Psycho Beach Party

Yes, a few of these viewers dont even seem to know the work of Charles Busch - the creator/writer and performer of Psycho Beach Party. Busch has a huge following in theatre (Psycho beach Party started a s a play)and all of his work is tongue-in-cheek and some of the complaints on these posts sound like people who wouldn't "get" Rocky Horror Picture Show or Plan 9 From Outer Space either. But that's okay - Busch's work is not for everyone - just like John Waters/Divine's work isnt for everyone. And this film adapatation certainly has it's weaknesses - but much of it is DEAD on - including the opening and closing credits with a young Ann-Margaret look-a-like doing her best go-go boot dancing. Busch is hysterical as the hard-as-nails "female" police chief and Lauen Ambrose has a field day playing the perky like Gidget with multiple personalities. The film is fun and if you like it, check on Busch in Die, Mommie, Die.

Before there was SCARY MOVIE, there was PSYCHO BEACH PARTY! That says it all, man!

Charles Busch gives us Charles Busch in a chilling, wicked satire of teen slasher flicks, drive-in movies, and hormones as they were in the 1960s. There has been nothing like this movie since PIZZA WAITRESS WITH THREE HEADS. Golly!

Puns and double meanings fly like sand on a windy day. Plus there is hidden wisdom such as, "Chastity lost is never found." And gay love as a cure for digestive problems? Who knew?

Gidget meets Mae West, and Matt Kessler with a Swedish accent. I could go on, but I won't. This is a Shakespearian play within a movie within a movie. Go figure. See it and have fun.

First things first: 'Psycho Beach Party' is funny, fresh, light-hearted and completely likable. It is a rare film that can walk the tight-rope between mocking a particular film genre (in this case, the "Beach Blanket" movies of the fifties and sixties) while still showing great affection for said genre. 'Psycho Beach Party' does it wonderfully. Using an obviously skewed view of these pleasant if vapid films, 'PBP' covers us in satirical humor and warmth, a tricky combination to pull off. If you have ever sat through a film in which a surf board was the star, check this one out...great fun.

Now, second: In response to Brian Bagnall's review from Canada, this film is NOT gay propoganda (just because the writer/director is gay does not make this a gay film). Gays do NOT have to have blonde hair (one of the only two agy characters has black hair...must have missed that one, huh, Brian?). The film does NOT portray the era as demeaning to women (the women in this film are some of the most empowered I have seen in a long time). And if you can not suspend your disbelief for long enough to watch our young heroine escape from a man twice her size, you probably should not be watching a film with the word "psycho", "beach", and "party" in the title. This film looks foundly back on a time that was simpler, both in the movies and reality. Anyone who gets anything other than a Genre Spoof from this was not paying attention.

Put simply, people; 'Psycho Beach Party' is Fabu!

This film really grew on me. It's got great actors (namely Nicholas Brendan and Lauren Ambrose), a great throwback sense of style, and very clever dialogue. I can't tell if this film is intentionally hysterical (I think it is, but some parts...it's hard to tell.) I also really liked some of the characters, including police"woman" Monica Stark. All in all, a light-hearted summer movie, perfect for a few good laughs.

A fun spoof of the Gidget type of movies. In addition to the surf spoof, it also adds camp, noir and suspense, all in B-movie style. The style itself is very '50s, with no details missed. With the movie's shifting of suspicion to different characters all the time, it will keep you guessing all the way toward the end as to who killer is.