31 Days of Horror Day 13: ‘Shock Waves’ (1977)

Synopsis: Visitors to a remote island discover that a reclusive Nazi commandant has been breeding a group of zombie soldiers. 

Shock Waves is another one of those films that had never crossed my radar until recently. Surprising because this flick actually stars a couple of screen legends whose credits are way too long to list. Peter Cushing and John Carradine both make appearances in this one as the SS Commander and Captain of the ship respectively. Granted their roles didn’t garner a ton of screen time but were pivotal in the overall storyline. 

The film opens up with Rose (Brooke Adams, Invasion of the Body Snatchers) drifting alone in a small rowboat. Barely alive and in horrible condition. She happens across a couple of fishermen who pull her to safety. When questioned about how she got there, she begins to recount her tale. 

Rose is part of a small group of tourists aboard a rickety old boat, captained by Ben (John Carradine) and his ragtag crew. On their journey, they experience engine trouble followed by the navigation going out. Then a strange orange haze moves in. That night while the 1st mate is at the helm, a huge hulking ship comes out of nowhere and sideswipes their boat. The captain lets loose a flare and briefly a massive rotting ship is seen nearby. 

The next morning they realize the captain has gone missing. So they board a lifeboat and head to shore. They discover an old recluse (Peter Cushing)  living on the island in a decrepit hotel. After disavowing any knowledge of the shipwreck, the old man heads off to investigate. We soon start to deduce that the old recluse is in actuality an SS officer that was in charge of the “Toten Corps” (Death Corps). A group of super soldiers that were designed to be unstoppable killing machines and able to thrive in various environments. 

Not too long after, each member of the party begins getting killed off by a group of goggled Nazi soldiers, rising from the depths. Of course with Rose recounting her story, you know who will be the only one to survive. The closing scene shows that still decaying ship, stranded on a reef. Just waiting for the next batch of victims. 

Shock Waves was surprisingly good. I’m all for some aquatic zombies. It had a great cast with several notable faces. The story was decent and didn’t require a lot of thought. It was able to entertain without a ton of gore or elaborate deaths and still create some tension. At a tight, compact 85 minutes I have zero issue recommending this one to anybody who hasn’t yet experienced it. It’s not going to blow you out of the water but you’ll be entertained. I found this one streaming on Tubi. 

3 out of 5

So grab your popcorn, kill the lights and join me again tomorrow as we continue our journey on this strange little trip down the 31 Days of Horror rabbit hole. See you soon…