Shivers [They Came from Within] *** (1975, Paul Hampton, Joe Silver, Lynn Lowry, Barbara Steele) – Classic Movie Review 9515

The infamous 1975 David Cronenberg Canadian science fiction body horror film shocker Shivers [They Came from Within] is his breakthrough third movie, following Stereo and Crimes of the Future and preceding Rabid (1977). It stars Paul Hampton, Joe Silver, Lynn Lowry, and Barbara Steele.

Paul Hampton plays resident doctor Roger St Luc, who discovers a dead scientist was doing experiments on the use of genetically engineered parasites as organ transplants. These parasites infect the residents of a Montréal suburban high-rise luxury apartment complex building and turn them into sex-crazed fiends out to infect others by sexual contact.

Shivers has a lot of disgusting raw power as an edgy Seventies low-budget horror movie, but as a body horror shocker, it is quite revolting with its blood splatter and disease themes, so its infamy is understandable and well deserved.

It was released in Montréal on 10 October 1975 by Cinépix and proved a nice little earner. It was the most profitable Canadian film by 1975, despite hostile reviews from many critics, and was so controversial that the Canadian Parliament of debated its social and artistic value and effect on society, after objections to its sexual and violent content. However, Roger Ebert was impressed by much of the film and gave it a two-and-a-half-star rating.

It was shot on Nuns’ Island in Montreal in 15 days.

The film was released in both Canada and the United Kingdom as Shivers. It is also known as The Parasite Murders (in Canada), They Came from Within (in the United States) and Frissons (for French-Canadian distribution). The shooting title was Orgy of the Blood Parasites.

The film was released on DVD by Image Entertainment on 16 September 1998, now a rarity.

The cast are: Paul Hampton as Roger St Luc, Joe Silver as Rollo Linsky, Lynn Lowry as Nurse Forsythe, Alan Migicovsky as Nicholas Tudor, Susan Petrie as Janine Tudor, Barbara Steele as Betts, Ronald Mlodzik as Merrick, Barry Boldero as Detective Heller, Camil Ducharme as Mr Guilbault, Hanka Posnanska as Mrs Guilbault, Wally Martin as Doorman, Vlasta Vrána as Kresimer Sviben and Silvie Debois as Benda Sviben.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9515

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