Blood Beach

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• USA • 1980 • 92m •

• Directed by: Jeffrey Bloom. • Starring: David Huffman, Marianna Hill, Burt Young, Otis Young, Lena Pousette, John Saxon, Darrell Fetty, Stefan Gierasch, Eleanor Zee, Pamela McMyler, Harriet Medin, Mickey Fox, Laura Burkett. • Music by: Gil Melle.

Something or someone is attacking people one by one on the beach. Some of them are mutilated, but most of them are sucked into the sand, disappearing without a trace. What is the creature responsible? Where does it live, and where did it come from? And is there any chance of it reproducing? Meanwhile, David Huffman and Mariana Hill are once-almost-married old friends, reunited over the death of her mother on the beach, and searching for clues in the abandoned buildings where they used to play when they were young.

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Trailer #1

3:15

Trailer #2

2:50

TV Spot

0:31

Review:

Those darn film producers of the 1980's were at it again! They were trying to scare us from going back into the water again! First Steven Spielberg got us with "JAWS" followed by the infamous inferior sequels, then we were treated to a double-dosage of "TENTACLES" paired with "ORCA", then there was the hilarious "PIRANHA" and its sequel that featured mutated Piranhas with wings(!!!) and then there was 1981's "BLOOD BEACH" - Hollywood's answer to all those endless 'monster-in-the-water' movies that were swamping our mega-plexes. Someone must have come up with the bright idea, "Instead of putting our monster in the water... how about we put it in the sand!", hence the catchy tag-line to this cinematic gem, "Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water - you can't get to it", which is about the only smart thing connected to this movie.

The premise to "BLOOD BEACH" is typical of the 80's horror-film movement. Unthinkable monster + a cute little dog becoming hapless victim of said monster + helpless girls and women either disappearing or being attacked by said monster + one male to solve the mystery and destroy said monster + questionable ending. The funny thing is, I haven't seen this movie on television for many years and it is pretty much obsolete from most video stores. Whenever I happen to see a copy floating around, I get a nostalgic feeling about the times when it was fun to see movies like this.

"BLOOD BEACH" opens with those 'all-too-familiar-scenes' - a young woman jogs along the beach at that time of early morning when there never seems to be anyone around... the sand begins to suck her in as she screams helplessly (reminiscent to the brilliant artwork featured on the poster of this movie) and while the viewer never actually gets to see the monster at this point, we're left to wonder about what it might actually look like.

Police detective Harry Caulder, (portrayed by David Huffman) is assigned to investigate this particular case. The only evidence left on the sand is an eyeball, possibly belonging to that of the victim. The next victim happens to be an old lady who ALSO happens to be the mother of his ex-flame, Marianna. Accordingly, the strange happenings and Caulder's investigation will bring these two characters together to try and solve what it is that is munching on these helpless victims and also give them time to rekindle that old flame as they become a modern day 'McMILLAN AND WIFE' detective team. A further 80's cliche' here would be the scene involving a night-time 'beach party', complete with frat boys and slutty girls and the obligatory couple who wander off to 'make out' but instead meet a grisly demise.

It isn't until the last 5 minutes of "BLOOD BEACH" that you actually get to see the monster. It's this huge papier-mache 'sea cucumber'-like creature that lets out a roar similar to that of a tiger and an elephant combined. Where did it come from? We don't know. Why is it there? We don't know. All we do know is that our hero and heroine manage to blow it up and leave the scene thinking that the terror of this creature will reign no more.

Wrong. Enter cliche number 158 when the film draws to a close. The beach that remained deserted due to the frequent 'disappearing acts' is now flooded with tourists and beach-bums. A mother turns her back on her young child who is playing with the sand. The next moment when she turns around to check on him, he is gone. If "BLOOD BEACH" was a box-office smash hit, perhaps they could have green-lighted "BLOOD BEACH: THE OFFSPRING", but alas, it was not a hit and ended up being a guilty pleasure to those us who like to watch bad 80's horror films on video, complete with the grainy imagery and 'worn out' sound-track.

There is something still very appealing about "BLOOD BEACH". Perhaps it is the appearance of Burt Young as a police sergeant (better known as Paulie from the Sylvester Stallone "ROCKY" movies). Or perhaps it is the value of the genre itself. 80's horror movies will always be regarded as cinematic treasure. Good or bad, we needed those movies - and in today's politically correct climate, "BLOOD BEACH" is the perfect anecdote for a Saturday night viewing with all the lights in the house turned off.

Review by Aussie Stud from the Internet Movie Database.

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