NIGHTMARE BEACH (1988)
(AKA WELCOME TO SPRING BREAK)
Directed by: UMBERTO LENZI
RUNNING TIME - 92 MINUTES
Starring: John Saxon, Sara
Buxton, Kristy LaChance, Fred Buck
REVIEW BY: TONY BERNARDINI
I can honestly say I am not a big fan of Umberto Lenzi. But Nightmare beach is a surprising, under-appreciated killer/slasher film.
The film's bio has it made in 1988, but the character's fashion sense looks more
like early 80's, but that doesn't matter. One of Lenzi's few films made entirely
in the U.S. (Florida), Nightmare Beach begins with the execution of "Diablo", a
leader of a local biker gang who was framed for killing a young girl. At his
execution, he vows to come back from the dead and have his revenge.
One year later at spring break, Diablo's body is missing from his grave, and a
mysterious biker dressed in black with a dark black helmet begins killing the
local population, electricity being his weapon of choice, though he does slice
and dice a few others along the way.
Is this killer truly Diablo returned from the dead? Even I truly didn't know
until the ending (sorry no spoilers), but was taken by surprise at the end.
Nightmare Beach, or Welcome To Spring Break, is truly and under-rated and
unknown slasher film, full of suspense, great acting (for a Lenzi film), and
creative, gruesome death scenes, not seen in many other films.
If you're looking for an exciting, suspenseful, action packed, gruesome movie
from that great 80's era, this is the film. It even has the 80's gratuitous
naked woman, wet bathing suit scenes, which by the way is another reason to view
this film. I loved it, you will to.
My Rating-
1/2
AVAILABLE AT HORROR THEATER VIDEO
