Bent on winning a Pulitzer Prize, a journalist commits himself to a mental institution to solve a strange and unclear murder.Bent on winning a Pulitzer Prize, a journalist commits himself to a mental institution to solve a strange and unclear murder.Bent on winning a Pulitzer Prize, a journalist commits himself to a mental institution to solve a strange and unclear murder.
- Awards
- 3 wins & 2 nominations
Bill Zuckert
- 'Swanee' Swanson
- (as William Zuckert)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaBecause of the film's budget and the size of the sound stage, Samuel Fuller hired little people to walk around in the far section of the corridor to give audiences a greater sense of depth.
- GoofsWhen Cathy is visiting Johnny at the hospital, she kisses him passionately and he reacts wildly, telling her never to do that again. She is completely surprised and doesn't understand his strong reaction. Considering she was pretending to be his sister and had reported him for attempted incest which is what got him committed to the hospital, it made no sense that she would kiss him in front of hospital staff familiar with his case. Johnny's reaction was strong but correct.
- Quotes
Johnny Barrett: Nymphos!
- Crazy creditsThe quote "Whom God wishes to destroy, he first makes mad". Euripides 425 B.C." appears at the beginning and end.
- ConnectionsEdited from House of Bamboo (1955)
- Soundtracks(I Wish I Was in) Dixie's Land
(uncredited)
aka "Dixie"
Music by Daniel Decatur Emmett
Whistled by James Best (Stuart); also played on the piano during the dance therapy session.
Featured review
One Strange Movie
Shock Corridor is one of Samuel Fuller's wildest works, a deeply personal examination of insanity by the premier exponant of 50's and 60's Pulp Cinema. I prefer "The Naked Kiss", but "Shock Corridor" certainly stands as a unique and memorable work. It is silly, no downright ludicrous at times, as seen today, but this must have been strong stuff when it came out in 1963. It boldly takes on such topics as incest, racism and cold war paranoia. Not sensitively, mind you, yet quite boldly!
Every scene in this movie seems to be played at fever pitch, and I have to say I believe its been over-rated critically, due to the auteur theory run amok, but I do admire Fuller's gutsiness and directorial skill. If only his skills as a scenarist and dialogue writer were commensurate! He did, however, certainly know how to pull an intense performance out of an actor. Breck and Towers are rather ridiculously intense at times, as a matter of fact, though forgivably so, as they are instruments of their director and express his style perfectly. Hari Rhodes, who people of my generation may remember from the tv series, "Daktari", gives a terrific supporting performance, as does the memorable Larry Tucker, who later became a Hollywood screenwriter and producer.
Every scene in this movie seems to be played at fever pitch, and I have to say I believe its been over-rated critically, due to the auteur theory run amok, but I do admire Fuller's gutsiness and directorial skill. If only his skills as a scenarist and dialogue writer were commensurate! He did, however, certainly know how to pull an intense performance out of an actor. Breck and Towers are rather ridiculously intense at times, as a matter of fact, though forgivably so, as they are instruments of their director and express his style perfectly. Hari Rhodes, who people of my generation may remember from the tv series, "Daktari", gives a terrific supporting performance, as does the memorable Larry Tucker, who later became a Hollywood screenwriter and producer.
helpful•374
- FANatic-10
- Nov 4, 2001
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Straightjacket
- Filming locations
- Kotoku-in, Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan(dream sequence: Great Buddha of Kamakura)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 41 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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