User:SailorSaucy/Shakma

Shakma is a 1990 horror film directed by Tom Logan and Hugh Parks. The film is about a baboon - the titular Shakma - who is subjected to a brutal animal testing regime in a teaching hospital. The enraged Shakma escapes, subsequently taking violent revenge upon a group of hapless medical students and their professor.

Cast

 * Christopher Atkins as Sam
 * Amanda Wyss as Tracy
 * Ari Meyers as Kim
 * Roddy McDowall as Professor Sorenson
 * Rob Edward Morris as Gary
 * Tre Laughlin as Bradley
 * Greg Flowers as Richard
 * Ann Kymberlie as Laura
 * Donna Jarrett as Brenda
 * Typhoon as Shakma

Themes
The theme of animal testing and vivisection runs strongly throughout the film. Shakma's unnatural aggression is explained by an experimental drug therapy performed on him towards the beginning of the film, and it is strongly implied that his previous disposition was much more docile.

Whilst it never explicitly condemns the practice, Shakma can be read as a critique of both vivisection and animal testing.

Box office
Shakma had its US theatrical premiere on the 5th of October 1990.

Critical response
Contemporary critical response to the movie has largely been lost, but it is fondly remembered by horror fans. In his review for Horror-Asylum.com, Phil Davies Brown writes that it is "a surprisingly fun and watchable film," although he balances this assertion by stating that "the movie was far too long for a film of this nature, and the ending left a sour taste as well."

As of August 2011, the film holds a rating of 5.2/10 at IMDb.

Home releases
Shakma has been released on both VHS and DVD. As of August 2011, two DVD releases are known to exist - one with significantly higher image and sound quality than the other.