31 Days of Horror 2020 Day 27 Shivers

 

TITLE-Shivers

SOURCE-Vestron Video Blu Ray

Finally after teh DVD of Shivers being out of print for 20 years we got another and better home video release. The print looks and sounds great. It is loaded with extras,only had a chance to check out the director's commentary. And this was fairly cheap. I found my copy at Walmart for 13 bucks.

Shivers is David Cronenberg's first feature length film. Made with some funding from the Canadian governement the film was one of the first government funded films to make a profit.

Set in an apartment complex. A slug like virus gets out and anyone infected with it becomes a sex starved maniac. And being a Cronenberg film you know the body horror elements are in the forefront.

The FX work is good for the time and budget of the film. Sure some of the blood has that "hey is that red paint" look. But hell that is a common thing in 70s horror. 

The acting is what makes this film stand out. Besides the lead male,played by Paul Hampton,the rest of the leads are all soooo good. You got the horror legend Barbara Steele in a great role. The scene with her in the bath tub being attacked by the virus stands out as thrilling to watch while at the same time horrifying.

 Lynn Lowry is her normal odd but entertaining self. She has this odd look and way of acting. She isn't an ugly woman. But she isn't classically pretty either.

Before watching this blu ray I hadn't seen Shivers in at least 20 years. While I do like Cronenberg's films this is one of his I just never got into. 

Shivers gets a B.