Customer Reviews

Monster Beach Party

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Monster Beach Party is a supposed horror-comedy, with very few moments of comedy and even less moments of horror. The biggest problem I had with the movie is that it could have been really fun if it would have had a lot of gore and maybe some t & a, you know like b-movies are supposed to. We see severed limbs strewn about on the beach in a couple of scenes, but other than that Monster Beach Party is as tame as a Julia Roberts movie.

This movie could have been really entertaining. I'm a big fan of the revived 50s/Tiki thing, and this movie does a great job of incorporating all of those elements. There's fun and actually decent acting, high production values, cool scenery and costumes, etc. However, the movie absolutely fails on the plot. We're fairly often reminded of a monster on/near the beach, but nothing happens. Not until the very end is there any action. I recognize the need for a climax, but a horror/comedic film that has 90% nothing but dialogue is boring.

Stomp! Shout! Scream! (great title) has changed it's title for the DVD release to Monster Beach Party a go-go. It's a parody of movies like Horror of Party Beach (1964) which is an unintentional comedy classic. This movie is very low budget (don't look for any special effects), of course the movies it "apes" are similarly cheap. You'll spot references to Them! (1954), countless AIP teen flicks, and monster romps of the late 50's early 60's.
There are no belly laughs, and younger audiences may not see the point, but people who grew up on these films will like the affectionate ribbing this film gives it's predecessors.
Plot: an ape-creature stalks teens on a beach. That's it. To fill in the running time (about 78 mm), we have some great rock music performed by an all girl band. Of course there's a love story thrown in.
To enjoy this movie you have to be in the right frame of mind. There's nothing sophisticated going on here, just a wacky rockin' flick to remind us how it didn't take much to please an audience 45 years ago.

A throwback to classic creature features such as THEM! (Gordon Douglas), IT CONQUERED THE WORLD (Roger Corman), HORROR OF PARTY BEACH (Del Tenney), and THE EYE CREATURES (Larry Buchanan), STOMP! SHOUT! SCREAM! stars the Violas, a trio of luscious female rockers, on tour in their less-than-reliable vehicle. They end up stranded a backwater burg, in the middle of some intrigue. It seems that some nasty debris has washed up on the beach bringing with it a "skunk ape" from the Florida Everglades.

Aided by scientist John Patterson (Jonathan Michael Green), the local constabulary bungles two steps behind the stinky Sasquatch as it feeds on tourists and beach bums alike before turning its attention on the Viola's lead singer, Theodora (Claire Bronson). Though she may be pursued by the skunk ape, the scientist, and the mechanic fixing her car, Hector (Travis Young), Theodora wants nothing to do with them. You see, she's got a secret in her past--one that makes her feel that she's "damaged goods."

Director Jay Wade Edwards, perfectly captures 1966. Rather than parody (like John Paizs's TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN), Edwards does a straight up rendition of the era and its films in STOMP! SHOUT! SCREAM! Beautifully shot with some terrific performances, the film also boasts a truly rockin' soundtrack.