BLOOD BEACH (1980)
Article 3729 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 10-15-2011
Posting Date: 10-30-2011
Directed by Jeffrey Bloom
Featuring David Huffman, Marianna Hill, Burt Young
Country: USA
What it is: Terror from beneath the ground

Something is pulling down people through the sand on the beach and devouring them. Can the police figure out what it is and how to catch it?

The central idea isn’t a bad one, but I’m not sure the makers of this movie ever really figured out what to do with the idea. So what we get is the occasional attack scene alternating with scenes involving two former lovers reuniting or scenes of a police investigation that is getting nowhere or scenes involving colorful characters involved in one degree or another with the story. I quickly tired of both the crass policeman from Chicago (Burt Young) who does little but make tasteless comments and the homeless lady with the shopping cart, but I do kind of like the doctor investigating the case, even if his conclusions about the menace involved are really nothing but speculation. My favorite performance is from John Saxon, whose low-key no-nonsense manner I liked; it’s a pity that the story didn’t really give him a whole lot to do. Overall, the movie feels tired and jaded, even when things start moving during the last twenty minutes. All in all, it’s not memorable and not recommended.