SCHIZO (1976)
Directed by Pete Walker
Image Entertainment DVD
THE FILM
In line at the grocery store, I
was wondering if Samantha was going
to be OK. Driving home, I hoped
nothing too terrible happened to
Alan. Making breakfast the next
morning, I tried to figure out how
Beth would take the news. Does a
slasher film have any right to make
me think so much after a viewing?
Only if Pete Walker is behind the
lens.
When it comes to horror films, UK
director Pete Walker is a very talented
guy. After a brief career in sexploitation,
Walker unleashed two handfuls of
stylish, intelligent exploito-horror
films before retiring from the film
biz in the early 80s. Intending
to disrupt and unsettle the stagnant
state of British horror in the 1970s,
he lined films like Frightmare
and House Of Whipcord with
shock and thought. Grue for the
thrill seekers and social undercurrents
for the thinking man, not unlike
American contemporaries of the time
such as George Romero and Bob Clark.
1976's Schizo finds Pete
tackling the slasher set, a sub-genre
that was developing towards its
peak when this film was produced.
Although it lacks the social thrust
of a majority of Walker's other
work, the simplistic Schizo
isn't any less successful. Just
like Frightmare, it will
burn in your brain long after "The
End" greets your eyes.
On his way home from the graveyard
shift, an older man chances upon
a newspaper headline: "Ice
Queen To Wed." Instant rage.
Newlyweds Alan (John Leyton, protégé
of eccentric UK record producer
Joe Meek) and professional ice skater
Samantha (Lynne Frederick) are just
beginning their lives together.
On the eve of their honeymoon, Samantha
begins seeing a sinister man; first
immediately following the wedding,
then while taking a shower the next
morning. It's the prologue man,
clad in a ratty trenchcoat and black
gloves. Alan and the police are
skeptical, as evidence is nil. The
husband and wife relationship strains
and Samantha turns to best friend
Beth (Stephanie Beacham), her shrink,
and her new age cleaning lady for
support. Shockingly violent murders
build up, but the police still have
their doubts. There's a connection
between Samantha and the man. Believe
me, Enquiring minds want to know.
In lesser hands, the 110 minute
Schizo might have ended
up routine and slightly intruding.
Thankfully, Pete Walker's inherent
technical capabilities are in full
force. The film's major twist appears
predictable at first, then gets
thrown on its rump with yet another
twist and a brilliant little ending.
All the while, Walker anchors the
film in class. The clever transitions
and camera movements, excellent
acting, and weaving plot work together
towards one goal: building tension.
And build they do. As pressure runs
high, dark secrets are revealed.
Sudden scenes of shock and skewed
sex flashbacks occur in tandem with
the developing storyline's surprising
moments, ultimately leading to a
fruitful climax. Sure, the plot
is slightly predictable. Yes, the
runtime does approach epic proportions,
especially for a lower budgeted
horror film. In the end, such minor
quibbles disappear completely, overwhelmed
by the effectiveness of the whole.
Today at lunch, poor Alan and reluctant
Beth will probably pop into my mind.
That's the mark of an effective
horror film at work; that's the
mark of Pete Walker.
AUDIO AND VIDEO
Presented in anamorphic widescreen,
Schizo looks slightly worn,
but always crisp. Some speckled
noise drops in and a few slight
jumps pop up. The colors were suitably
restrained. I noticed some shimmering
compression artifacts during a couple
of neutral scenes, but that was
no big deal.
EXTRAS
Image's Pete Walker titles (all
part of The Euroshock Collection)
are early DVD releases. A main menu
doubles as a chapter stop selection
tool and that's a wrap.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Schizo is a slick, low
budget horror film, awash with style
and several unsettling sequences.
If you're hip to Pete Walker's work,
you'll most likely love it. If not,
have a look anyway.
— Joseph A. Ziemba, 11.10.05 |
The Man
The Ice Queen
Beth 'n' Alan
Ah, shitzo
|
