Shrieker (1998): It’s like a Goosebumps episode for adults
Why Shrieker Takes You Back: A Nostalgic Dive into a B-Movie Gem
If you’re considering watching Shrieker and want a spoiler-free glimpse or just another fan’s perspective, you’re in the right place. This review highlights how Shrieker, despite its obvious budget constraints, makes up for it with a charm reminiscent of a classic ’90s Goosebumps TV episode—perhaps unintentionally.
A product of the golden age of the video store, Shrieker evokes the days when horror fans scoured shelves for the coolest VHS covers. If you were browsing in the ‘90s, you’d find plenty of movies like this one—low-budget direct-to-video (DTV) gems from Full Moon Features. You’d rent or buy a copy, drawn in by the eye-catching cover art and knowing that, even if the scares didn’t land, you’d be in for a fun ride.
But like usual, a no-spoilers run-down of the plot, and then our thoughts…
Plot
Shrieker loosely reimagines M. R. James’s Casting the Runes in a modern setting. True to the conventions of a typical M. R. James’s ghost story, the protagonists are scholars—though in Shrieker, they’re university students (not distinguished Professors just yet).
The movie follows Clarke (Tanya Dempsey) who moves in with a group of student squatters in an abandoned hospital. David (Parry Shen), both law student and “fascist f**k-head”, lays down the law as it were, to the group’s new member. No lights from windows that face onto the street, keep all doors chained up, and “if you want to f**k a guy, go to his place”.
After settling in, with the help of love interest Zak (Jamie Gannon), Clarke is … by the roars and smoke. Going to investigate, she goes to the basement and meets another squatter (unknown to the rest of the group). He seems to know far more about the burned archaic symbols and eerie noises than any uninvolved bystander should.
Clarke is determined, with information from the mysterious figure in the basement, to find out exactly what is going on in this hospital. But, as in any classic M. R. James ghost story—will curiosity kill Clarke?
Shrieker (1998) Review
Shrieker fumbles its jump scares, stumbles in its attempts at humor, and often dishes out secondhand embarrassment through its dialogue. From the opening scene, Shrieker promises classic horror tropes and B-movie fun—and it delivers, albeit with plenty of shortcomings along the way.
Its surprising tameness gives Shrieker an almost cozy, nostalgic vibe. Whilst it was not exciting in the least, it was entertaining. The same stock roar sound effect echoes through nearly the entire film—sounding like Sabre from the Goosebumps TV episodes Welcome to Camp Nightmare (Parts 1 & 2). This, combined with lackluster gore and a childishly ‘spooky’ score, evokes the nostalgia of YA TV horror.
The unstoppable force fear-factor of the Shrieker monster itself was dulled by the almost-cartoonish appearance of its eyes and teeth (and two heads). Even with its ability to travel through walls and manifest in any physical space instantly.
Shrieker blends classic horror tropes with B-movie charm, offering a nostalgic, if underwhelming, experience. Despite its shortcomings, Shrieker entertains with its quaint, almost cozy, tameness. Though conceptually fearsome, the Shrieker’s cartoonish design reduces it to light-hearted camp.
