What I noticed after watching this film again recently (...), was how reliant "Shock Waves" was on mood and atmosphere to create its horror. Director Ken Wiederhorn has draped his film with creepy images of gothic mansions and decaying laboratories and, of course, hungover android Nazis standing on the ocean horizon, ready to destroy every living thing within sight.

Unlucky travelers, among them Brooke Adams and Fred Buch (?!), are in the wrong place at the wrong time when they are stranded on an island whose only inhabitant seems to be Peter Cushing in an old dark house. Van Helsing he's not. In fact, Ol' Pete's a former SS scientist who created a race of underwater-breathing Nazi androids for use as WW II submarine commanders. Naturally, these Aryan zombies are accidently released into what is already is very weird environment. Complete with tattered SS uniforms, black jack boots and dark sunglasses, these...scuba soldiers proceed to crush every thing in their path, including one especially artificial-looking shark.

But the mood is the key, and this flick thrives on a foreboding, ominous tone. In "Shock Waves," the trees are covered with hanging moss (this film must take place off the coast of the southern United States), walls are streaked with mold and cobwebs, the wind is constantly blowing, odd noises can be heard in the darkness, and then you have a manic John Carradine spouting gibberish as if he were still acting out the opening scene in "The Grapes of Wrath."

When watching "Shock Waves" today, I am reminded of many of those terrible Italian zombie films from the same period, in which unlucky travelers are stranded on an island and soon become the appetizers of the hungry undead. This film, thankfully, is not as graphically violent as those repulsive extravaganzas. In fact, "Shock Waves" relies far more on suspense and mood than violence.

If ever a film was deserving of cult status, the unique and utterly bizarre "Shock Waves" certainly is. For those not yet acquainted with its eerie allure, this Nazi-zombie-shocker will be a pleasant surprise.


From the Depths of Hell's Ocean Comes...Nazi Zombies!   July 8, 2004
 15 out of 17 found this review helpful

On a desolate, nondescript Caribbean island, shipwreck survivors are surprised to discover that an eccentric old German doctor resides there in an abandoned and dilapidated hotel. They soon learn, however, that the old Teutonic medical man is more that just eccentric; he's a former S.S. officer who has continued with the experiments assigned to him by Der Fuehrer. And it isn't long before the castaways find themselves battling for survival against a corps of amphibious Nazi zombies!

This off-the-wall, low-budget horror film is just as goofy as it sounds, but it's still pretty good fun. And believe it or not, it actually spawned a bizarre sub-genre of Nazi zombie films that includes 1981's THE LAKE OF THE LIVING DEAD (a.k.a. ZOMBIE LAKE), 1981's NIGHT OF THE ZOMBIES, and 1983's THE OASIS OF THE LIVING DEAD (a.k.a. BLOODSUCKING NAZI ZOMBIES), to name just a few. None of its cinematic offspring quite reach the guilty-pleasure or cult status of SHOCK WAVES, though.

British horror icon Peter Cushing portrays the former S.S. officer, his interpretation somewhat reminiscent of his turns as Dr. Frankenstein in the films that came out of England's Hammer Studios in the 1960s and early 1970s. Actor John Carradine, a familiar face in American horror from the 1930s through the 1980s, appears in the minor role of the captain of the shipwrecked vessel. Carradine's character dies early in the film, however, so the two great horror veterans never get to share any screen time. A very unfortunate missed opportunity, as such a pairing certainly could've pushed SHOCK WAVES just a smidgen closer to notability.

Actress Brooke Adams has a prominent role as one of the shipwreck survivors. (Indeed, the story actually unfolds like a sort of flashback as her character thinks back to the experience.) Genre fans will recognize her from such films as the 1978 remake of INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, the 1983 film version of Stephen King's THE DEAD ZONE, a cameo in Larry Cohen's 1985 horror satire THE STUFF, and many others.

The edition of SHOCK WAVES on DVD from the folks at Blue Underground is pretty good. Considering that the film was shot on 16mm and blown up to 35mm, and taking into account the fact that the disc was digitized from the director's personal copy of the film (the only complete version known to exist, according to the DVD jacket notes), this transfer--in anamorphic widescreen at the film's original aspect ratio of 1.85:1--looks quite good. In fact, when compared to the crappy video versions previously available, it's easy to forgive the minor filmic artifacts and the sometimes soft details.

And the DVD has some great bonus material, too. The best is the feature commentary with director Ken Wiederhorn, make-up man Alan Ormsby, and filmmaker Fred Olen Ray. The trio are delightfully glib and candid, offering lots of humorous and informative anecdotes regarding their experiences in making low-budget horror. There's an interview with star Luke Halpin, who offers some info about his costars and some of his memories about making the film, and there are also a few radio spots, a television spot, and the film's theatrical trailer.

As far as films go, SHOCK WAVES is not the best that Blue Underground has to offer, but it's nonetheless one of those fun guilty pleasures that fans of schlocky low-budget horror will want to add to their DVD collections.


Nazis!!! Zombies!!! Nazi Zombies!!! UNDERWATER NAZI ZOMBIES!!!!!!!!!!!!   June 1, 2006
 8 out of 8 found this review helpful

Saw the trailer for this as a sophomore in high school, circa 1977. The second I saw the begoggled undead shock troops emerge from the ocean I was hooked - SHOCK WAVES has gone on to be my favorite low-budget film of all time, and I've seen a-plenty. No cannibalism here, no gore, no entrails - just bizarre, creepy atmosphere to burn and the claustrophic paranoia that is at the very heart of this classic Florida-shot mood piece. And if that ain't enough, you also have John Carradine, Peter Cushing, Luke Halpin (all grown up from his "Flipper" days) and the excellent Brooke Adams, who wears a bathing suit better than anyone since Julie Adams (no relation as far as I know) in CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON. Blue Underground has done an excellent job with this package. In addition to enlightening, entertaining commentary from director/co-writer Ken Wiederhorn, filmmaker/photographer Fred Olen Ray and make-up designer Alan Ormsby, there is a wealth of advert media: original trailer, a Luke Halpin interview, TV and radio spots and a gallery of stills and newspaper ads for double feature and drive-in showings. To have this in your library is to have a bona-fide minimalist cult classic. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!!!


Great special features!   September 16, 2002
 6 out of 7 found this review helpful

A neat movie, with great scenic locations. The android-genetic humans makeup are outstanding considering this was a low budget film, yet with great acting and direction that has made this film a cult classic in its genre.

As for this DVD edition the picture quality is pretty good. The interview with Luke Halpin (Also known as Sandy Ricks in 1960's `Flipper') is superb. It was great to see him how he looks today and talks about the actors in `Shock Waves' especially Peter Cushing. (Incidentally it would be great if the entire TV Flipper could be release on DVD!!)

Here in the UK `Shock Waves' was already officially release on DVD a couple of years ago where the source use were direct from old film prints giving a slight grainy look yet sharp DVD quality as expected on DVD releases. Where on this US version it is from the Director's prints and digitally restored in places to show less grain and is cut down to size from the original full screen (4.3) to 16.9 to give a widescreen effect as it probably was shown in certain US cinemas. Apparently `Shock Waves' was originally a TV movie and was filmed in 4.3 and NOT widescreen. The UK DVD Version is the original 4.3. When I compared it to this recent US Version it was trimmed top and bottom missing part of the film to give it's widescreen effect. Nether the less still an enjoyable watchable DVD!

The other extras features an enjoyable audio commentary and an extensive photo gallery displaying various posters from around the world, cast and crew plus behind the scenes `rare' photos. Also included are Theatrical trailers presumably used for cinema purposes.

A great buy. And sure to please viewers/fans who been waiting for this DVD release!


who needsgore when you have peter cushing,john carradine,and water breathing nazis   April 13, 2006
 5 out of 5 found this review helpful

this is one of my better loved horror movies from my youth. this tale of gene splised nazis who can live underwater or on land is good creepy fun and it doesn't gross you out like so of todays zombie movies do.
a group of tourist are traveling in the carabbian sea with captain john carradine(big mistake!!!!) and his first mate when one night the run into a ship that is stuck under the water. in the daylight they find the captain gone and set off toward and island very close by to look for him. there the meet a mad nazi doctor (cushing,with lighting bolt scar down his cheek!!!) who becomes very upset when he hears their story about the ship. he relates to them how during the war he helped invent a squad of underwater nazis to fight for the german army and as the war ended he took the soldiers and ran to this island and sank the boat and the zombies in hope they would stay there forever. no such luck and one by one the people are picked off by these creepy zombies.
as a kid this scared me to death and now i still feel a little chill when i see the zombies pop up. give this movie atry and i think you will love it.