Shocker (1989)

Director:

Wes Craven

Writer (WGA):

Wes Craven (written by)

Release Date:

27 October 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

On October 2, at 6:45 AM mass murderer Horace Pinker was put to death. Now, he's really mad.

Plot:

After being sent to the electric chair, a serial killer uses electricity to come back from the dead...

Plot Keywords:

Electric Chair | Back From The Dead | Serial Killer | Electricity | Lifting Person In Air

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Michael Murphy	...	Lt. Don Parker
Peter Berg	...	Jonathan Parker
Mitch Pileggi	...	Horace Pinker
Sam Scarber	...	Cooper
Camille Cooper	...	Alison (as Cami Cooper)
Ted Raimi	...	Pac Man (as Theodore Raimi)
Keith Anthony-Lubow-Bellamy	...	Football Player
Heather Langenkamp	...	Victim
Virginia Morris	...	Diane
John Tesh	...	TV Newscaster
Jessica Craven	...	Counterperson
Emily Samuel	...	Sally
Richard Brooks	...	Rhino
Peter Tilden	...	Reporter
Bingham Ray	...	Bartender

Also Known As:

Shocker: No More Mr. Nice Guy (USA) (alternative title)

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:MA (TV rating) | South Korea:15 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Singapore:M18 | Sweden:(Banned) | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:16 (video rating) (cut) | West Germany:18 (original rating) | Norway:18 (video premiere) | Norway:(Banned) (1990-2003) (cinema release) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company:

Alive Films

Trivia:

When Jonathan and his father enter the Tavern after the funeral of their family, a news program is playing on the TV in the background and discussing the murders. Someone immediately changes the channel and on comes (briefly) the 1986 concert footage of Alice Cooper's The Nightmare Returns tour.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Camera and sound crews' shadows visible during football game.

Quotes:

TV Newscaster: [Jonathan and Pinker are fighting through several channels of televison] Well we still have no word from our reporter at the home of Lt. Parker. However, incredibly, we have begun to receive unconfirmed reports of unexplained "appearances" of Jonathan Parker and a man who looks very much like executed mass murderer Horace Pinker, fighting at least what appears to be...
Horace Pinker: [during a boxing match, to boxer] Kick his ass!
TV Newscaster: ...programming of several local stations during the last several minutes. However...
Horace Pinker: [Jonathan is suddenly thrown onto the news desk by Pinker and runs away. Pinker looks at the camera] And that's the way it is.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (1996)

Soundtrack:

No More Mr. Nice Guy

One of Craven's best.

Jonathan Parker (Peter Berg) is been having dreams of a psychopath serial killer Horace Pinker (Mitch Pileggi). When Jonathan sees his step mother and his family are murder in his dream that turns into reality. Jonathan could also identity him with the help of his step-father (Micheal Murphy), who is a Police Detective. When his father finally caught Pinker. Pinker is sent to prison to the electric chair. But before Pinker dies, He is into the black magic. Pinker has the power to transfer his could into different human bodies for a brief moment at the time. Which Pinker is making more victims faster than ever. Making Jonathan more difficult to destroy Pinker.

Written and Directed by Wes Craven (Scream Trilogy, Cursed, Red Eye) made an absolutely entertaining supernatural horror thriller. Craven for better or worse, he re-imagine his "A Nightmare on Elm Street" with a bigger budget and talented cast. Craven has some fresh ideals but also he uses some elements from Jack Sholder's The Hidden. Which The Hidden and Shocker were later borrow to the extremely flawed but watchable "Fallen" and the campy "Jason Goes to Hell:The Final Friday".

This film has excellent use of Special Effects, this film was shot on a low budget. Shocker was shot in ten weeks, giving Craven enough time making the film look professional. This film is violent, it has some scares and it contains a memorable gross-out scene, which it was also later used in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill Vol.1. Which it is the infamous lip biting stretching scene.

DVD has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1) transfer and an good-Dolby 2.0 Surround Sound. The DVD only has an Original Theatrical Trailer and Production Notes as Extras. The film features an Heavy Metal soundtrack by Megadeth, Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop, Dangerous Toys and Others. The Heavy Metal soundtrack of the film is good. This horror film is well photographed by Jacques Haitkin (Wishmaster). The film has good performances by Berg, Pileggi and Murphy. The film also stars:Cami Cooper as Jonathan's Girlfriend and Victim of Pinker's, Richard Brooks and Ted Raimi. Peter Berg is now a filmmaker (also actor), he has directed the underrated "Very Bad Things", an enjoyable action adventure "The Rundown" and the true life football drama "Friday Night Lights". This is One of Craven's best and One of the most Underrated horror films of the 80's. Watch for Reporter turned Pinalist John Test in a bit role as a T.V. News Archorman. Look fast for Heather Langerkamp in the opening scene as a victim. (**** ½/*****).