Themes: Unlikely Criminals, Ladder to the Top, Office Politics
Main Cast: Michael Caine, Elizabeth McGovern, Peter Riegert, Swoosie Kurtz, Will Patton
Release Year: 1990
Country: US
Run Time: 88 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Shock to the System is a black comedy about a middle-aged advertising executive (Michael Caine) who loses his long-awaited promotion to a younger man (Peter Reigret). In frustration, Caine accidentally pushes a panhandler in front of a subway train--and he gets away with the death. Realizing that committing murder might be a little easier than he previously had thought, he begins plotting the murder of several of his corporate enemies. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
John McMartin - George Brewster; Jenny Wright - Melanie O'Connor; Barbara Baxley - Lillian; Haviland Morris - Tara Liston; Philip Moon - Henry Park; Scotty Bloch - Secretary; Kent Broadhurst - Executive; Mike Cicchetti - Beggar in Subway; Rik Colitti - Bum; Mia Dillon - Graham's Secretary; Jim Dratfield - Additional Dialogue; John Finn - Motorman; Garry Goodrow - Additional Dialogue; Zach Grenier - Executive; Alice Haining - Benham's Secretary; Alicia Hoge - Secretary; Samuel L. Jackson - Ulysses; Tyrone Jackson - Messenger; David Kramer - Additional Dialogue; Patience Moore - Wanda Maas; Elizabeth Morin - Partygoer; Rick Petrucelli - Beggar; Angela Pietropinto - Additional Dialogue; Socorro Santiago - Rental Car Attendant; Sam Schacht - David Jones; David Schramm - Executive; Craig Sechler - Additional Dialogue; Sheila Stainback - News Anchor Woman; Mike Starr - Bum; Kim Staunton - Secretary; Marie Sylvia - Waitress/Dazzles; Victor Truro - Bum; Welker White - Kennel Driver; Darrell Wilks - Mailroom Boy; Joe Zaloom - Hot Dog Vendor; Christopher Durang - Convention Speaker; Frank Ferrara - Cab Driver; Fred Ephraim - Additional Dialogue; Mary Colquhoun; Miguel Perez - Transit Cop; John Freeman - Decorator
Credit
Robert K. Shaw, Jr. - Art Director, Alice Arlen - Associate Producer, Mary Colquhoun - Casting, John Dunn - Costume Designer, Jan Egleson - Director, Peter C. Frank - Editor, William M. Anderson - Editor, Gary Chang - Composer (Music Score), Kathryn Bihr - Makeup, Toni Trimble - Makeup, Howard Cummings - Production Designer, Carl Clifford - Production Designer, Paul H. Goldsmith - Cinematographer, Patrick McCormick - Producer, Robert Franco - Set Designer, Randall Balsmeyer - Special Effects, Frank Ferrara - Stunts, Alice Arlen - Screenwriter, Andrew Klavan - Screenwriter, Andrew Klavan - Book Author
As would be expected from the off-kilter movie A Shock to the System, it has an off-kilter soundtrack. Written by Gary Chang and performed by Chang and the Turtle Island String Quartet, this is something more than the usual slasher score; Chang has taken the opposite tack, developing a subtly atonal, low-key theme for the entire score. There are no screeching violins or pulsing synthesizers to artificially drive the action along, no bangs over the noggin to get the point across. Instead, there is the odd bowed string instrument here and there, or the odd bell-like, careful Synclavier tones. For the most part, the score is a matter of atmosphere and hints, pizzicato violin and viola laid over a pleasant, slightly wonky, plucked cello, a brittleness overlaying a rounded humor. The music itself is less jazz than modern classical, taking some of its cues from Erik Satie, though far less obviously than might be expected. The members of the Turtle Island String Quartet are excellent performers and have an obvious understanding of the bent humor involved in the score; Chang's own keyboard additions are unobtrusive and interesting. The recording is good and for the most part clean, but has been put through the currently popular process of recording digitally, mixing to an analog unit, and then providing a digital master. In this case, rather than warming up the sound, the process has introduced a certain amount of analog hiss. While not too much of a problem under normal circumstances, it's extremely noticeable on headphones. ~ Steven McDonald, All Music Guide
A family man named Graham Marshall, a long-time executive in a large advertising company, is unexpectedly passed over for promotion. Marshall himself can live with it, but his nagging wife Leslie is devastated and continually reproaches her husband for his apparent lack of ambition and willpower.
An unfortunate accident occurs in the subway caused by Marshall in which a panhandler is killed. It goes unnoticed, then gives him a whole new set of ideas as far as his future life is concerned.
Deciding to take revenge on all the people who have caused him problems in his life, Marshall starts meticulously planning their violent deaths. This includes his wife, whom he eventually electrocutes, and his young rival Bob Benham at the office.
Marshall becomes much better acquainted with an office colleague, Stella Anderson. And when none of the murders is linked to him, Graham feels vindicated in his belief that killing off everyone who has harmed him is the right thing to do. He soon passes the point of no return.
At the end of Brett's novel, overwhelming evidence is suddenly brought against him for a murder he did not commit.
This ending was first used by Anthony Berkeley (writing as Francis Iles) in his 1931 novel Malice Aforethought (see whodunnit). It should also be noted that the ending of the movie version is completely different, with Marshall exulting in his new life of crime and in no danger whatsoever of being brought to justice.
