Bub_the_zombie

A depressing and trashy slasher that was released at the height of the slasher craze in the early 80's. It delves in sexual depravity and bloodlust - Ill thoughts and murderous intentions towards less than wholesome women. It deals mostly with a maniac's return to his family (ala Halloween) after being released from the mental institution after the doctors thought he was cured. All this after he murders his mother and father (at the age of ten) while he and his mistress are doing a little bondage type foreplay.

Bloody, Gory - Make sure you wanna go emo for a day if you decide to watch this film. It will leave you in a lonesome depressed mood all day long. Actually, that's pretty good...if a movie can leave such a lasting impression on you. At least there's some talent hidden behind the filth.

I'd throw this in the same pile as other trashy films such as 'Maniac', 'New York Ripper', 'Don't Go in the House' etc.

Don't go looking for anything other than sexually charged insanity and the sheer depravity of a killer gone mad from childhood.

This was a childhood favorite of mine and all the pals in the early years. Shocker is quiet an enigma. I'm not real sure as to what Craven was trying to pull off. Not only was Shocker a strange film, The People Under The Stairs that came out a year or two after was also a strange film.

As for 'Shocker' - I can only go as far as to say that there were nays and yays. First and foremost, all the supernatural elements of 'Shocker' may turn a few heads and leave some wanting to turn it off. Some people like the supernatural element going on with this film. Personally, I lean towards the former. If this flick was made into a balls out slasher/serial killer film which only used the main character's psychic ability instead of going to the extremes of allowing the main characters (killer/Hero) to jump inside televisions, using electricity as a source of supernatural power, it would have fared better, and been one of the great ones.

Even aside from all this nonsense, 'Shocker' still has it's moments. It has a very dreary and bleak atmosphere that somehow sucks you in. It's almost the same atmosphere emitted from his 1984 venture, 'A Nightmare on Elm Street'. There's this surrealistic feeling throughout the entire film, and you're not quiet sure what's gonna happen next.

There's a few comedic touches in the film that come from nowhere, but they are quiet welcomed in what otherwise is a very depressing feature.

In all honesty, 'Shocker' is a laughable attempt by Wes Craven. As I mentioned, the film has its moments, but the sheer absurdity of the circumstances lures one away from giving it a chance. Understandable.

Good acting, tho. A good performance by our male lead. Also, a great performance from our deranged psychopath - Who uses television and electricity as a catalyst to possess other people to do his dirty work. There's a slight hint of some occultisms when the killer (right before he's to be executed) has hooked boosting cables to his hands and attached them to a live television set. I guess he was recharging or something. Plus, I have no idea how he obtained boosting cables in jail. Maybe he put them in his lower body cavity? Anyway, if you're in the mood that allows you to throw all sense out the window, it might be an OK time waster. I'd almost go as far as to say that only horror fans would even watch 'Shocker' more than once. Good things, but mostly stupid things...not necessarily bad things, but things that should have been used for another ANOES sequel.