Nightmare Beach

Welcome to Spring Break

Italian theatrical release poster by Renato Casaro
Directed by Umberto Lenzi
Harry Kirkpatrick
(uncredited)
Produced by Josi W. Konski
William J. Immermann
Written by Vittorio Rambaldi
Harry Kirkpatrick
(as James Justice)
Starring Nicolas de Toth
Sarah Buxton
Rawley Valverde
John Saxon
Michael Parks
Lance LeGault
Music by Claudio Simonetti
Cinematography Antonio Climati
Edited by John Rawson
Distributed by Avid Home Entertainment
Columbia TriStar Films
Release date
  • 1989 (1989)

[1]

Running time
 90 minutes
Country United States
Italy
Language English

Nightmare Beach (also released as Welcome to Spring Break[2]) is an 1989 American-Italian slasher film directed by Umberto Lenzi and Harry Kirkpatrick, and starring Nicolas de Toth, Sarah Buxton, John Saxon, and Michael Parks.[3]

Plot

Diablo, the leader of the Demons motorcycle gang, is about to be executed for the murder of a young woman. Confronting the victim's sister Gail (Sarah Buxton), he proclaims his innocence and vows to return before being he is killed via electric chair. A year passes and Spring Break has come to Miami. Two football players, Skip (Nicolas de Toth) and Ronny (Rawley Valverde) are amongst the partygoers for the week-long festivities.

While Spring Break is occurring, a mysterious biker appears and begins to dispatch people. The back of his bike has a lever that when pulled (combined with a button pushed by the biker) causes the victim to undergo a treatment similar to the electric chair. When Ronny ends up a victim of the mysterious killer, Skip attempts to find Ronny with the help of Gail, who works as a bartender during Spring Break. The duo soon find Ronny and learn that local police chief Strycher (John Saxon) and physician Doc Willet (Michael Parks) have covered up Ronny's death in order for the partygoers not to worry. However, as the body count rises, Gail and Skip begin to wonder if Diablo made good on his promise to return from the dead or is someone else responsible.

A confrontation at a local tire yard between Gail and the biker reveals that the killer is Reverend Bates (Lance Le Gault), who thinks Spring Break is nothing more than an excuse for sins. Considering himself a "guardian angel", he feels all sinners must die like Diablo, "death by electrocution". Bates also confesses to being the real killer of Gail's sister. Skip arrives in time and fights off Bates. As the duo run, Bates hops on his bike and goes after them only to trip his bike on a stray tire. Bates goes off the bike onto an electric field and like those he murdered and Diablo, dies by electrocution. The next day, Skip and Gail decide to leave Florida and head to Ohio, where Skip hails from.

Cast

Directorial credit

Umberto Lenzi, originally hired to direct, had a falling out with the producer just as production started and wanted to be taken off the film. He stated a 1996 interview that he found the story "too similar to [his earlier film] Seven Blood-Stained Orchids" and decided before shooting began that his name would not appear on the film.[4] Screenwriter Harry Kirkpatrick (also known as James Justice) was given the job of directing, and received sole directorial credit, though he convinced Lenzi to remain on the set in an uncredited advisory capacity throughout the entire production.[4] For years, many horror film fans thought Harry Kirkpatrick was an alias for Lenzi, but Lenzi has stated in interviews that there really was a Harry Kirkpatrick who wrote & co-directed that film. He explained, "My contribution consisted solely of providing technical assistance. Welcome to Spring Break should be considered the work of Harry Kirkpatrick." [4]

Soundtrack

Critical reception

AllMovie gave the film a positive review.[5] However, Rotten Tomatoes audience reviews have only rated it at 20% which is fairly poor.

References

  1. ↑ Roberto Curti. Italian Crime Filmography, 1968-1980. McFarland, 2013. ISBN 9780786469765.
  2. ↑ Kim Newman. Nightmare Movies: Horror on Screen Since the 1960s. A&C Black, 2011. ISBN 9781408805039.
  3. ↑ Leo Verswijver. Movies Were Always Magical. McFarland, 2003. ISBN 9780786411290.
  4. 1 2 3 Lenzi, Umberto (1996). "Umberto Lenzi". In Palmerini, Luca M.; Mistretta, Gaetano. Spaghetti Nightmares. Fantasma Books. p. 70. ISBN 0963498274.
  5. ↑ Wheeler, Jeremy. "Welcome to Spring Break - Review - AllMovie". AllMovie. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
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