BA_Harrison To my knowledge, Shock Waves has the distinction of being the first bona fide Nazi Zombie movie (a couple of films dallied with the idea in the forties and fifties, but they don't really count). It's a concept that has proved rather popular with horror film-makers over the years, with titles like Zombie Lake, Oasis of the Zombies, Outpost, and Dead Snow amongst those that have appropriated the idea. But just because it was the first, doesn't make it any good.The film's prologue recounts how the Nazis conducted bizarre experiments during WWII, exploring the supernatural in the pursuit of creating an invincible army of the undead. The film then cuts to the present as a catatonic woman, Rose (Brooke Adams), is rescued from a dinghy found adrift in the sea. The rest of the film is a flashback, in which we learn that Rose is the only survivor of a group shipwrecked on a remote island after their pleasure cruise collides with a freighter in the night. As if that wasn't bad enough, a strange solar phenomenon has awoken the long dormant Nazi zombies that lurk at the bottom of the sea.The problem with Shock Waves is that it really doesn't do anything of interest with its promising premise, with a long, tedious build up to the arrival on the island, followed by lots of aimless and extremely boring meandering through swamps and undergrowth, and a succession of rather dull and completely bloodless deaths. Peter Cushing crops up as the German officer in charge of creating the 'Death Corps', but is given very little to do, and John Carradine plays the salty sea captain of the damaged boat, but even the presence of these two horror legends cannot save this one from being a total waste of time.

Falconeer For a film about Zombie Nazi soldiers who rise from the sea to murder a group of shipwrecked tourists, you would expect blood and guts. Well "Shock Waves" is relatively bloodless. and yet, it is an extremely good horror film! Heavy on the tension and atmosphere, this is a film, much like John Carpenter's "Halloween," that relies on mood and setting to captivate it's audience. the fact that this movie was made with a larger budget, and big name actors, helps "Shock Waves" to avoid being categorized as cheap exploitation. The cast is great, but of course the dead Nazis are the centerpiece of the production. The images of these blond SS soldiers walking out of the water are haunting and almost beautiful to behold. The fact that they don't have any reason to kill the hapless tourists makes them seem a bit more soulless than if they were killing them for "food." They don't eat their victims; they just kill them and leave them where they lie. Featuring a wonderful, creepy electronic score and imaginative camera-work throughout, this is a must-see for fans of the genre. Of course those looking for a bloodbath will be disappointed. but those looking for some good, old fashioned horror should be pleasantly surprised with this gem. Recommended.

gavin6942 Visitors to a remote island discover that a reclusive Nazi commandant (Peter Cushing) has been breeding a group of Zombie soldiers.This film features underwater Nazi Zombies, in a sense anticipating Lucio Fulci's "Zombie". In fact, Mike Mayo jokes (I assume he's joking) that it's the best in the "underwater Nazi zombie" genre.The Netflix copy is kind of grainy, and allegedly the original negative has been destroyed. I do not know how clear the Blue Underground print is, but I have to assume that it is the best available because BU doesn't mess around.As far as zombie Nazis go, I think "Dead Snow" is the better film... but it took over thirty years to try and match this one.

stephander This film, an unusual and atypical product of independent, low-budget 1970's film-making, will probably appeal more to fans of late '50's sci-fi /horror thrillers than to those of the more lurid features typical of the '70's. The plot concerns a group of tourists who are stranded on a seemingly uninhabited Caribbean isle when their dive boat is disabled after a collision with a ghostly wreck. The island, though, is the home of a former SS officer and worse, his unit of semi-aquatic zombies that have just become resuscitated and are on the prowl for victims. Ensuing is a suspenseful struggle for survival. On the down side, although the film is superbly edited, there seem to be missing some early explanatory sequences whose absence may leave the viewer somewhat confused. But there is little else to find fault with. The dialog is excellent and the story, well-paced, does not become sidetracked by superfluous plot elements. Noteworthy are the intriguing location settings that include an abandoned luxury hotel. The eerie and effective musical score is by Richard Einhorn who memorably composed music to accompany Dreyer's Passion of Joan of Arc. The be goggled, convincingly kraut-looking SS zombies are in excellent make-up, and scenes of them rising menacingly out of the water are disturbingly scary and unforgettable. The casting is perfect. The male lead is believably played by Luke Halpin of Flipper fame, who is much at home on a boat. The female lead is handled by the wonderful Brooke Adams in her first starring role. Ideal as the stalked, but feisty heroine, she evinces the grit of her Presidential forbears and looks fetchingly fit in a yellow bikini. John Carradine and Peter Cushing, ultimate professionals and always at home in this kind of film, both give effortless, sterling performances, Carradine as the crusty boat captain and Cushing as the SS officer. (I've never like Carradine more than in this role.) The rest of the cast is also excellent, the characterizations right on -- you know these people. Although there are plenty of drownings and stranglings, the film is only minimally violent. It's an easy-to-look-at and satisfying film; I've seen it 27 times so far. Give it a try! --- The DVD of this film unfortunately presents a rather sub-standard print of the film, the only one available apparently, but includes entertaining commentary and interviews that provide intriguing insight on the making of the film.