THE SHOUT

UK, 1978, 86 minutes, Colour.
Alan Bates, Susannah York, John Hurt, Robert Stephens, Tim Curry.
Directed by Jerzy Skolimowski.

The Shout is an effective psychological thriller from a Robert Graves story, directed by Polish Jerzy Skolimowski(Deep End)linking a traditional British cricket match, electronic musical composition and an asylum. An insane stranger, Alan Bates at his best, changes the life of a husband and wife John Hurt and Susannah York) by his dominating presence and his power (he claims to have learnt it by 19 years with the Aborigines) to kill by a shout. Within flashbacks to heighten the plot's puzzles, the quality of observation of human behaviour in a traditional British context and the acting make it a substantial short story.

1. The work and interest of Robert Graves? His short story transferred to the screen? The film's acclaim and awards?

2. The film as a short story in cinema form? The techniques for a short story rather than an elaborate long story? The audience viewpoint - from Robert Graves, from Crossley, from outside the action?

3. The puzzle for the audience in terms of realism, fantasy? Audience identification with Crossley, with the other characters? Believing Crossley and his story, his claims about his powers, the aboriginal traditions and law? The audience challenged to react, sympathise? The effect of the total film?

4. The location photography, Devon and its atmosphere? The town, the asylum? The background of the cricket match and the way that it was presented in the British tradition? The contrast with Anthony and his set-up for his electronic composition? The importance of the visuals, the importance of sound? The special effects especially with the music? With the shout itself?

5. Who was sane and who was mad? The cricket match and the inmates of the asylum, the supervisor, Crossley? Anthony and Rachel? The interrelationship of sanity and madness? In attitudes, behaviour? Natural and conventional behaviour? Contrived behaviour? British expectations as challenged by Crossley, by his aboriginal lore?

6. The basic realism of the town, the family, the marriage, the cricket match? The contrived atmosphere of the film and its cross-editing, comparisons of characters, contrasts of sounds? The psychological background., E.S.P., magic, symbols, dreams?

7. The opening with Rachel and the premonition of death? The credits? The nature of the dream. the characters. her behaviour? Its fulfilment later? Dream patterns and dream framework?

8. The opening and the flashback technique? The cricket match and the encounter of Graves and Crossley? The telling of the story in an ordinary and credible setting? The return to the cricket match, to the wickets? The effect of the credibility of Crossley's story with the setting of the cricket match? Anthony's presence at the match?

9. How well established was the cricket match - in realistic terms, in suggestions of realism and madness? Graves and his scoring, the encounter with Crossley? Crossley's initial impact? Listening to him and the effect during the match? A build-up of fear, possession? The storm, the violence and the clash of Crossley and the supervisor? The ominous lightning strike and its deadliness? What was Graves left with?

10. The personality of the doctor.. his explanations, friendship and jollity? The introduction and explanation of Crossley? The presentation of the staff and the villagers? The ordinariness of the cricket match? No preparation for what was to follow?

11. The inmates of the asylum - the bowler, stripping, the score? The lightning out of the blue and ending the cricket match?

12. Anthony and his presence at the match? Audience curiosity about him? His being presented from Crossley's point of view? His place in the village, his relationship with Rachel? Organ playing? His communication with his mistress? The lack of love between himself and Rachel? Their domestic sequences? His composition and his studio? His puzzle about Crossley?

13. Rachel and her presence in the home, her love for Anthony, yet her losing his love? How credible was she within the domestic situation - and the overtones of the dream?

14. Crossley and his story, his arrival, going to the church, seeing the town through his eyes? The encounter with Anthony, with Rachel? His going home, making himself at home, his comments, stories, boasting? The impact on each of them? His somehow or other possessing them? His imposing himself and staging the night and their inability to stop him?

15. The beach sequence, the dream and coincidence? Crossley's explanation of his power, the aboriginal background to the shout, his killing his children according to aboriginal law? The demonstration of the shout and its power? The effect on the shepherd? The effect on Anthony? The discovery of the stone? The soul of Crossley? The importance of the Cobbler - Anthony's wanting to be a cobbler, his relationship with the real cobbler's wife? The repercussions of the experience on the beach?

16. The effect of Crossley's presence on Rachel? Sexual interaction? His taking her buckle and possessing her? The lovemaking? The effect on Rachel, on Anthony?

17. Crossley's leaving them having gained his power? The theme of the stranger entering and disrupting the lives of ordinary people? The repercussions on him - arrest, internment in the asylum? - Did the audience believe his story, did Graves?

18. The repercussions for Anthony - in his marriage, his music, his relationship with his mistress? His playing in the cricket match? The repercussions on Rachel? Her anxiety and rushing to the cricket match and the reliving of the dream?

19. The sudden ending of the story? The facts being left for the audience to comprehend? To sift out the truth in Crossley's presentation of the story?

20. The story brought to an end by the storm? The effect on Anthony and Rachel? The effect on Crossley and his violence? The lightning striking?

21. The brevity of the film, the bizarre world into which the audience was introduced? The suggestion of realities behind reality? Puzzle, magic? The use of symbols, the use of visual suggestion? Sounds? The significance of the shout?