Tabonga saw this title a few times in the late fifties, early sixties, and remembers that there was something special about it, even if he couldn't recall much else. THE WOLFMAN was released just a year earlier, so, obviously, Fox was trying to capitalize on the Werewolf scare, and, was a perfect escape from the news and worries of WWII.
The story's about a werewolf that prowls at night, but, only seems to kill members of one family. The inspector finds out that this has been going on for generations and tries to find a link between the monster and the family.
It's odd, but 20th Century Fox has had some very interesting obscure titles that got little notoriety or even airtime on TV. Those titles are SPACEMASTER X-7, HAND OF DEATH and DARK INTRUDER. SPACEMASTER X-7 has a blob invasion from space and the makeup in HAND OF DEATH is considered a unique creation! If you haven't seen these titles, you're in for a treat because they also have cameos by Moe Howard and Joe Besser, and, Joe gets killed by the HAND OF DEATH!
The music is credited to four composers, Emil Newman, David Raksin, Arthur Lange and Cyril J. Mockridge. David Raskin just passed away in 2004 at the age of 92! Together, those composers worked tons of classics like NIGHT KEY, THE GREAT ZIEGFELD, DANTE'S INFERNO, SH! THE OCTOPUS, THE MALTESE FALCON, A-HAUNTING WE WILL GO, THE MAGNIFICENT DOPE, GIRL CRAZY, PIN UP GIRL, DRESSED TO KILL, THE CANTERVILLE GHOST, THE DEATH KISS, ATOM MAN vs SUPERMAN, ISLAND IN THE SKY, EARTH vs THE FLYING SAUCERS, 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH, HOUND-DOG MAN and NORTH TO ALASKA.
Okay then, let's bring in our little Dungeon helper, Ralphie The Tarantula, to push his first big red 'GO' button of 2011... He's all excited and nervous, but there he goes! Push the button,
NOW... THE UNDYING MONSTER!
You can tell from this shot that there's going to be some great looking scenes. Art direction was by Lewis H. Creber and Richard Day, set decoration by Thomas Little and Walter M. Scott, cinematography by Lucien Ballard.
Here's Heather Angel as Helga Hammond and Halliwell Hobbes as Walton, the Butler, but, we'll just call him..
Catherwood! Helga is another strong woman character like the ones we've been showcasing lately, here at The Dungeon!
Hmmm, I wonder if Catherwood could be the monster?! He sure looks like one when creeping around in the shadows, don't he?! So, you can be sure he's
not the killer.
When she hears that there has been an accident, Helga grabs the reigns and races along the dangerous road!
She ends up saving the life of her brother, Oliver, played by John Howard.
Here's James Ellison as Robert Curtis, smoking his pipe and doing science! James was also in movies like PLAY-GIRL, HOP-A-LONG CASSIDY, THE PLAINSMAN, HOTEL FOR WOMEN, 5TH AVE. GIRL, ANNE OF WINDY POPLARS, CALENDAR GIRL, THE GHOST GOES WILD, THE TEXAN MEETS CALAMITY JANE and WHEN THE GIRLS TAKE OVER!
His assiatant, played by Heather Thatcher, eats something she shouldn't have and has to spit it out fast!
Catherwood's still trying to get you to believe that he's the werewolf...
Here's another stunning outdoor scene!
This excursion to the family crypt leads to a fist fight.
Using the scientific method, the nerds come up with a match!
Oliver discovers some interesting things on his smoke break.
The mystery dude likes the cherry-flavored werewolf serum!
This is my favorite part, the werewolf is strong as crap, he has just lept from the second floor, carrying Helga, and lands on his feet, no prob!!
The creature carries the limp Helga over hill, over dell!
Every still a painting!
Great transformation scene at the end, never seen the technique before, see for yourself, because, you can get this title on Netflix!!
Ghoulnight Everbloody!!
"SCHOCK" is a dark, depraved, and lonely movie, no matter how you spell it, that's perfectly suited for a foggy and cold Saturday night in The Dungeon, so grab yourself a blanket and a bottle of red Italian wine, and we'll get this Giallomania ball of fire rolling!!
"Schock" starts off innocently enough, just another story about a nice family moving into their new country home, but, oh, yeah, this is a Mario Bava film, all bets are off!! Let's welcome now Daria Nicolodi as Dora Baldini, and David Colin Jr. as her loving son Marco, to the party!! 
Daria Nicolodi was born June 19th, 1950 in Florence, Italy, and she began her acting career at age 14!
I don't like movies with creepy kids in them, and apparently neither did David Colin Jr. His first film was at age 3, and was called "Beyond The Door," his second and last film was this one, which besides "SHOCK" was also known as "Beyond The Door II." Naturally you would assume "Beyond The Door II" was a sequel, but not in this case, the stories are pretty much unrelated except for both being evil! After "SCHOCK," David Colin Jr. called it quits, and hung up his acting shoes forever!!
In the early 1970's, Daria Nicolodi met director Dario Argento, and he cast her in her first major role in the classic, "Deep Red." They both loved the works of Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft and thus The Dario & Daria Show was born!
Strong espresso, and razor blades in between the piano keys, it's starting to get weird!!
Dario and Daria never married, but they did have children together, actress Fiore Argento, and actress/director Asia Argento!
Ask yourself this one question, would normal people keep an old smelly, rat-infested, bed bug congested mattress laying around?? Now you know what this movie is about, not normal people!
Besides being a very talented actress, Daria Nicolodi was also the co-writer of another Argento classic, "Suspiria." Daria said that "Suspiria" was based on a real experience her grandmother had, when she went to study piano at an acclaimed music academy, and found out that it was a front for the study of black magic!! Wowzers!!
Jeepers Creepers, Creepy Peepers!! It's really not that much of a shocker that David would quit acting after this movie!
John Steiner has the role of stepfather/airline captain Bruno Baldini! John's big break came when he played the calculating property tycoon Beauty Smith in Lucio Fulci's "White Fang" in 1973, and in the sequel, "Challenge to White Fang" in 1974. Steiner worked for Fulci again when he portrayed the hilarious homosexual vampire Count Dragalescu in "Il Cav. Costante Nicosia Demoniaco, Ovvero: Dracula In Brianza" in 1975. After all that, it's probably no surprise that he currently sells real estate in Beverly Hills!
Marco has become possessed with the jealous vindictive and revengeful demonic spirit of his dead father, and he has some major issues with his mother and his stepfather!
Daria Nicolodi was also in Argento's "Inferno," "Tenebre," "Phenomena," "Opera," and Luigi Cozzi's "Piganini Horror" for which she also wrote the screenplay!
The classic Marantz component stereo system, these people were living in style!
The Music for "SCHOCK" was written and performed by a group called I. Libra. The three members of I. Libra were V. Cappa, Alessandro Centofanti, and Walter Martino. Walter was also the drummer with another Argento associate group, Goblin, the guys responsible for the music in "Suspiria" and "Deep Red!"
Dora's shrink doesn't see anything out of the order in the drawings of her 6 year old son!
The Shock, Schock, Schlock cinematography was done by Alberto Spagnoli with hands on guy Mario Bava's assistance!
Daria Nicolodi has lots of looks and most of them look good! As far as I know, she is still doing fine today!
For more on all things Daria, head on over to her very cool official site right here and get the whole story firsthand in Italian!! Grazie!!
