Synopsis
Blood Beach is a 1980 American horror movie directed by Jeffrey Bloom. The premise, conceived by Steven Nalevansky, involves a creature lurking beneath the sand of Santa Monica Beach that attacks locals and vacationers[1][2][3]. The movie follows the story of a series of mysterious attacks that occur on the beach, where people are either mutilated or sucked into the sand[1]. The police, led by Captain Pearson, launch an investigation and dub the beach “Blood Beach” due to the gruesome incidents[5]. As the attacks continue, the search for the creature intensifies, leading to a thrilling climax.
The movie begins with a young woman named Catherine Hutton, who is sunbathing on the beach. Suddenly, she is dragged beneath the sand and disappears. Her disappearance is followed by a series of similar attacks, leading the police to suspect that a creature is responsible. Harry Caulder, a detective, is assigned to the case and begins investigating the strange occurrences. He soon discovers that the creature is a giant worm-like monster that lives beneath the sand and feeds on unsuspecting victims[1].
As the investigation continues, Harry and Catherine become romantically involved. They work together to uncover the truth about the creature and stop it from attacking more people. Meanwhile, Sergeant Royko, a gruff police officer, takes matters into his own hands and sets out to kill the creature himself[5].
The movie builds suspense and tension as the search for the creature intensifies. The police and civilians alike are on edge as they try to avoid becoming the next victim. The climax of the movie takes place in an underground parking garage, where the creature is finally confronted and defeated[5].
Cast
- David Huffman as Harry Caulder
- Marianna Hill as Catherine Hutton
- Burt Young as Sergeant Royko
- John Saxon as Captain Pearson
- Otis Young as Detective Barnes
- Lena Pousette as Ruth Hutton
- Stefan Gierasch as Dr. Dimitrios
- Harriet Medin as Mrs. Selden
- Darrell Fetty as Lieutenant Piantadosi
- Marlena Groom as Gail
Trivia
- The movie’s tagline is: “Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water…you can’t get to it!”[1].
- Blood Beach has been compared to other creature horror movies of the 1980s, such as Tremors and Sand Sharks[2].
- The movie was released in 1980, but some sources refer to it as a 1981 movie[2].
Cody Meirick on October 13, 2023