The Horror of Party Beach

The Horror of Party Beach (1964)

Runtime: 78 minutes

Directed by: Del Tenney

Starring: John Scott, Alice Lyon, Allan Laurel, Marilyn Clarke, Eulabelle Moore

From: Inzom Productions/Iselin-Tenney Productions

Somehow this was a first-time watch for me; not even the MST3K episode has been viewed before. Of course I’ve known the unfortunate appearance of the mutated creature for years but more on that in a bit. This was experienced on YouTube in a video which simulated a drive-in experience by pairing it with trailers, intermission ads, a Betty Boop cartoon and another film… I’ll review that tomorrow.

That creature results from radioactive waste literally dumped into the bay. It first appears at the end of the first act which is the highlight of the film. Its debut is not the highlight… it’s that it is the culmination of a beach party (that brief subgenre was popular at the time in the cinemas) where we see WHITE PEOPLE DANCING, hear mediocre surf/beach music and see drama amongst some teenage dirtbags. I’m not sure how radioactive waste creates a bipedal aquatic creature w/ bug eyes and what looks like seven hot dog wieners sticking out of its maw but there’s plenty of questionable science on display.

From there there’s the expected drama of several people coming together to try and stop the menace; how it’s done—another dubious moment to say the least yet M. Night probably doesn’t think so…but seriously, at least there is an impressive rampage the creature goes on at one point and a surprising amount of blood.

As obvious a cash-grab as this was-an attempt to appeal to “the youths” by incorporating several genres-at least this was amusing crap. A hero named HANK GREEN, girls at a slumber party singing folk songs, a balding middle-aged scientist as one of the heroes, the director in a cameo as a gas station attendant who is fawned at by several young ladies… I was amused by this schlock and its doofy-looking monster.