The Film
There have been a lot of good movies over the years about insanity (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Shining, Shutter Island), but Sam Fuller's 1963 classic about a reporter who gets himself committed in order to solve a crime inside a mental hospital (and subsequently win a Pulitzer Prize for his article) just strikes me as the craziest film of all. The subtext of the film focuses on the cold war, racism, and the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (what one suffers after watching any Jack Black movies), but watching reporter Johnny Barrett's descent into madness as he edges closer to the truth can be painful at times. Peter Breck's performance didn't earn him any Oscar consideration, but his has to be considered in the top tier when it comes to portraying the mentally ill. Shock Corridor is a twisted, and intellectually-taut bit of filmmaking that influenced future directors such as Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino.
Breck's performance in Shock Corridor is completely overshadowed by his supporting cast who push him further along the edge until he falls off the cliff. Led by the utterly delicious Constance Towers (the darling of directors John Ford and Sam Fuller), who costars as Barrett's stripper girlfriend, the film is rife with great performances from comedian Larry Tucker (Pagliacci), James Best (Stuart), and Hari Rhodes (Trent). Rhodes, in particular, is frightening as a black man who is so traumatized from his exposure to racism in the south, that he believes he is a Grand Wizard in the KKK and incites a lynching of another black patient. Fuller's anti-establishment films; including the equally disturbing The Naked Kiss (another great role for Constance Towers), were held together by strong scripts and controversial themes. Shock Corridor is rather predictable, but the dialog just seeps into your head and starts to play tricks; which may or not be a good thing if your mental stability is in question.
The Picture
The Sound
The original monaural soundtrack was remastered in 24-bit precision by Criterion, and god bless them for not trying to get too crafty with this one. The dialog is clear and free of hiss or crackling and easy to follow. There are no helicopters or spaceships in this one, only a cast of demented human beings with some rather astute comments about life and the world we've created. Constance Tower has one scene in the strip club where she sings and it's unfortunate that she didn't have more, as she is quite good. There is nothing remarkable about the monaural track, but it doesn't hold the film back at all.
The Extras
The supplemental material on the Blu-ray is rather minimal but it still offers some decent insight into the film, Sam Fuller, and the cast. The bulk of the material is an interview with Constance Towers from 2007 (who still looks lovely) with film historian and filmmaker Charles Dennis. Not only is the interview interesting (Towers is far more engaging than Dennis who needs to pick up the pace), but offers some great insight into the film's plot. Adam Simon's 1996 documentary on director Sam Fuller is good, but not as interesting as the segment with Towers (you just can't get enough of her in that stripper outfit). Criterion has also included the original theatrical trailer.
Final Thoughts
Shock Corridor is a very uncomfortable film to watch. Sam Fuller would be pleased to know that almost fifty years later, his psychological tale still hits with the authority of a .44 magnum with some taser shots thrown in just for fun. Jack Nicholson may get to wear the crown as the ultimate film nut job, but Peter Breck and his supporting cast wore it first. It is often said that there is a fine line between genius and insanity; Shock Corridor proves that very little stands between us and that white padded room.
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