Sandcastles

I remember watching this movie on TV when I was in High School, probably in 1972, and I remembered it all these 33 years. I was amazed when I found it for sale on E-Bay. I remember it being fascinating in 1972 because it was obviously filmed on video-tape and had a very different look. I was disappointed it was transferred to film, but I guess it had to be, to be transferred to DVD, possibly? This movie made me cry when I was a teenager, and did again at 47. Jan Michael-Vincent was so beautiful then. And, as a 15 year old, I didn't appreciate Hershel Bernardi's performance as much as I did today. It is a very moving film, and if you are a romantic you will want to view it. I believe it is a very underrated film.

This movie held me absolutely spellbound in my youth.

This is one of the best, most under-rated love stories ever made. I've never heard of anyone in real life who's seen this work. Every time I ask is anyone's seen Sandcastles, they always respond with, "You mean Ice Castles, don't you?" LOL-No!

This film was my sole entertainment on a rainy winter Saturday. It held such enchantment that I've never forgotten it. The tenderness exhibited here is the thing of childhood fantasy. The truly sweet encounter shown in this movie was portrayed so well that I believed it was real.

If you're into love stories with a small twist of intrigue; if you liked Ghost, then, check out the movie from which it spawned. Jan Michael Vincent is completely top row (believe it...or not!) in this all but forgotten, Made for TV film.

It earns a 9.4/10 on the "TV" scale, from...

the Fiend :.

I was 23 when I saw Sandcastles in '72, and absolutely loved it. Anytime I hear Sibelius's Finlandia I think of this movie, although for the longest time I couldn't remember the name or cast of the movie, although I could picture the main players. I just heard the music again, and had to search...and I found this site. Now I know that I'm not totally out of my mind. The cast was perfect, as was the music. I knew from the first strains of Finlandia, and watching Bonnie Bedelia's face as she played the violin, that this was going to be a wonderfully romantic movie, and that romance, along with the "mystery", made for an unlikely combination to equal a fantastic movie. Yes, it should be repeated, at least a few more times. Let the younger generations see what a true romance is.

I too saw this for the 1st time late one night and it captured me. It was simple and low-budget but the format was almost as if it was live. It took me back in time to a beautiful California that I remember as a young boy. It took me back to my 1st love as a teenager. There is something about it that I can't explain. We passed in the night from a long time ago. The story was simple and the plot wasn't deep but I couldn't break away for a minute. I felt like I was back in time and all I could feel was that I wanted to be there. There was such a goodness to the man who owned Pappa Bears. He gave a great performance and I have a slight memory of him as an Actor. It was definitely 70's and I felt like I was back there for a short time. A time for me that was so much simpler and pure.

Like so many others here, I've been haunted and mesmerized by "Sandcastles" since I was 12. And I, too, couldn't find a soul who had ever heard of it. I only saw the movie once, but I loved Jan-Michael Vincent passionately for years after. I couldn't really remember anything about the movie except the powerful emotional impact it had on me and, of course, the pre-adolescent lust.

I'm truly afraid to track down a copy of it because of the likely disappointment I'll feel comparing it to my idealized memory.

I've been so saddened in recent years to read of Vincent's descent into what sounds like a hell of depression and alcoholism. I want to remember him as the gorgeous, breathtaking, sensitive young man he was back in 1972. I was never impressed with his later career and the overly-macho and un-nuanced characters he played.

I wish him peace in this world or another life. Something about him made a profound impression on me at 12.