The Beach Party at the Threshold of Hell

I attended the world premiere of this film at the 2006 Los Angeles Film Festival and enjoyed what I saw very much. It is hard to explain this movie to someone who hasn't seen it...and I think that is a good thing, as it needs to be experienced to appreciate it for what it really is. This film is a completely visceral experience from beginning to end. The use of sound, special effects, on-screen graphics, etc. engage all of your senses and really draw you into what is happening on-screen. For first-time filmmakers, the creators of this (soon to be) trilogy should be lauded for their decision to employ numerous ambitious techniques to produce a successful, dark, funny, apocalyptic tale. Job well done for all parties involved! :) :) :)

I got a chance to catch The Beach Party at the Threshold of Hell at its World Premiere at the L.A. Film festival. I would unabashedly recommend the film--especially to indie film-lovers and cult flick-enthusiasts worldwide. The filmmakers worked wonders in bringing a post-apocalyptic satire to the big screen on a meager budget.

The acting is, at times, pitch perfect and the story is a kind of Oh Brother Where art Thou meets Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas set in 2097, New America. The cinematography, editing, graphics and animation sequences are stunning and visually entertaining.

The film is a bit unconventional in structure, but the History Channel documentary/comic book style of the film is original and works well. While it has political and social overtones, the comedic setups were usually paid off with satisfying hilarity. The film started a bit slow, but it soon took off and kept me on the edge of my seat the rest of the way.

As this is only part one, I hope the filmmakers will be granted the budget and name talent to make part two even better than the first installment.

I saw this movie during it's midnight premiere of the LA FILM FESTIVAL. I prepared myself to see a bad movie full of guts and gore, but instead witnessed a clever and engaging film. I loved it!! The characters were well developed and highly entertaining and surprisingly, the cast was actually talented. The story was unlike anything I had seen before(something that Hollywood should try!)and the humor was brilliantly witty! This film has everything you could ask for...plot, character, comedy and horror...and it delivers. Give the film a chance and you won't be disappointed (but don't give it only 15mins and turn it off because it's different). This is the type of film that is bound to pave the way to new and creative film-making.

Starting with the title, this campy, hilarious, New American film is gushing with the zeal of the youthful, hip, and edgy filmmakers. Charting a primordial course towards a new genre, Writer/Director/Lead Kevin Wheatley and his directing collaborator Johnny Gillette, along with co-conspirator Cameron Pierce, have touched on something quite new and fresh. Hearkening back to the multi-format style of some of their predecessors like Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers and Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill, the filmmakers lucidly blend time-shifting storytelling with "expert" testimony, hand drawn animation and graphics with live action, and clever writing with strong performances.

A first attempt at making a feature film is usually marred with over-acting, technical blunders, and misguided "post-fixes". This film, however, is an overachiever for these first time filmmakers. Their strong storytelling skills shine through in their History Channel-on-mescaline style, and the wait for their next foray has already been too long.

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Saw the film at the LA Film Festival and had a great time. It's not a Hollywood film, it's very much an independent spirit and as such the story telling is not your traditional formulaic arc. It feels like a historical chronicle of the end of the world and the rebuilding afterwards with sections of narrative dialog.

There is a fascinating array of characters and character work presented in the piece.

The visual effects are amazing when you consider what is achieved on a micro budget. The filmmakers have taken imagination and creativity over a big budget. I particularly enjoyed the digital effects with the introduction of each character and the use of narration and biography writers to frame the story.

I loved it and am looking forward to the next installment.