Robert Graves (a young Tim Curry) arrives at an asylum to score a cricket game along with one of the more eccentric residents, a man named Crossley. The man begins to tell Graves, in a story that may or may not be true, how he acquired the wife of one the cricket players in particular Anthony Fielding. Crossley imposes himself onto the musician that experiments with strange sounds and his wife Rachel. In a rather uncomfortable scene during the couple's first lunch with the stranger Crossley informs them that for the last eighteen years he has studied aboriginal magic which endowed him with various powers. One in particular intrigues Anthony simply called "the shout" which is a yell that kills anyone within hearing distance. Not quite a believer in Crossley's skill Anthony follows him out to a secluded area where he will observe the shout while impacting his ears with wax. Crossley let's out a blood curdling scream that knocks Anthony out and kills a sheep herder some distance away. As Crossley continues to intrude on the Fielding's lives he snatches a buckle from Rachel's sandal somehow making her infatuated with the stranger. This drives a wedge between the three which cause Anthony to flee his own home from fear of being shouted to death.
This is truly a one-of-a-kind film that I wanted to see the moment I saw the short trailer about fifteen years ago. "The Shout" probably would fail miserably with today's jaded "Saw" and "Hostel" crowd and sadly I might add with American audiences (Yes, I'm still a proud jingoist!). It all boils down to if you believe Crossley is in fact telling the truth as Anthony arrives to the game with a different woman and Rachel is a nurse at the asylum. It really makes you think if any of Crossley's story is truthful as Graves listens intently yet never interjects any questions as to the veracity of his statements. There isn't a whole lot of action here thought Susannah York is frequently nude in this. However, if you're looking for a gore splatterfest with plenty of buxom blond victims you will not like "The Shout". If you are interested in an intelligent mix of clever storytelling and a unique plot then "The Shout" will be a real scream.
This is truly a one-of-a-kind film that I wanted to see the moment I saw the short trailer about fifteen years ago. "The Shout" probably would fail miserably with today's jaded "Saw" and "Hostel" crowd and sadly I might add with American audiences (Yes, I'm still a proud jingoist!). It all boils down to if you believe Crossley is in fact telling the truth as Anthony arrives to the game with a different woman and Rachel is a nurse at the asylum. It really makes you think if any of Crossley's story is truthful as Graves listens intently yet never interjects any questions as to the veracity of his statements. There isn't a whole lot of action here thought Susannah York is frequently nude in this. However, if you're looking for a gore splatterfest with plenty of buxom blond victims you will not like "The Shout". If you are interested in an intelligent mix of clever storytelling and a unique plot then "The Shout" will be a real scream.