About Shock Corridor

'Shock Corridor' is a 1963 film directed by the iconic Samuel Fuller. This black-and-white psychological drama revolves around a journalist named Johnny Barrett who, in an ambitious attempt to win the Pulitzer Prize, gets himself admitted to a mental institution to solve a murder case. Within the eccentric confines of the mental institution, Barrett's sanity is put to the test as he delves deeper into the complex minds of the residents and edges closer to insanity himself.

Making / Production

Directed by Samuel Fuller who was also the writer, 'Shock Corridor' is admired for its audacious storyline and remarkable filming techniques. Samuel Fuller, known for his hard-hitting cinema, used the claustrophobic institutional environment to create a disturbing commentary on the contemporary society of the period.

Actors

• Peter Breck: Delivered an intense performance as Johnny Barrett, portraying the challenging journey of a man grappling with sanity.
• Constance Towers: Played Cathy, Barrett's long-suffering girlfriend who gets caught up in his ambiguous reality.
• Gene Evans: Presented the compelling character of Boden, a patient who believes he is a Confederate civil war General.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film was shot in just 10 days, marking it as one of the swiftest productions in Hollywood history.
• The director, Samuel Fuller, was also a crime reporter, which likely influenced the journalistic angle in the film.

Awards

Unfortunately, 'Shock Corridor' did not receive any awards upon its release.

Quotes

• "The closer I got to the murder, the further I got from sanity."
• "I am the angel of death The time of purification is at hand."

Music, Soundtrack

• Pauil Dunlap took care of the music in the film, creating a riveting background score in harmony with the intense themes of the film.
• The sound department consisted of sound recordist, Fred Lau and sound re-recordist, Roger Heman Sr.