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Psycho Beach Party [Blu-ray]
(Robert Lee King,
2000)
Review by Gary Tooze
Production:
Theatrical:
New Oz Productions
Blu-ray: Strand Releasing
Disc:
Region: 'A'
(as verified by the
Oppo Blu-ray player)
Runtime: 1:36:01.797
Disc Size: 24,575,747,341 bytes
Feature Size: 23,542,704,768 bytes
Video Bitrate: 26.54 Mbps
Chapters: 8
Case: Standard Blu-ray case
Release date: August 18th, 2015
Video:
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Resolution: 1080p / 23.976 fps
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Audio:
DTS-HD Master Audio English 4198 kbps 5.1 /
48 kHz / 4198 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 /
48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Commentary:
Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 /
48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -4dB
Subtitles:
English (SDH), none
Extras:
• Commentary Track by director Robert Lee
King and actor Charles Busch
•
Music Video by Los Straightjackets (3:36)
•
Other Strand Trailers
Bitrate:
Description: Robert Lee King directs this wacky, campy
fusion of teenaged surfer flicks and slasher sagas.
Impossibly perky Florence (Lauren Ambrose) doesn't quite fit
in at her thoroughly square high school in her seaside
Southern California town -- that is, until she happens upon
a band of ultra-hip surfer dudes. Renaming herself "Chicklet,"
she tries her gosh-darnedest to be the sole girl riding the
waves with the group led by suave Kanaka (Thomas Gibson).
While adopting her surfer alter ego, Florence soon discovers
that other less pleasant personalities emerge when
confronted with the sight of polka dots. One called Anne
Bowman is a tough, "experienced" older lady, while the
other, Tylene, is a stereotypical sassy black woman.
Blacking out whenever these other personalities take over,
Florence becomes increasingly worried that she is
responsible for a series of grizzly murders. Of course, she
is far from the only suspicious character in her oceanside
community -- there's B-movie star Bettina Barnes (Kimberly
Davies), Swedish exchange student Lars (Matt Keeslar), and
Florence's own unnervingly-perfect mom (Beth Broderick).
This film was adapted from a popular off-Broadway play
written by Charles Busch.
The Film:
PSYCHO BEACH PARTY is a wickedly fun
satire of Hollywood movie genres. Chicklet
(Lauren Ambrose - CAN'T HARDLY WAIT,
HBO's SIX FEET UNDER), a wannabe
surf-girl with a split personality, becomes
the primary suspect after a string of
humorously gruesome murders terrifies the
teen set. When the clues take her to the
beach, the fun and suspense begin.
At the beach, Chicklet crosses paths with
burnt-out surf guru Kanaka (Thomas Gibson,
CRIMINAL MINDS, DHARMA & GREG),
dreamy surfboy Starcat (Nicholas Brendon,
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER), and stylish
homicide detective Monica Stark (Charles
Busch, DIE MOMMIE DIE!). PSYCHO
BEACH PARTY also stars Amy Adams (AMERICAN
HUSTLE,
BIG EYES), Matt Keeslar (SCREAM 3),
Beth Broderick (SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH),
Kimberly Davies (THE NEXT BEST THING)
and Kathleen Robertson (BEVERLY HILLS,
90210).
Excerpt from Amazon located HERE
Like wow, daddio: This comic send-up of surf
and slasher movies is a real solid sender.
Using Gidget movies as its comic
template, Psycho Beach Party camps up
the details with knowing abandon. Set
largely on a Malibu beach in 1962, Psycho
Beach Party throws together a wannabe
surfer girl named Chicklet (Ambrose); the
B-actress star of such movies as The Pizza
Waitress With Three Heads (Robertson); a
bunch of California surfer dudes, including
a renegade psychology student (Brendon) and
beach-bum legend named Kanaka (Gibson, of
Dharma & Greg); and assorted other
friends, parents, law-enforcement officials,
and a Swedish foreign student (Keeslar). The
film is an adaptation of Charles Busch's
popular 1987 Off Broadway show.
Excerpt from The Austin Chronicle located HERE
Image:
NOTE:
The below
Blu-ray
captures were taken directly from the
Blu-ray
disc.
Strand give us an impressive 1080P transfer
of the fun-homage focused Psycho Beach
Party.
Colors are
extremely bright with rich pastels
supporting the film's strong art direction.
The film had some decent production values
and the HD visuals are exported looking
authentic and impressive in-motion. It is
transferred in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio with a
high-level of contrast. I presume this, flawless, appearance
is a strong replication of how the film was
viewed theatrically. It looked great on my
system.
CLICK EACH
BLU-RAY
CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Audio & Music:
The audio is as good as the video a powerful
DTS-HD Master 5.1 at a whopping 4198 kbps.
There are effects that separate but the
film's music - Ben Vaughn score and Los
Straitjackets' Tailspin and
Tempest sound exceptionally strong and
crisp. There are optional English (SDH)
subtitles and my
Oppo
has identified
it as being a region 'A' disc.
Extras:
Strand include the same, fun, audio
commentary track by director Robert Lee King
and actor Charles Busch as found on their
2005 DVD, as well as the Los
Straightjackets Music Video plus some
other Strand Trailers.
Bottom line: I was perfectly in the
mood for this - light, funny, 'Beach
Party' spoof. It really hit the spot and
you can recognize many future TV performers
sprinkled throughout. Quite the hoot.
The Strand
Blu-ray
offers an impressive a/v presentation and we
give a strong recommendation. Great
film choice as the start of a Double Feature
film night!
Gary Tooze
July 29th, 2015
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