Review: Monster From Bikini Beach

To fully appreciate Monster From Bikini Beach (US-2008; dir. Darin Wood) you have to take the “Truth in Advertising” approach to criticism. Look at the title. Right? Now what do you expect to find in this movie? Cheesy monsters? Bikini-clad beach bunnies? Trash cinema aesthetics? Okay, keep that in mind.

Monster From Bikini Beach is a pastiche of cheapie 1950s/60s B-grade exploitation flicks that fully knows that it has a minuscule budget, no subtext to speak of, actors of varying ability and a low-brow generic attitude toward narrative, artistic design and tonal ambiance. It has, in fact, embraced these things with enthusiasm, not simply of necessity but with deliberate intent. Therefore, what it offers is:

  • Bikini-clad women dancing on a beach

Monster From Bikini Beach 1

  •  A “man-in-a-suit” monster — with an outrageously non-naturalistic design:

 Monster From Bikini Beach 2

  • Lots of spilt blood:

Monster From Bikini Beach 3

  • And spaghetti guts:

Monster from Bikini Beach 6

  • Plus bikini tops being removed, accompanied by lots of screaming:

Monster From Bikini Beach 4

  • And gratuitous nudity (bare breasts mostly, of course):

Monster From Bikini Beach 5

And all of this in the pre-credit sequence!

Now if the above causes you to mutter tsshhh… rubbish and wonder where you left your copy of  À la recherche du temps perdu, it’s probably fair to say that you  shouldn’t watch this film or, if you do, you shouldn’t expect to get much enjoyment out of it. On the other hand, if you like cheap, energetic exploitation films from the ’50s and ’60s, you just might be on a winner.

In the township of Camaroville, which boasts the groovy Bikini Beach as its main attraction, a bunch of eager bikini-clad and body-painted beauties and their lusty partners have gathered to take part in a dance contest. With immaculate timing a terrible monster arises from the stereotypically murky depths — a primordial fiend whose over-sized claws and enormous mouth just can’t get enough of the local beach-blanket bingo. The story follows a crooked cop (Sammy Payday) and his naive squeeze as they try to score bigtime:

Monster From Bikini beach Sammy and Squeeze

— and an eccentric, rather nerdy guy (Archie Barclay) and his attractive “I-wish-she-was-my-girlfriend” buddy, who realise the Truth early on and must work to Save the Party.

Monster From Bikini Beach Archie and Chick

Will they be too late to stop the monster’s bloody rampage before the town is denuded of its bikini-wearing wildlife? Will they keep the monster away from the big televised final of the Dance Contest?

(If you answered that last question in the positive, just wait on a sec ’cause I’ve got Marcel Proust’s phone number here somewhere and I know he’d love to talk to you.)

Monster From Bikini Beach poster

It should be said that though the low-end nature of the project is sometimes apparent in various technical aspects of production — lighting, sound recording, SFX (though the gore and dismemberment is more than adequate for the genre), variable acting ability, occasional flat sections of narrative and some overkill in the dialogue (see Sammy Payday’s final soliloquy) — the cast, crew and director Wood do a smashing job with what they’ve got, and the result is an enjoyable way to pass the time — but only, as I’ve said, if you like this sort of thing.

In fact, Stephen Vargo as Sammy Payday and Galen Howard as Archie Barclay bring an eccentric and sometimes [endearingly] awkward energy to their roles that makes the whole thing less stereotypical than it might have been.

Other positives are lots of groovy beach music and the groovy retro design:

Monster from Bikini Beach groove

Oh, did I mention the cool monster?

Monster From Bikini Beach nicking girl

and the gore?

Monster from Bikini Beach gore

It’s lots of trashy fun. If you get the chance, see it at a fleapit cinema near you!

This entry was posted in Film, Giant Monsters, Horror, Review. Bookmark the permalink.

6 Responses to Review: Monster From Bikini Beach

  1. Avery says:

    This one is totally awesome!! I thoroughly enjoyed it!! It really does successfully and lovingly capture the feel and style of those classic ‘beach babes and the cheesy monster’ flicks of yesteryear. I’m told now that they are negotiating for an international distribution deal as we speak and that they hope be able to release it in surround sound with extras!! I really wish them the best for this film!! They/it truely deserves it!!

  2. Lauren Veil says:

    I watched this one evening in a small theater in the basement of The Crest. I had the pleasure of sitting next to Steven Vargo (Sammy Payday.) We all had the pleasure of Surround Sound by Phill Baldwin. Mr. Vargo put it best when he described it as the difference between “this little movie we made” and “I’m watching a film.”
    I can’t say it enough: Thank you, Trash Film Orgy, for letting me be a part of making this film!

  3. Backbrain says:

    Oh, yeah. That would be the perfect way to see it!

  4. Avery says:

    Hey Lauren Veil; thanks for taking part and helping this awesome little pic get made!! Thanks to Christy and everyone who had a part in bringing us this fantastic little production. You all did a great job and it’s much appreciated by us fans.

  5. Christy says:

    Thanks Guys!
    We totally appreciate all the support…
    and Lauren! You were so valuable on set…I can’t even imagine being able to make this happen without you! Can’t wait till the next project!

  6. Pingback: Undead Backbrain » Blog Archive » Planet of the Vampire Women

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