The Shout (1978)

A mysterious stranger (Alan Bates) shows up after a church service and follows the church organist (John Hurt) home and invites himself to lunch. He claims to have lived in the Australian outback for 18 years and acquired the ability to cause death and destruction merely by shouting. Based on a short story by Robert Graves (I CLAUDIUS) and directed by Jerzy Skolimowski (DEEP END), this is an odd little film, often categorized as horror but I wouldn't go that far though it definitely has supernatural elements. Frankly, I haven't a clue to what it's "about" but I'm not quite sure the film makers do either though I doubt they were interested in a cohesive straightforward narrative. Whatever it was meant to be, it remains an enigmatic if bewildering piece of movie making. One either goes with it or one doesn't. I did. With Susannah York, Robert Stephens, Jim Broadbent and Tim Curry.