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laurent b
I discovered it when I was a young boy, and it really scared me a lot. I watched it again lately and still love it. I like the atmosphere, but there is also a nice script with a real meaning.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
Audience Member
For fans of Gaillo and its influences on supernatural horror of today, there are few as visually striking, masterfully shot of the genre.
There is a scene where the woman pulls the blankets off of the mound in her child's bed to reveal a middle aged man with a slit throat, she then runs out, sees her son in the hallway; and, as he runs to her, right into her arms, suddenly its the same creepy man who's in her embrace. It is shot n such a way that is so flawless, jump-scary, and iconic, that several films of the 2010's have copied the scene.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/10/23
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delysid d
more schlock than shock, this movie is kind of cool though
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
03/02/18
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Audience Member
Unneeded sequel to "Beyond the Door," which was a cheap Italian ripoff of "The Exorcist," except that this time the film is directed by the great Mario Bava. Actually, this film wasn't made as a sequel to "Beyond the Door" but it was rebranded as such by it's American distributor because both films features the same possessed child actor. Director Bava's visual flourishes are the only reason to watch this film, which is actually more than enough reason to watch this. Otherwise, this story about a dead man possessing his son in order to torment his ex-wife, Daria Nicolodi, ranges from silly to ridiculous to off-putting. Overall, a mixed bag for Mario Bava's final feature as director.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
01/31/23
Full Review
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