Interesting opinion. It’s high time for me to watch “Naked Kiss” again. I’ve only seen the film once and don’t quite remember it in all of its subtleties (except, of course, for that brilliant pre-credit sequence). But still, for what I remember, “Shock Corridor” is the greater work.
Oh man. Again, Shock Corridor is spectacular for its almost devil-may-care embrace of just cinematic craziness, as pointed as it is (or, if your opinion, tried to be), but Naked Kiss has some truly chilling moments, like when Constance Towers opens the door and the child skips by. Real moments of stomach-sucking “Oh my GOD…” that Shock Corridor was just a little too fun to fully embrace.
—PolarisDiB
I thought Naked Kiss was a really bad movie, across the board. Everything about it struck me as bad.
Shock Corrider isn’t anything special either imo, but at least it’s watchable.
Naked Kiss 1 vs Shock Corridor 0
That’s actually an interesting idea for a new Directors Cup. We can compete filmmakers’ films against themselves and come up with a MUBI-approved top 10 list for each director. Good way to learn about a director’s entire output. I’ve been more interested lately in digging deeply into certain directors rather than going broad and watching a wide and random selection of films from everywhere. I’d love to see all the films that Fuller made.
PolarisDiB
Well if we’re discussing Shock Corridor vs Naked Kiss , my allegiance goes towards Naked Kiss. A lot of it does have to do with the subtlety issue but Fuller just isn’t subtle, so it’s like comparing the difference in subtlety between a knife and a hatchet in terms of how well it pierces skin. But Naked Kiss has some very nasty things to say about the community it reveals that does get sort of lost in the raining hallways of Shock Corridor. I agree with the point made above that Shock Corridor tears open anxieties from the social era in which it was filmed but it still has that Theatre of the Absyrd “It’s okay because there’s a screen between us” mediation. A three ring circus it is, and just as subversive as three ring circuses can sometimes get. But The Naked Kiss puts it right on the street where the clowns are you, or at least someone you know. Much more enticing.
—PolarisDiB