“Shivers” (1975) - Film Review - Horror Film

I reviewed “Rabid” last week and I remember it was part of a night double feature was “Shivers” (1975) so during the wife’s soap loving I decided to re-watch the film. The film gives you a good horror movie! Naked women, sex, violence what else? All we ask in a horror movie is to be scared and disturbed and taken out of your comfort zone.

A young couple are looking to buy a property at Starline Towers apartment block, which amongst many of its resources boasts shops, dentists, and doctors all within the complex. Meanwhile in one of the apartments, which I thought, was a father raping his daughter? But he kills her instead, strips her naked and cuts her open as if he is looking for something. He then kills himself by slitting his throat. However, turns out to be a scientist living in an apartment complex, kills the girl, and using acid to destroy her internal organs.

In another apartment, a couple are at the table and the man feeling unwell leaves for work but heads to the dead girl’s room, they could have been having an affair. He goes to work still feeling sick and decides to head back home. He is sick over the balcony and we see some slug creature slip down the drain.

I found myself laughing at several scenes: a woman emerging from her apartment, attacks an unsuspected delivery-boy while crying out "I'm Hungry! Hungry for love!” The constantly sobbing housewife Janine stumbles upon her unconscious husband Tudor and finds out that hubby dearest just about puked his guts out as the bathtub is one bloody mess. So she does what every loving wife would do: she puts him in bed and turns on the TV-set. A little later, he calls her, saying, "I feel wonderful. Join me in bed".

She runs to her friend’s apartment who is infected after an encounter with the parasite in the bath and soon the two partake of some Lesbian sex. Once infected you become sex crazed.

Tudor pukes out a parasite on an ignorant woman holding an umbrella. She wipes off the blood and exclaims "poor birdy"; Dr. St. Luc, on the from run for two homosexual attackers, hides in a darkened living room, only to stumble upon a father and his daughter sitting on a sofa. "I think you'd like my daughter Erica", the man says, just before he starts kissing her.

The film is dated it was made in the seventies and when you remember that, it’s a pretty good film. From the era of the nasty exploitation movie. I liked it. It pushed all the right buttons. All it takes is one little parasite and your body does all the thinking for you. Anyone who doesn't join the parasite induced orgy is going to get hurt.

I loved the Barbara Steele lesbian kiss scene. That was some good parasite action. Also loved the nurse, (Lynn Lowry). She has a great scene where she undresses while the doctor is on the phone. Always good to have nudity going on while a plot point is being discussed. "Uh huh. Yeah Yeah. Listen can I call you back? There's a naked nurse in here."

My Rating