The Shout Reviews

THE SHOUT is a strange, disturbing, and elusive tale of a mental patient, Bates, who, having once lived with a tribe of Aborigines, has learned the secret of "the shout," which has the power to kill. Told in flashback during a cricket match that takes place on the grounds of a mental asylum, the film follows Bates's relationship with experimental composer Hurt and his wife, York. Bates moves in with the couple, and gradually his disturbing presence takes its toll. He tells the couple that he killed his own children, demonstrates his ability to kill with his shout, seduces York, and tries to destroy Hurt. Directed by Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski (MOONLIGHTING), THE SHOUT has a certain compelling element that both mystifies and involves the viewer, its unusual story told with equal amounts of obscurity and skill. It has no tidy conclusions or explanations, leaving the audience as baffled at the end as they were at the start, but the film is definitely worth experiencing. Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford of the rock group Genesis contributed to the electronic score, and ROCKY HORROR star Tim Curry has a supporting role.