At first, I didn't know what to make of this film. Was it a play? Was it a movie? I couldn't really tell. The way the movie is presented on film left me guessing. But whatever it is, it's worth watching. Certainly, it's a low-budget effort; but nevertheless, it's one of those movies I hoped wouldn't end.
In any case, I saw it for the first time late, on a sleepless night, and it held me spellbound for the duration. There seemed to be something magical or even mystical about it, as the young man's ghost--who appears to pop into the scene from nowhere--attends to some unfinished business; and in so doing, he manages to save his reputation, falls in love with a struggling violinist, and then--having given his all to complete his unfinished task--has to leave his love behind.
The castles in the sand are splendid, especially when lit with candles from within; but they are transient and easily destroyed by the ocean's tide. There has to be a message in the story somewhere ... whether it be simply that some good can come out of even life's seemingly darkest moments. And certainly, one has to note the undaunted faith and hope of the old man, even when it appears that all is about to be lost.
This is another one of those films that I simply had to capture with my VCR the next time it ran in my area, and I made a point of looking for it. I've since transferred it to DVD for myself. I can't help but wonder if "Sandcastles" provided the inspiration for the movie "Ghost" several years later.
