Psycho Beach Party (2000)

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

Watch something else. There are very few redeeming qualities to this film.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

I really liked the concept of the movie. A parody both on the slasher craze of the 80s and the teen beach movies of the 60s but sadly it didn't deliver the fun as it promised. The story is really badly written and the acting is just horrible. But it's supposed to be funny but it wasn't funny. The jokes are awful and didn't give me a chuckle and the cinematography is enough to to anyone a headache.It's a complete snooze fest. I literally found myself falling asleep more than I was laughing at the movie and that's not a good sign. I will not recommend this snooze fest to anyone not even a fan of horrible movies, check out scary movie or the 80s gem Student Bodies.

"Psycho Beach Party" is a parody of teen slasher horror films, taking place in the 1960's. It's a combination of beach movie, horror film, and camp. It's really not a very good movie for the general public, but as a cheesy camp flick it has its appeal, and it's worth at least a rent, at least for people who like this kind of John Waters-esquire camp. My main complaint is that it seems to try a bit too hard. But it's a great movie if you're in a certain kind of relaxed mood. Anyway, we have a copy of it in our collection, and re-watched it yesterday.Florence "Chicklet" Forrest (Lauren Ambrose, of "Six Feet Under") is the highlight of the whole movie, and makes the film worthwhile just on her merits alone. Her character has multiple personalities, the main two being the nice, peppy Florence, but the hilarious one is her alter-ego "Anne Bowen", a dominatrix minx. Ambrose switches back and forth seamlessly and hilariously between these two personalities (and a minor third one).The story: Florence and her best friend Berdine (Danni Wheeler) get involved in a series of murders after Florence starts hanging out with the all-male surfers' club, wanting to be part of the group. Captain Monica Stark (played by writer, actor and novelist Charles Busch, who for some reason saw fit to be cast in this female part - he is not really funny, and the character is treated as if she were really female, instead of a obvious man in drag) is the officer in charge of the case. Add to the mix a sequestered B-horror film actress, Bettina Barnes (Kimberley Davies), Florence's picture-perfect mother, Ruth (Beth Broderick), psychology major dropout Starcat (Nicholas Brendon, of the TV series "Buffy The Vampire Slayer"), the catty Marvel Ann (Amy Adams, of "Drop Dead Gorgeous"), Swedish exchange student, Lars (Matt Kessler), Kathleen Robertson as the bitchy, wheelchair-bound Rhonda, whom you really just want to literally push out of her chair, and the supposedly omnipotent Kanaka (Thomas Gibson), a great soundtrack, and you've got a completely silly, fun film for lovers of the cheesy camp genre.

I have to say the first time I watched this movie I couldn't even sit through the whole show. Fortunately for me that particular summer HBO played it in excess. Eventually I found myself looking to see when it was on again and watching it every time. This movie is a definite "send-up" to all those campy movies we either loved or hated, and this movie is definitely in the "love-it or hate it" category. Give yourself enough heads up to be up for anything and you too will add this to your "must see's" of cult classics. Most of the actors are unknown, some you may recognize from various TV shows. the story line is quirky at times but the cast works well together to pull this off.

So with an awful title like "Psycho Beach Party" you'd think that this was yet another mindless sexed-up teen slasher flick, right?In fact this movie is a satirical send-up of many classic movies from the 50's, 60's, and 70's and plays upon all those things we suspect lurk beneath the surface.The movie uses the original "Gidget" film as its starting ground, and really just for their take on that alone it's a hoot. Along the way the director cleverly, if not campily, weaves in references to a wide variety of films including Hitchcock classics like "Marnie." The serial killer in question? (AND THIS IS NOT A SPOILER) Someone who goes after all those who do not fit the perfect cookie-cutter standard of the 1950's. The high price of non-conformity indeed.Basically, if you've watched a lot of old movies - you'll catch the references and enjoy this clever, campy satire to the fullest extent. If you're without the 101 on classics, you'll probably be a little confused but at the very least you can enjoy the wry social commentary.