Horror em Alto Mar

'Shock Waves' is a low budget horror movie with few special effects... actually not very special effects at all. We're talking a half a dozen "zombies" which are basically people in Nazi uniforms holding their breath underwater. The cast apart from Brooke Adams ('Invasion Of The Body Snatchers', 'The Dead Zone') are unknowns, with guest appearances from horror legends John Carradine and Peter Cushing. One would think this would be a real turkey only good for a few laughs, but not so, it's a surprisingly effective thriller with atmosphere to spare. One of the reasons I enjoy horror movies is that creative directors are capable of making something special out of virtually nothing. 'Carnival Of Souls' and 'Night Of The Living Dead' are obvious examples. El cheapo budgets, unknown actors, minimal effects, but two of the greatest horror movies ever made. I'm not saying 'Shock Waves' is anywhere near THAT good, but I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected from the cheesy packaging on the video box. The concept of underwater Nazi zombies is an intriguing one, and was subsequently used by Jean Rollin and Jess Franco in 'Zombie Lake' and 'Oasis Of The Zombies'. I always enjoy seeing John Carradine, but his role is, let's be honest, little more than a cameo. I have a major crush on Brooke Adams, she's goofy but beautiful, and admirers won't want to miss this one as she spends most of her time in a bikini. One minor complaint - I wished Peter Cushing had more screen time. He's my favourite horror actor after Vincent Price and I always enjoy his performances. All in all 'Shock Waves' is an underrated and creepy movie that all horror buffs should try and see. It's just one of many overlooked 1970s horror gems that deserve more attention than they get (see also 'Count Yorga, Vampire', 'The Brotherhood Of Satan', 'The Crazies', 'The Legend Of Hell House', 'Deranged', 'Alice, Sweet Alice', 'Thirst',etc.etc.)

According to the DVD details, the original film print for "Shock Waves" mysteriously disappeared some twenty years before its 21st century re-release. The setting is the (then) present year of 1977, but we recall, "In the dark days of World War II, the Nazi High Command ordered its scientists to create a top secret race of indestructible zombie storm troopers - un-living, unfeeling, unstoppable monstrosities that killed with their bare hands. They were known as 'The Death Corps'. No member of this horrific SS unit was ever captured by the allied forces - and, somewhere off the coast of Florida, they have survived…"

Next, we meet pretty bikini-loving Brooke Adams (as Rose) in a dinghy, being rescued by fisherman Clarence Thomas (not the Supreme Court justice). Obviously, Ms. Adams has survived some tragedy, but breaks her seeming catatonic state to help narrate the story, in flashback. This is unfortunate, because we are given way too much information about a survivor; although you could guess the damsel stood a better than average chance, it kills the suspense by showing this before placing her in serious danger. Adams, the heroine of the story, has gone sailing with Fred Buch (as Chuck), and another couple...

But, the story's hero is handsome Luke Halpin (as Keith), who learned all about the waters off the coast of Florida in "Flipper" (1963-68). If you are worried about whether or not young "Sandy" retained his good looks into manhood, fret no further. Crusty ship Captain John Carradine (as Ben) comments on Mr. Halpin's attractiveness, inviting a shrug. Halpin, Mr. Carradine, and cook Don Stout (as Dobbs) are the boatmen. D.J. Sidney (as Beverly) and Jack Davidson (as Norman) are the other couple. They're seven stranded castaways getting ready to meet creepy Commander Peter Cushing, if they get to the island…

With lingering shots of fish looking bored at the camera, "Shock Waves" seems to waste a lot of time doing absolutely nothing. When the Nazi zombies make their move, they do so without much gore. But, this works in the film's favor. While you expect horror movies to smear the screen with blood and guts, it's nice when someone comes along to show that a different style still works. This is evident, especially, during the sequence when the Nazis rise from their swampy slumber. Credit director Ken Wiederhorn and his crew with something stylish and surprising. And, Richard Einhorn's music scores high marks.

******* Shock Waves (7/15/77) Ken Wiederhorn ~ Brooke Adams, Luke Halpin, Peter Cushing, John Carradine

This is an underrated cult classic from the 70s, a great decade for atmospheric horror films. The eerie score, excellent location and spooky zombie makeup are all great. A few reviewers have complained about the makeup for the zombies but I thought it was good for the purposes and budget of this film. I assume these naysayers also belong to the "show us more guts" crowd. Some other complaints are about the daylight shooting. Apparently, according to some, this detracts from the movie's effectiveness to scare people. Hogwash. It takes more talent to create atmosphere and terror in broad daylight than at night. The director accomplishes this quite well and deserves to be applauded for it.

The cast is solid. Brooke Adams is a young and sexy lead. Solid support from horror vets Peter Cushing and John Carradine (whose arthritic hands are painful to look at and I can only imagine the poor man's suffering). The male lead is the mustachioed Luke Halpin (from Flipper) and he's very rootable.

On a side note I have to roll my eyes at some of the reviewers bemoaning the lack of gore and guts. This is not a zombie movie in the Romero mold. These are reanimated dead Nazis who kill. They don't eat brains or rip out guts. Why some need to see such visceral imagery to enjoy a horror film is perplexing to me but it takes all kinds I guess.

Real movie summary: A U-boat with WW2 Nazi soldiers, killed and brought back to life to fight as "un-killable", is ship-wrecked on a Caribbean island. 30 yrs later, a "hire-boat" is also shipwrecked there. The Nazi commander of the unit, Cushing, is the only "survivor" on the island. BUT, the "Zombie un-killables" come back to do what they were experimentally used to do in battle ... kill without thought or feeling... uncontrollably... The movie has numerous images that stay with you long after the movie is over, and a musical background in the beginning which was very haunting. Good acting, a believable script, and nice film shooting, round it out to make it a memorable classic. I've had a really tough time locating the film at any video store. Good luck finding it!

This is a great little film that combines two of the 70s most popular horror movie themes: monsters in the water and undead zombies. It also features the always-wonderful Brooke Adams (from "Invasion of the Body Snatchers") in a major role, not to mention both John Carradine and Peter Cushing.

A group of vacationers being taken on a cruise around some unspecified tropical islands experiences some trouble when a decades-old ship appears out of nowhere and rams their boat. The "ghost ship" is populated by undead SS soldiers who were created to survive both underwater and on land, and it goes without saying that they have no friendly intentions.

The new castaways take refuge on an island inhabited solely by Peter Cushing, a former Nazi commander who was in charge of the "Death Corps", and their host gives them a hasty explanation about what they're all up against.

The rest of the film is the tourists and sailors being stalked and offed by the zombies, who have really wrinkled skin and wear groovy goggles. Unlike the standard flesh-eating zombies of 70s horror, these undead guys don't wanna bite you, they just wanna hold you under the water until the bubbles stop. Genre fans hoping for some cannibalism or guts will be disappointed.

The visuals in the movie are sometimes striking. The underwater shots of the zombies are bizarre, as are the scenes of them rising up out of the ocean (or whatever body of water happens to be handy). Most of the action takes place on the island, which features a deserted resort that is pretty creepy in itself. A couple of the shots reminded me of "Carnival of Souls", with one or two scenes of undead faces looming just under the surface of the water.

The editing is a bit choppy and slightly incoherent. It seems like a few scenes establishing the characters were excised, as well as some other exposition such as the fate of the tourists's boat (what DID happen to it, after all?). The pacing is also not for all tastes, since this movie never builds into a all-out assault or anything, but it's an enjoyably creepy chiller in the classic 70s style. This is a prime candidate for DVD rediscovery. Watch it if you can find it.