The Death of Ocean View Park (1979)

What a beautiful movie!

Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Pretty Good

Perfect cast and a good story

First off I was about 8 years old when this was made for television movie was made. This is a classic from where I come from because I live in the city where it took place. This is not a scary thriller the if it had not ended up on Mystery Science Theatre 3000 it should have. But it is so funny because it is so bad. I used to live where Ocean View Park Amusement Park and it would have been fun to have a roller coaster in the area but no they had to go and build a bunch of condos where it used to be! At least each year they do bring a amusement park like festival instead. This is one of those fun stupid movies like the Toxic avenger or Night of the Lepus not with Movies like Star Wars or Halloween. Granted it is semi historical because the place did exist but it was not demolished due to exploding gas tanks under neath the ground. However it was the in place to be when it did exist.

As an outsider and a roller-coaster enthusiast, i feel like i have visited Ocean View park(I wish i had if i could turn back time i would be there ) as i have watched "Rollercoaster" and "The Death of Ocean View Park" time after time. Although I have only managed to watch "The Death of Ocean View Park" very recently since the early 80's, as i have only just managed to get hold of the original TV 16mm movie reels and had this transferred onto DVD.I know there are people out there desperate for this movie so i would be happy to make some copies for personal use providing my costs are covered.As far as the film goes it is a watchable story line and the views of the Sky Rocket are superb although it does sadden me when they blow it up and pull it down this must have been an awful day for Ocean View Residents.Nowadays this coaster could have been saved as a Historical landmark like the cyclone at Coney Island!

A response to previous comments made by residents of the region where this motion picture was lensed: One person suggested that the closing and destruction of the Ocean View Amusement Park led to a downturn in the surrounding neighborhoods. This is simply not true. Prior to the construction of Interstate 64, which bypasses the Ocean View area, the primary route for traffic went through the heart of Ocean View. Once the interstate was completed, Ocean View rapidly became a ghost town with businesses closing up and an increase in crime. This led to a huge reduction in revenues for the park, which also faced new competition from nearby Busch Gardens in Williamsburg. Meanwhile, in the past few years, the City of Norfolk has done a remarkable job of fostering redevelopment so that the area has become a sought-after location for construction of high-end housing.It has also been said that the destruction footage of the roller coaster was used in the film "Rollercoaster". This is also untrue. Footage was shot of two coaster cars careening off the ride for that film, but the actual explosions and collapse are exclusive to "Death of Ocean View Park".As to the film itself, the storyline of a "supernatural" force in the water adjacent to the park was certainly silly, but somewhat typical for B-grade movies of the time. With the cast involved, there should be no surprise that the scenery was gnawed in almost every scene by the primary actors. I don't believe this film was intended to be another "Citizen Kane"; I believe Playboy was experimenting with a new non-nude format to determine if this was an area for the company to expand into (apparently not!). A strange force in the water causing strange events in an old amusement park probably sounded good at the conference table, but proved unmanageable in execution. The roller coaster and the rest of the park was destined for the wrecking ball anyway; "let's come up with a weird way to justify an explosive demise!".For the casual movie viewer, this would be a "see once and forget about it" film (except for Diana Canova fans); but for the thousands of people who live in the region and have fond memories of the park, this movie is like a "walk down memory lane" for footage of the park as well as old footage of downtown Norfolk, the first "Harborfest", and Old Dominion University. Even a limited release of this film on DVD would be welcome.

DEATH OF OCEAN VIEW PARK was just that a girl saw these things happening in her dreams then they happened. the park was really demolished it had been in the movie ROLLER COASTER two years before this film. in all a great movie not available on DVD come on bring it out don't be too lazy. in all a great movie although i feel OCEAN VIEW PARK should not have been destroyed like this its roller coaster THE ROCKET looked the finest now sadly missed. DEATH OF OCEAN VIEW PARK a fine movie see it if you can, i hope it comes out on DVD. a film like this came from the era of disaster movies its one of my favourites yet i haven't seen it for ten years and its a classic picture so see it when you can its excellent.