MalibuBeach

Malibu Beach (1978)

This is another of those beach movies that were distributed by Crown International Pictures to the drive-in market. The movie is very light on plot but basically is about a couple of young guys who hook up with a couple of good-looking girls on the beach. They party, drink some beers and smoke some weed. Also on the beach there is an older guy that is a bully, who eventually is played for a fool. Everyone gets the girl, including the bully, and lives happily ever after. Well at least for the rest of the summer.

This is a mindless movie that for some reason that escapes me has a cult following. But then I can admit that I haven’t really liked any of these beach movies that I’ve watched. This one follows the same pattern as the rest of them. These movies are a series of random scenes that are only linked by the same characters appearing in them. You have beautiful people running and playing on/around the beach. The get drink some, smoke some, and then get some. There is a gag with a dog that likes to steal bikini tops, which is used as an excuse to show a great deal of un-augmented 70s boobage. There is an older guy that gives all the kids a hard time, because you know he is old and stuff. And that is about it. The cast is pretty, but there is a reason that none of them become famous for their acting skills.

The movie was clearly made by competent filmmakers. The shots all look good, the night scenes are well light (so you can see the boobage on display in the evening), and the sound is clear and sharp. The movie does play the same disco inspired songs again and again, though I will admit having a soft spot for the goofy theme song. The rest I found quite annoying. This movie also sports the absolute worst fake shark in the history of cinema. Well the worst non-CGI shark in history.

I guess that many of the scenes were supposed to be funny. I did chuckle the first time that the dog absconded with the bathing suit but after the forth or fifth time it just wasn’t funny. The rest of the humor was lost on me as well. I guess I could be accused of being too old and mature to enjoy this sort of humor, but then anyone who says that hasn’t ever met me in person. This is just a dumb and pointless movie that tries to get by on an incredible amount of female nudity. But man can’t live on boobage alone and a movie can’t get by on it alone either. I don’t recommend this movie.

½ out of 4

reviewed by John Shatzer