Terreur sur la plage

TV-made melodrama appears to be a smaller-scaled variation of "Straw Dogs", yet also tends to resemble the cheesier "Hot Rods to Hell". Dysfunctional family--older dad and mom, accompanied by their two college-age kids--take a camping trip to the beach but run afoul of sadistic hooligan teenagers (dressed in hippie garb reminiscent of the Manson followers). Dennis Weaver's complacent father learns to fight back after his family's safety is threatened, but why are these delinquents so obsessed with terrorizing the straight-laced clan? And why do they always seem two-steps ahead of not only Weaver but also the beach patrol? Writer Bill Svanoe's negligence in explaining the situation at hand doesn't seem unintentional at all; he appears to harbor a fear of hippies/irrational kids in general, no doubt propelled by the headlines of the day. His teleplay bulldozes straight on to a rather predictable showdown, one that indicates to us that the family who fights together stays together. Nevertheless, it's an engrossing scenario, helped immeasurably by several good (if occasionally overwrought) performances.

I remember this one from when it played on TV when I was about five, but I saw it again recently on the Fox Channel. Dennis Weaver is the main star playing basically the same role he played in "Duel"--a mild-mannered, middle-aged guy whose manhood is tested when he suddenly finds himself in an escalating, completely irrational conflict--except that instead of facing a psychotic truckdriver, Weaver this time is menaced by a bunch of annoying hippies. He also has his whole family with him, so the movie is also similar to both the earlier "Hot Rod to Hell" and the later "The Hills Have Eyes", except that instead of JD hotrodders or crazed cannibals the villains are, uh, a bunch of annoying hippies. And that's the problem. These guys are not exactly the Manson family--all they do is eat the family's food, shake their camper, make strange sound effects with stereo equipment, and do weird things with mannequins. Basically, they "freak the squares." But since the movie is told entirely from the point of view of the "squares" who are being "freaked", it's all ridiculously melodramatic and reactionary. There is no real violence and no sex (although it does feature a young Susan Dey in a bikini). Oh well, what do you expect from a crappy 70's TV movie?

A family experiences 'Terror on the Beach' when a group of youngsters attacks them on their vacation. Basically we are introduced to the Gwynn family who are your typical American family. They have their arguments, but overall love each other greatly. They begin to be targeted by a group of young people. The gang runs them off the road at one point, tricks them into thinking their car is broken down, goes to their camp and takes some of their stuff, etc. It escalates quickly and it's obvious that the family are in real danger of being physically hurt. That's when they must come together and fight back against the gang who believe they own the beach.

'Terror on the Beach' feels a bit like 'National Lampoon's Vacation' meets 'The Hill Have Eyes' meets 'Duel'. We have the family who are in the family van going on a trip. When they get to the beach area, they are stalked and watched by members of the gang. The gang also tries to drive them off the road at times... so it has the feel of a bunch of different films. The acting was good enough, especially from Parsons and Weaver, But 'Terror on the Beach' failed to do what a lot of the other ABC movie of the week films did. It lacked great suspense or high drama. This one had it's moments, but at the end of the day is your pretty average made for TV movie.

It has some good moments, particularly towards the end when the family finally fights back against the gang. There are some great beach location shots to go with it. I'd probably recommend catching this online if you are interested in 70's television movies, but it is one of the more slower moving one's from that time.

5/10

If you get the Fox Movies channel, they will sometimes run this fine film shot during Weaver's tenure as Sheriff McCloud in '73. It is a slow film not unlike many made-for-tvs of this period, but enjoyable nonetheless. There are great low-angle shots of beautiful blue skies, dune-grass in the foreground and colorful swirls of billowing hippie tents throughout. The action is standard but you watch these films for that early '70s atmosphere and inspiration not for thrills. The hippies are cool and there are some cute girl hippies as well with long bleached hair and smoothe legs. Remember, during this period, fashions were excellent previews of the '93-'97 retro-movement - only better. Also featured is a young and cute Susan Dey from Partridge family fame so... watch for that all you tv lechers.

Neil and Arlene Glynn (Dennis Weaver and Estelle Parsons) and the kids, Deedee and Steve (Susan Dey and Kristoffer Tabori) are en route to the beach for a camping weekend.

Oh no!

A group of hellish hippies runs them off the road! It doesn't end there, as these hairy hellions are persistent. Neil is a bit of a milquetoast, wanting to just let it go, while his son seems to see trouble brewing. We also learn that the Glynn family is under some strain of their own. They're busy trying to come to grips with growing up / older.

Once at the beach, all seems well, but the hipsters are nearby! Soon, the true mayhem begins. How will the Glynns cope with this danger?

TERROR ON THE BEACH is a made-for-TV movie that plays on the fear of young, crazed, cult-types, in the wake of such things as the Manson Family murders. It tackles the generation gap as well, with the discourse between the parents and offspring representing what was happening then (1973).

As for the ne'er do wells, they're fairly intimidating, though their eeevil hijinks seem mostly sophomoric and absurd. Still, they have their moments. It's almost like watching a strange hybrid of THE HILLS HAVE EYES and any juvenile delinquent film from the 1950's-early 60's, with the addition of dune buggies!

A fun, silly romp through the sand...